my lovely summer, emma myers √

e l e v e n

as they sat in the sterile waiting room, the soft hum of hospital machinery filling the silence, an uneasy tension hung in the air. the three glanced at each other, concern look on their faces.

finally, isla decided to break the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. “there's something i need to tell you all,” she began, her eyes fixed on the floor. “charlie… she’s been keeping a secret from us. she’s terminally ill. she didn't want us to worry, but i think we deserve to know.”

gasps of shock was heard from emma. however, emma kept quiet, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. jenna had known charlie was not her usual self lately, but she hadn't imagined this. the reality of the situation began to sink in, bringing with it a wave of emotions: sorrow, fear, and a deep sense of helplessness.

jenna's eyes filled with tears. "why didn't she tell us? we could have been there for her, supported her through this."

isla sighed, running a hand through her hair. "she didn't want to be treated differently, to be pitied. she wanted to live as normally as she could for as long as she could.”

emma, who had been staring at the floor, looked up, her voice trembling. “what do we do now? how do we help her?”

isla took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions. “we be there for her. we make sure she knows she’s not alone. we support her in any way we can, just like she would for us.”

the group fell silent again, each lost in their thoughts. the seconds felt like hours as they waited for news from the doctors. the only sound was the occasional beep of a monitor or the distant murmur of hospital staff.

finally, the door to the waiting room opened, and a doctor stepped in. his expression was grave, and the friends braced themselves for whatever news he was about to deliver.

he took a deep breath before speaking, his voice gentle yet firm. “i'm afraid i have some difficult news,” he began, looking each of them in the eye. “charlie's condition has deteriorated rapidly. despite our best efforts, there’s nothing more we can do for her. she only has a few hours left.”

the words hung in the air like a heavy weight, pressing down on them. jenna's eyes filled with tears, her heart shattering into pieces. isla stopped pacing and sank into a chair, burying her face in her hands. jenna and isla tightened their grip on each other, their faces pale with shock and grief.

“how… how is she?” emma managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

“she’s comfortable,” the doctor replied softly. “we’ve given her medication to ensure she’s not in pain. you can go see her now, if you’d like.”

without hesitation, they all rose and followed the doctor down the hall. when they entered charlie's room, the sight of their friend lying so still in the hospital bed was almost too much to bear. her face was pale, her breathing shallow, but there was a peacefulness about her that provided a small measure of comfort. she also had an oxygen mask on her face and her eyes were barely opened.

they gathered around her bed, each taking a moment to hold her hand, to speak words of love. "hey..." jenna managed to let out as her tears began to run down her face again. isla and emma simply held her hand, their tears speaking the words they couldn’t find.

when the doctor said a few hours, he meant exactly 12 hours left. it was getting dark, around 7 or 8.

°°°

the next morning, the final day,

charlie's room was quiet, save for the soft, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and the occasional hiss of the oxygen machine.

isla and jenna stood at charlie's bedside, their eyes glistening with unshed tears. they had been given a few precious moments alone with her, time they knew would be both a gift and a heart-wrenching goodbye. the two insisted on going together as emma waited for them outside the room.

isla gently took charlie's hand in his, squeezing it softly. "hey, buddy," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "it's isla. i'm here. we're both here for you."

charlie's eyelids fluttered, and she managed a faint smile. "isla," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "thank you... for being here."

jenna stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from charlie's forehead. "we wouldn't be anywhere else," she said, her voice breaking. "you're our best friend, charlie. we love you so much."

charlie's eyes filled with tears, and she blinked them away slowly. "i love you both, too," she whispered. "more than you know."

isla swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "remember that time we all went camping and got lost in the woods? we were so scared, but you kept us calm. you always knew how to make things better."

charlie chuckled weakly. "yeah, and you thought we were going to get eaten by bears."

jenna smiled through her tears. "and charlie led us back to the campsite using the stars. you were always our guiding light, charlie. always."

a peaceful silence settled over them, filled with the weight of unspoken words and the depth of their bond. isla leaned in closer, his voice tender. "charlie, you’ve been so brave. we’re so proud of you."

charlie's grip on isla's hand tightened slightly. "i'm not brave," she said softly. "i’m just... tired. but knowing you’re here makes it easier."

jenna wiped a tear from her cheek. "we’ll always be here, charlie. even when... even when you’re not."

charlie breathing grew shallower, and she closed her eyes for a moment, gathering the strength to speak again. "promise me something," she said. "promise me you’ll take care of each other. stay close. live your lives fully. for me."

jenna and isla nodded, their hearts aching. "we promise," isla replied, her voice filled with love and determination.

charlie's lips curved into a smile. "thank you," she whispered. "thank you for everything. i’m... so grateful... to have had you both... in my life."

with a last hug, they bid their goodbye before leaving the room. it was emma's turn.

°°°