You are really confused when you get out of surgery. You're also really hungry. They said the surgery was a success and they removed about 98% of the tumor. At the moment, I didn't really care about that. All I wanted was a Popsicle.
I had to stay in the hospital for two weeks. The nurses said that they "wanted to make sure my vital organs were working properly". I knew that they meant "we're making sure you don't die". I didn't mind it there though. I like lying in bed all day. I only felt pain every now and again. The boys sent me "get well soon" cards and Ham sent me a box of chocolates with half the chocolates gone. He added a note saying " sorry, I got hungry". I didn't care. I just laughed. I got a care package from my family back in Minnesota. They sent me a plush doll of Goldy Gopher , the UoM mascot. They also added a note. I could tell that my aunt wrote it because of how nice and clean the note was.
"Dear Jo,
We miss you so much sweetheart! We all just wish that we can all be there with you. These times are hard but you are such a strong girl. I hope you haven't lost any of your Minnesotan loyalty." I laughed
at that part. "Lele really misses you. She really wants you to come home. I keep telling her that we will visit soon, but that's obviously not good enough. Oh Jo, we really wish we were there with you right now. We never expected anything like this to happen nor did we want it to happen. You don't deserve what is happening to you.
Anyways, best wishes
- Auntie Claire, Uncle Jay & cousin Lele and Tobias.
I put the note back in the box when the door opened.
" Jo? There's a boy here to see you. Are you up for visitors?" A nurse asked. I shrugged then nodded. The door widened and I saw Benny walk in. The nurse then closed the door leaving the two of us alone.
"Hey Jo. " he said while walking towards the bed. "Are they treating you good here?"
I giggled "Yeah. Well, good enough."
Ben sat down. He reached up and touched my head.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Feeling your head." He casually replies.
"Yeah I got that, why exactly are you?"
"I was seeing if any hair has grown back."
"Well" I started while pulling his hand down. "It hasn't."
He sighed.
"I know."
There was a comfortable silence between the two of us. We stayed like that for a while until I broke the silence.
" I'm staying here until the fifth."
"Of July?" Ben asked astonished.
I nodded. Ben scoffed.
"But that's not fair! You can't stay cooped up in this place during the 4th of July. It's not fair!"
" Trust me I've tried telling them that. They said they can move me to the window if I wanted to watch the fireworks."
"Son of a bitch!" He said loudly, but not loud enough for others to hear. He looked over at my bedside table and looked at the package my aunt sent me. He picked up Goldy.
"What the hell is this?"
I giggled.
"It's Goldy! The UoM's mascot."
"Their mascot is a gopher?"
"Hey now, don't judge."
He put Goldy back into the box and pulled out the letter.
"Who's Lele?" He asked.
"My cousin. She's four."
"Sounds cute."
"She's adorable."
He read the letter a little more.
"I'm guessing Tobias is the brother?"
"You're smart."
He chuckled. He put the letter down and looked at me. I didn't look my best at the moment. I had bags under my eyes and looked dreadfully sick. Ben took a half step forward and bent down. Soon I felt his lips on mine. We ended quickly when we heard the door open.
"Jo?"
My older brother, Kenneth, walked through the door.
"Benny, meet Kenneth, my older brother."
Benny nodded and walked over to Ken. They shook hands and then walked to the bed. Ken was a few years older then me. And by a few I actually mean he's twenty-five and doesn't have the same father as I do. My mom had him at 16. She kept him ( obviously ) but the dad didn't want him. My mom had me when she was 26, so that makes him 10 years older then me.
"How long are you here for?" Ken asked.
"Two weeks." I replied. Kens eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Even over the 4th? That's barbaric."
I chuckled in response. Ken put his hand on mine.
"I could see if I could get you out early." He said. I shook my head.
"It's no use. Thanks though."
---
It was now 9:30 at night. Ben and Ken left at around 4 and left me to my lonesome. I read a few books cover to cover and watched a movie. I didn't want to go to sleep but I also didn't want to stay awake. I wanted to leave the small room in which I was confined into.
