Norman's Melody

False Reality

Norman's pov

Melody's hand was cold and limp as I held her hand tightly from my chair next to her hospital bed. The sound of her heart monitor beeping is the only sound in the room. We've been here a few hours without any news. I haven't seen her beautiful eyes since earlier today and the only thing keeping me sane right now is that heart monitor beeping. I fight back the tears as I sneak a glance over to my son. He was sitting motionless in the chair across the room. He hasn't said a word since the ambulance got to the house. It was like he was in a trance. This state of shock was unlike anything I've ever seen with my son. I know I should've told him about Melody's condition sooner, but I was trying to avoid this as long as I could. A part of me was hoping it would never come to this, that the cancer would just go away, but that was my mistake. A false reality that I believed too hard in. Sighing, I squeezed Melody's hand harder thinking maybe I could get some form of reaction from her, but nothing. About a half hour went by and I was fighting to keep my eyes open when the door to her room opened with a very frantic looking Gwen and minutes behind her came Andy. Gwen had tears in her eyes as she rushed to the other side of her bed,

"what happened?"

I felt like I could bust into tears, but said "I don't know..everything was fine. I woke up and she collapsed in my arms"

She looked back down worriedly at her best friend, "have you heard anything?"

My voice caught in the back of my throat as tears started to fill my eyes. I shook my head and blinked back the tears. Tears slipped down her cheek as she looked over at Mingus and then back at me. I nodded to let her know he knew what was going on before looking to Andy who was starring at melody with deep concern and confusion. I started to say something to him when the door opened again entering Dr. Roberts and another doctor. This one being older than the other with glasses and a clipboard. I immediately came to my feet as the 2 men looked at each of us in the room.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Kale. Melody's oncologist." Dr. Roberts said.

"Oncologist? What?" Andy's voice cracked and looked back at me panicked.

I didn't meet his gaze, my eyes were on the man with the answers. Dr. Kale looked over at me with regret and then nodded to Dr. Roberts.

"Norman can we have a word?" Dr. Roberts asked.

My whole body froze and my heart was pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it. I hesitantly nodded and followed them both into the hall. Once we closed the door to her room, Dr. Roberts turned to me with tears of his own in his eyes. My stomach dropped as I looked over to Dr. Kale with a false hope. The older man sighed and said,

"Miss Kolsto's condition spread even further than we expected so quickly. The tumor is growing at speeds unimaginable."

Tears started filling my eyes as my fists began to clench tightly and I began to shake, "what does that mean?"

"It means if she wake..."he started to say, but I cut him off

"When she wakes up" I growled.

"Norman" Dr. Roberts scolded.

I glared at him and then looked back to Dr. Kale, "When she wakes up...she's just gonna get worse. Soon she wont be able to walk, she'll lose her ability to speak, and she is going to have to be on oxygen at all times."

I huffed thinking about how stubborn Melody is and keeping that oxygen with her at all time will be a pain in the ass.

"How long?" I asked.

"Norman, that's not important. Why not just..."Dr. Roberts said I glared at him cutting him off before asking,

"How long?"

Dr. Kale sighed and looked at me regretfully, "She'll be lucky to make it to Christmas"

My stomach dropped, Christmas was in a month and a half.

"I'm sorry" I heard Dr. Kale say as he walked away.

Tears flooded down my cheeks, unable to contain them anymore. I felt arms wrap around me and I sobbed into Dr. Roberts shoulder. I didn't care that I was a grown man or that I was in public. I felt light headed and was unable to remain standing as my legs gave out from under me.

"Norman!" Dr. Roberts gasped as he caught me and brought me gently to the floor as we cried together.

After I got myself together, I went back in the room with Dr. Roberts. Mingus still hasn't moved. Gwen's face was tugged into andy's shoulder as andy now sat where I had been earlier holding onto Melody's hand. I noticed tears streaming down Andy's face that only confirmed he had been brought up to date. Everyone's eyes looked up at us as I forced a smile on my face looking at my son. I know my cheeks were puffy and my eyes red from crying, but I said,

"Ming why don't you go to the cafeteria with Dr. Roberts, get something to eat?"

"Not hungry" he grunted.

"ming" I said seriously.

He sighed and looked back at melody before standing to his feet and following the doctor out of the room. The minute the door closed, I turned back to the remaining two. Gwen noticed the look on my face and stood up nervously walking over to me,

"Norman...what is it?"

I tried to keep my composure as I looked at her hopeful, yet fearful eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't and tears slipped down my cheeks and my voice cracked,

"The cancer spread"

I heard her gasp as I immediately adverted my eyes to the ground not wanting to see her response to the news.,

"They gave her till Christmas"

Unwillingly, I looked up and saw her bring her hands to her mouth as she screamed out a sob of terror. I could no longer hold back as I cried along with her. Within seconds she had her arms around me and she was crying in my shoulder as I gripped her tightly back. Looking over her shoulder, I noticed Andy with both his hands on his sides, tears streaming down his face. When he looked towards us, I held out an arm to him and he stormed over to us as we all held onto each other listening to the sound of Melody's heart monitor beeping the background.