He Never Knew

Chapter 9

In late afternoon Tyler's phone buzzed angrily.  As he picked it up he noticed that he had nine missed calls from his mother.  

"Hello?" he spoke into the phone.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?!" his mother yelled into the receiver. "I was so worried!"

"I'm sorry, Mom," Tyler whispered.

"Why do you have to do this to me, Tyler?" 

"I'm sorry," Tyler repeated, color draining from his face.

"Tyler, why is your oxygen tank still in your room?"  

"I wanted to be normal just once in my life, not held back by that thing!" Tyler's voice rose.  He could feel anger bubbling up in the pit of his stomach, traveling along his veins and into his brain.

"The doctors said-"

"I don't care what the doctors said! Their treatments aren't helping."

"Tyler, this conversation is not over.  When you get home-"

But Tyler didn't care what happened when he got home.  He hung up the phone, his hand shaking.  The anger he once had was replaced by exhaustion.  "I'm sorry, Mom, but it really is over," he whispered to no one in particular.

"What's wrong?" Jeffrey asked for what seemed like the thousandth time. 

"Believe me, it's better that you don't know." Tyler couldn't even look him in the eye.  His shield started to crack; his eyes started to go glossy.  "You'll only feel sorry for me.  And I'm sick of everyone feeling like they need to be crying over me every second of the day." He broke into a coughing fit.

"Remember when you told me that I should always tell the truth, even if it wasn't completely necessary," Jeffrey stated, "That other people can decide for themselves if they want to accept the truth or hide behind the lies."

"Well, that's my problem, isn't it? I have great advice for other people, but it's not worth it for me.  Do as I say, not as I do." Tyler wheezed again.  "Nothing can help me now."

"Is it," Jeffrey regretted opening his mouth but couldn't stop himself, "cancer?"

"Ding. Ding. Ding. We have a winner," Tyler flashed a doleful smile.  He could feel tears in his eyes, trying to escape.  

"How long do you have?"

Tyler paused for a moment. "A year, at most."  It wasn't a lie. Not really.  Technically two months is less than a year.  He might get a miracle. "And my mom just won't accept it.  But I did.  I can.  I have to let my family go.  My sisters have to go to college; they deserve that.  And medical bills are expensive.  I'm literally sucking life out of my family's future.  And you know what the worst part is? I'm scared as Hell.  I don't want to die."

"I'm sorry," Jeffrey whispered.  

The last of his bravado disappeared.  He broke down and grabbed Jeffrey into a hug.  Tears streamed down both of their faces.  They both knew what this was, even though neither of them would dare admit it. 

"Me too," Tyler finally whispered back.

As Tyler walked out Jeffrey's front door he knew that he would never see the poor boy again.  He smiled as he recalled the happiest of memories from camp all those years ago.  They felt like they were a lifetime away, although he knew that some of them had only taken place a couple years ago.

"Goodbye, Jeffrey, I'll miss you."