Scenes From a Soap Opera

All In The Clear

Tessa had to admit she felt pretty stupid for not telling the family about her cancer battle. Having a support group made it ten times easier. Sharon was constantly dropping food off and Nick had the best specialists in the field flown in. She could never thank them enough for all the support.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tessa turned to face a concerned looking Mariah.

Tessa darkly chuckled, "They're not worth that much."

The grimace on Mariah's face became a frown. "Oh contraire, they're worth so much more. Just like you." She threw her arms around her wife in what she hoped was a comforting embrace. Tessa kissed her wife's hand before dropping them.

"Thank you love." Tessa said. She was so exhausted; most days she couldn't get off the couch. Chemo was a necessary bitch. While she knew it was going to make her better, she wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy. She involuntarily shuddered; Mariah threw a blanket around her.

"Here you go." Mariah rubbed her arms through the blanket. "I'm sorry I didn't realize you were so cold. Let me go turn the heat up." She started to get up when she felt Tessa grab her arm. The redhead looked back at her wife to see Tessa giving her an exhausted smile.

"Don't go." Tessa pleaded. "I'll be much warmer with you snuggling me than I will with the heater." She tried to give a seductive grin, but because of how tired she felt; it didn't last very long. The two sat in silence for a while; it was nice, comforting. Sadly, someone had to break it.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Mariah softly asked before smacking her head with her hand. "Stupid question, of course you're nervous. You're only finding out if your cancer is gone. Why wouldn't you be nervous?"

"Babe, stop you're fine." Tessa giggled. "I appreciate your concern truly. And it's not a stupid question." She took a deep breath before answering, "Yes, I'm nervous. I'm terrified that I went through all those months of treatment just for it to fail. But I can't let myself go there. We're not going to worst case scenario, okay? We're not."

"No, we're not." Mariah agreed. "It makes no sense to worry about something until we have to. Happy thoughts only."

Tessa gave her wife a small smile. She appreciated the positivity, every little bit helped, but until she had her answers, it was hard to keep the negative out. "Happy thoughts only." She replied stifling a yawn.

"Are you tired babe?" Mariah asked releasing her wife from the tight embrace. "Do you want to go to bed? I think we should put you to bed." She stated before Tessa could even answer. Too tired to argue, Tessa let her wife lead her to bed and get her all-tucked in. The songstress leaned up to kiss her wife as a token of appreciation.

"What was that for?" Mariah questioned. "Not that I'm against it because I'm not, and I never will be. Never, ever." She added upon seeing Tessa raise an eyebrow.

Tessa chuckled at her wife's nervous stuttering. "Relax darling, you're not in trouble." She laughed at Mariah visibly releasing a breath, "That kiss and every kiss is a token of my appreciation and love for you. You're my everything."

Mariah flashed a watery smile. "And you're my everything." She blew Tessa a kiss before leaving so her wife could have some privacy. She knew without Tessa saying anything that she wanted sometime alone to feel whatever she was going to feel about tomorrow without having to put on a brave face.

The Next Day

After the longest night of her life, Tessa walked into Nate's office with hundreds of scenarios swimming in her head. Mariah was holding her hand with such a tight grip she thought the circulation of blood to her hand was cut off.

"Um, baby?" Tessa awkwardly asked. Mariah turned to face her wife. "Can you loosen your grip just a little? My hand needs to blood to survive."

Mariah dropped Tessa's hand instantly. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Do you need some ice? Anything?" She would've asked more, but Tessa stopped her with her lips. "I guess you're good then?" The redhead playfully asked her wife.

Tessa smirked. "In a way." She exhaled, "I'll be better once Nate gets in here."

"Well hopefully Nate gets in here soon." The women turned around to see Nate standing in the doorway with a big grin on his face. The married couple exchanged greeting with the doctor as he entered his office and sat at his desk. That smile was still planted on his face.

That smile made Tessa hope for good news, but she didn't want to go there. She'd build herself up so many times only for the rug to yanked out from under her. This was too important, too life altering. She looked expectantly up at Nate, "Should I be reading something from that smile?"

That grin somehow managed to grow wider. "Yes, you should. Congratulations Tessa, your cancer is in remission."

Mariah shrieked in celebration and threw her arms around a shocked Tessa. "You did it babe! I'm so proud of you." She kissed her cheek.

Tessa blinked, still absorbing Nate's news. For once, she hoped and it paid off, she didn't know how to fully respond. "It's gone?" She finally asked in a small voice, the disbelief evident.

"Tessa, I wouldn't lie to you." Nate said gently with a voice full of compassion. "Never about your health especially when it's such good news. Your cancer is fully in remission."

Tessa sat with that news for another minute before jumping out of her seat. "Yes!" Nate and Mariah laughed at her excitement. The singer motioned for them to join her for a group hug. The three hugged for a few minutes before Nate had to leave for another appointment. He told the married couple that they could hang in his office for as long as they wanted. The women kissed passionately once he left.

Tessa whipped out her phone and texted Faith. She told her to gather the family at Sharon's, she had some news to share.