Holding Hands;lrh

Twenty-Five

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I looked in the mirror and saw nothing but myself. But it didn't look like me. I was bald with no hair. There's a cannula up my nose, and I'm skinny. Too skinny. The pole that administered my chemotherapy was right beside me and the IVs in my arm made my arm hurt.

"Elle baby you need to lay down in bed," my mom demanded. "We want to give you your birthday presents."

"Can't I stand and open them?" I asked impatiently.

"No baby the IVs will get in the way," she said.

"Let me help you," my dad said. He brought a stool for me to climb up on.

I groaned as I stepped onto the stool to climb into my hospital bed. It's just a typical birthday spent in my hospital room.

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"How are you feeling?" My dad asked me sitting beside my bed.

"I'm fine," I said. "I need to call Luke and you should probably call Mike."

"Your right," he said.

I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and I dialed Luke's number. It rang for a while, and my heart dropped thinking about what I was telling him. I was scared to tell Luke. I was scared to tell him I relapsed. The only thing I could hear was the pitter patter of the rain outside and the ringing of my phone.

The doctor I had since I was child had taken my blood today, and it took two hours to test it. My doctor came back with the news that it had come back. My cancer came back ten years later.

We usually go once a year to get check ups, and last time it was all fine. I have no idea how it could have come back.

"Are you okay? Please tell me your okay? I've been worried sick," he said.

"Luke," I choked out tears brimmed my eyes threatening to spill over.

"What's wrong Elle?" Luke said sounding worried.

"It would be better told in person," I told him. "But I can't leave the hospital now."

"Than I'll come see you," he said.

"But you have the flu," I reminded him.

"Then FaceTime me," he said.

"Okay," I said and hung up.

I went to my FaceTime and clicked on Luke's contact. I pressed his number and it started ringing. He picked up right away. I could see his face was pale and he looked about ready to cry.

"Luke," I said a tear finally falling out of my eye. "I really wish this didn't happen but it has."

"What?"

"When I was 7 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. We got rid of it then, but it came back," I said I covered my mouth and Luke just stared at me.

It was silent with the sound of the rain hitting the window of my hospital room. I could see tears falling from Luke's eyes. He was really scaring me. He was staring straight ahead,no words, no thing. Just tears coming from his eyes and him occasionally blinking.

"Luke please say something?"

"I-I don't know what to say," he said. "But you're going to be fine and you're going to get through this. I promise you."

"Thank you," I said. "Your really a great person Luke."

"Not as great as you," I told him.

"Hey Elle sweetie they need to take you for more tests now," my dad said coming into the room. "Mike is on his way up now with Cal, Ash, and Lily."

"Okay," I said. I returned my attention back to my phone where Luke was. "I'll talk to you later babe."

"Okay I love you," he said.

"You too," I told him. "I'll see you later."

I hung up the phone and handed it to my dad. I was scared out of my mind right now. Last time I was told a relapse was not likely to happen. That means that my survival rates are lower this time and there's a chance I might not make it out alive after this battle with my body.

I honestly didn't know if I was ready to fight this battle. Last time was hell, and I don't want to go back.

I wasn't ready to get cancer again.

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Plot twist.

This book still has a ways to go before it's over don't worry...