Chapter 6🏵️

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I cried until I had no tears left, feeling the emptiness of the hallway around me. Messages from my boss and colleagues buzzed on my phone, but I couldn't find the strength to respond to any except my mom's. She was probably expecting me to call, and I needed to let her know where I was so she wouldn't get unnecessarily worried.

"Mom," I texted, my hands shaking, "Don't wait up for me; I'll be a little late. I'm with Elias at the hospital. I'll explain more later. Love you."

Joshua had been with me, doing his best to comfort me but after a while, he returned to the office, understanding that nothing he said could truly help. Before he left though, I made sure I encouraged him to mend things with Stacy, reminding him that life is pretty much unpredictable, and we should cherish the little moments and the persons that matters the most.

Japeth, on the other hand, had also gone back to work in his department. He couldn't be away for too long, and I understood. Japeth was also resident neurologist at LABH and their seniors took their residency quite seriously, almost way too serious.

At some point, a nurse even brought me a cup of water and a small sandwich, but I didn't have the appetite to eat or drink anything. I didn't even have the strength to stay inside Elias' room. All the courage I had; left the moment his doctor spoke to me. Staying inside just kept reminding me that I'm a little too late and there is nothing I could do about it.

Approximately Two hours later, I heard a faint noise coming from his room. I quickly stood up, my legs feeling weak, and walked back inside. Elias's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around in confusion before his gaze settled on me.

"Serenity?" he croaked. "You're here?"

I walked over to his bed side, tears welling up in my eyes again. "How are you feeling?"

He looked at me visibly surprised by my response but avoided answering my question after noticing tears in my eyes. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Fidgeting anxiously, I struggled to keep my emotions in check. "Elias, how are you feeling?" I asked again, also avoiding his question.

He smiled slightly. "I'm... I'm alright babe but why are you crying? I really hope I'm not the cause. Don't mind what anyone says, this is nothing serious, okay."

"Please....Stop. Pretending. I-I'm gonna let the doctor know you're awake."

Elias's eyes softened, realizing that I might have found out about his current state. He didn't say a word after, but it was clearly visible that he wanted to.

I stepped outside and called for Dr. Cohen. She quickly came in and checked on Elias, her presence somewhat calming the tension in the room.

"How are you feeling, Elias?" She asked checking on the monitor.

"Tired," he admitted. "But...I'm alright, I guess."

Dr. Cohen nodded, taking notes on her clipboard. "That's to be expected. Do you have any pain or discomfort?"

"A little," Elias said. "But it's manageable."

"Good. The nurse assigned to you will provide you with your tablets in the next two hours. For now, just rest and if you have any issues press the red button beside you, okay?"

He nodded.

As she turned to leave, I quickly stepped forward, stopping her. "Dr. Cohen, before you go- I wanted to know if his condition is-

Cutting me off, Elias quickly spoke up "Serenity, you don't need to-"

"Please don't, I'm not speaking to you; I'm talking to the doctor."

As much as it hurt, I had to say it.

"Dr. Cohen, is it okay if we speak in your office." I insisted, looking directly at him. " Elias needs to get some rest after all."

She nodded, "Sure."

When we arrived in her office, she gestured for me to have a seat which I did.

"It's not necessarily my place to say but I know that you're angry, sad or even pretty hurt by the news of your boyfriend's condition," she continued. "But please don't be too hard on him. He was only trying to protect you from the very pain you're feeling right now."

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Elias needs to understand that him not telling me and I losing him would be far worse than me knowing, supporting him all the way, and losing him."

Dr. Cohen sighed as she leaned forward, "That's true, but please do not make the mistake of spending most of your time arguing about it. I've seen similar cases that didn't end quite well. Make sure you spend quality time together. We'll do all that we can on our part, so please do your part as his only support system."

Tears welled up in my eyes again as I tried to compose myself. "I'll try, I promise I will. I just don't know how I'll manage to go a day without crying."

She smiled gently. "Trust me, with someone as funny as Elias around, you'll be able to get through anything. Even crying your eyes out."

We both laughed.

"I hope so."

"Don't worry, you will."

"Oh, before I forget," I said, sitting up straight. "May I please know all that you're able to reveal about his condition-What kind of leukemia he has, the treatments he had received, the ones you probably haven't tried and his restrictions."

Dr. Cohen nodded, "Of course. Give me a minute, let me get his files.

After getting the files she began to go over Elias's medical history, explaining each treatment and its purpose, as well as any dietary restrictions and activities he should avoid. I listened intently, taking mental notes and trying to absorb everything.

A few minutes later

After a thorough discussion, Dr. Cohen closed the file and looked at me with a reassuring smile. "Remember, you're not alone in this. We're here to support both you and Elias every step of the way."

I nodded, feeling a bit more grounded. "Thank you, Doc. I appreciate everything you're doing."

She reached out and squeezed my hand gently. "You're welcome, Serenity. Stay strong for him and take care of yourself too. You're both going to need all the strength you can muster."

With that, I left her office, feeling a little better than I did before. Not necessarily because of everything she said but because I knew there was hope that God could turn things around if it's his will, that Elias lives.

Disclaimer: With the fact that my book includes references to leukemia and its treatments, please note that artistic liberties have been taken for storytelling purposes.

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