Chapter Twenty Eight
The drive up to the doctors was almost unbearable. Cheryl had chosen to drive them both there to spare them having to explain to any drivers why they were visiting the doctors together.
She got on to the motorway before glancing quickly at Kimberley who was sat in the passenger seat chewing her nails. It had been almost two weeks and they had had a phone call to say that the results of Kimberley’s tests were back.
Cheryl was supposed to have been in work, but she had dropped it all to go with Kimberley, even though she felt like a bit of a spare part at the moment, not really knowing what her purpose was. She didn’t like the fact that she couldn’t make things better, or at least calm Kimberley’s nerves and stop her worrying.
“you okay babe?” she asked, keeping her eyes on the road but offering her a few glances hear and there.
Kimberley shrugged her shoulders and looked at Cheryl. Her face was pale and her eyes were bloodshot, due to the crying she had done in the morning that Cheryl couldn’t seem to stop. The worry was evident on her face as she attempted a smile which didn’t quite reach her eyes.
They drove the rest of the short distance in silence. There was so much that Cheryl actually wanted to say, but somehow nothing would come out.
She parked up in the doctors surgery and walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for Kimberley.
“Come on” she said with a smile, seeing that Kimberley was getting out of the car reluctantly. She put her hand on the small of Kimberley’s back and walked with her to the door before letting her go in first.
As was normally the way for them recently, as soon as they were in public, they entered ‘professional mode’ and all contact was kept to a strict minimum so as not to arouse suspicion.
It wasn’t always the case but more often than not, they tried to keep up with pretences, which is why Cheryl was shocked when she felt Kimberley’s hand in her own as they walked through the reception.
-
“Hello Kimberley” the doctor smiled cheerfully. They were sent straight through to the doctors surgery to avoid any press getting a hold of the story. Kimberley smiled back nervously and sat on one of the chairs opposite the doctor.
“oh, hello” the doctor went on, seeing Cheryl walk in to the room. Cheryl smiled back and sat next to Kimberley. She breathed out heavily to try and calm her nerves, although it was probably written all over her face anyway.
“we have received your test results back” the doctor started. He looked from Kimberley to Cheryl before shuffling a few papers on his desk.
“and…” Cheryl prompted, hoping he would cut to the chase and get it over with one way or another. She felt Kimberley’s hand in her own again, her grip so tight that it was almost uncomfortable.
She could tell that the doctor had seen and registered it as well, but by now, she couldn’t have cared less. In fact, she had vowed to herself on the way to the surgery that if the results were negative, she might actually shout how much she loved Kimberley from the rooftops.
“its good news” he said, his face breaking out in to a genuine smile. “its just a cyst” he went on, seeing that Kimberley hadn’t quite taken in the news, she had almost convinced herself that the news would be bad, she wasn’t expecting to hear anything else.
Cheryl was the first to react, getting up out of her chair and bedding down to be on the same level as Kimberley. She hugged the girl tightly and noticed that she was crying, tears of relief.
“I love you” she said, stroking Kimberley’s hair as the doctor rearranged his papers again on the table. “and I think I love you too” she said, turning towards the doctor, who laughed back.
-
“I realised something today” Cheryl began, she switched off the engine of the car as they both sat and looked out of the window, passed the lay-by that Cheryl had pulled up in and out towards the hills beyond.
“oh yeah” Kimberley replied. She had had a constant smile on her face since they left the doctors surgery, and Cheryl was sure that she could actually see the worry and stress lifting from her.
“I realised that…I cant live without you” she said simply with a little shrug. “the thought of losing you… again, nearly destroyed me”
“I couldn’t have done any of this without you” Kimberley replied, dropping her hand to Cheryl’s knee. She squeezed it and then left it resting on her thigh.
“lets go home” Cheryl said, putting her hand over Kimberley’s and intertwining her fingers with the older girls.
Cheryl started the car and they dropped in to a comfortable silence as they neared the house.
“I love you, you know Kimberley. I don’t tell you that enough do I? but from now on, I’m going to tell you every day for the rest of my life”
