Second Chance

Chapter 5

I sat alone for most of the bus ride home, just thinking about everything. I thought about Kenzie and her cancer, and the strong possibility that she could die. I thought about how I was mean to her last Tuesday when she took my shirt and I thought about how when she tried to give me a hug yesterday I shrugged her off.

If anything, this was an eye opener. I never realized what I had until its about to be taken away from me.

Anyway, the little girl herself came to sit with me during our final hour on the bus. Everyone was asleep except for us.

I put my arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you all those times, Kenz. I'm so sorry."

"No," she whispered. I felt something wet on my shoulder and I looked to see tear drops falling from her brown eyes. "Don't be."

We leaned against each other for the rest of the ride and softly cried, nobody noticing how our worlds were crashing down right before our eyes.

*~*

We arrived at the ALDC thirty minutes later and everyone slowly and sleepily gathered their belongings and exited the bus. I stepped off and waited for Mackenzie to come with me and after a few minutes she still wasn't there.

Paige pushed my arm and said something before bursting into laughter.

I stared at her with no emotion before stepping back onto the bus to find Kenzie.

"Maddie!" Paige called. "Maddie, what's wrong?"

I turned around and shook my head at her before going back onto the bus.

I walked down the aisle before coming to the last row.

"Kenzie!" I exclaimed. She was curled up in a ball, her shoulders shaking. Sobs racked her body. I wrapped my arms around her small frame and held her as tight as I could. We stayed like this until mom came to find us and took us back to the car.

*~*

We were driving the thirty minute drive home and Kenzie was passed out in the back seat. I sat in the backseat staring down at Kenzie's hair. She was going to lose it, obviously. I know what Chemotherapy does to people.

Before I knew it, I was crying again. Not hard, just silent tears but I guess my mom noticed because she spoke up.

"It's gonna be hard for all of us, Mads."

"I know," I sniffed. "But, when are we gonna tell the girls?"

"I guess we will tell everyone when she doesn't show up at dance on Monday."

"Doesn't show up at dance?! But Mom, Kenzie loves to dance! She can't not dance, I mean-" I kept blabbering to her.

"Well, she can't. She has to save her energy."

"What are we gonna do," I whimpered.

"We just have to be strong for her the whole way through."

"Mom," I cried. "I can't lose her. I, I really can't-"

"We have to accept that that is a very real possibility. But the doctors are trying their very best and will do everything they can to save her. Okay?"

I didn't say anything, just looked out the window and pictured a life without my baby sister.

*~*

Kenzie slept in my bed for the first time in three years that night. I guess I just figured if I was watching her, nothing could ever happen to her. But I was gravely wrong.