Meredith's sister

41

Mia's POV

The days after the surgery were a haze of painkillers, sleep, and quiet conversations with Teddy and my sisters. I had expected to feel relief after the procedure, but the recovery was slow, and the lingering anxiety about the biopsy results never really left. It was like a shadow that clung to me, following me around no matter how many times I tried to push it away.

The hospital room felt smaller with each passing day. The beeping of the monitors and the soft shuffle of nurses outside my door became background noise to my own thoughts, which were growing louder and more persistent. I couldn't stop thinking about what those results would say—whether the mass was malignant or benign, what my future would look like, how much time I had.

Teddy stayed with me as much as she could, her comforting presence a balm for my nerves. She would hold my hand when the pain was too much, bring me snacks when I needed them, and talk about anything and everything to distract me. Her voice was a constant thread of calm in the storm of my mind. But sometimes, when I would drift off to sleep, I would wake up to find her staring out the window, lost in thought. I knew she was worried, but she didn't want to show it. Not to me.

One evening, after a particularly difficult round of pain and restlessness, I found myself staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. The room was dim, the only light coming from the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Teddy was sitting beside me, reading, her back slightly hunched over as she focused on the pages.

"Teddy?" I called softly, my voice weak from the exhaustion of the day.

She looked up immediately, her eyes softening when she saw me awake. "Hey," she said, her tone warm but tired. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a truck," I replied with a half-smile, though I could hear the fatigue in my own voice. "But I think I'm alive. So that's something."

Teddy chuckled, setting her book down. "You're definitely alive," she said with a teasing glint in her eyes. "And you're going to be okay. I know it."

I looked at her for a long moment, not speaking, just taking in her presence. She had been my rock through this whole mess. I couldn't help but wonder if she was just saying what I needed to hear, but at that moment, I needed to believe her.

"How are you holding up?" I asked quietly, my voice soft, the words coming out before I could stop them. "I know you're trying to be strong for me, but... I see it, Teddy. I know you're scared too."

Her eyes softened, and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's hard, Mia," she admitted. "I'm scared. I'm terrified of losing you. But I'm trying to be here for you, to help you through this, because that's what matters right now."

I nodded, taking her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine. "I'm scared too," I confessed, the weight of the words making my chest tighten. "I don't want to leave Allison. I don't want her to grow up without me."

Teddy squeezed my hand, her eyes locking with mine. "You won't. You'll be here, Mia. I won't let anything happen to you. We'll figure this out. Together."

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that everything would work out in the end, that I could somehow come out of this unscathed. But the fear still lingered, buried deep inside me.

"I'm so tired, Teddy," I whispered, the exhaustion from the pain and worry catching up with me. "I just want it to be over."

She nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead. "I know you do. And it will be. We'll take it one step at a time."

I let out a shaky breath, nodding in agreement. I had no choice but to trust her, to trust that the future was something I could still control, even if it felt like everything was slipping through my fingers.

Before I could say anything else, the door to my room opened quietly, and my sisters stepped inside. Meredith, Maggie, and Amelia. I could see the concern on their faces, but there was something else too. A determination. They had been the ones who, despite their own fears, never let me face this alone.

Maggie was the first to speak. "How are you doing, Mia?" she asked gently, coming over to the side of the bed.

I forced a smile, trying to reassure them. "I'm getting there," I said, though I knew it wasn't true. I wasn't sure if I was "getting there" or if I was simply surviving, one moment at a time.

Amelia was next, her presence always a calming one. "We're here, Mia. Whatever happens, we're with you. And we're going to get through this together."

Meredith stood quietly at the foot of the bed, her gaze thoughtful but steady. "You're strong, Mia. You've always been strong. Don't forget that."

I looked at all three of them, my heart swelling with gratitude and love. They were my family, my lifeline. No matter what happened with the biopsy results, I knew that I wouldn't face it alone. They would be there, standing with me, every step of the way.

Teddy stood up from the chair beside the bed, giving my sisters room to settle in. She kissed me gently on the forehead, whispering, "I'm going to grab some coffee. Call me if you need anything."

I nodded, watching her leave, before turning my attention back to my sisters.

"We'll be okay, right?" I asked, my voice small, the fear seeping into my words despite the efforts to stay strong. "I mean, no matter what happens, we'll be okay?"

Meredith was the first to respond, her voice unwavering. "Yes, Mia. We will be. You've got us. And you've got Teddy. You're going to fight this, and we're going to fight it with you."

Maggie and Amelia both nodded in agreement, their faces filled with the kind of determination that mirrored my own. I didn't know what the future held, but with them by my side, I knew I wasn't going to face it alone.

For now, that was enough.