Dying Wish

Chapter 19

Tobias almost spit out his drink. "You're kidding!"

Laura shook her head, surprised herself at the shocking news she received last night.

"Steven Nova!" Tobias's eyes were wide. "You're a celebrity's kid! Will you hook me up to meet him?"

"Whoa, whoa," Laura raised her hands, motioning him to back off a little. "I'm honestly not sure that I want to meet him myself."

"Why not? It's Steven Nova!" He exclaimed.

"Tobias!" Laura snapped, and then withdrew. "Sorry, it's just, I don't know how I feel yet. I think mom must've only contacted him because I'm dying. But should I give him the chance to know me a little, because I'm dying?"

"Stop saying that you're dying. You aren't dying," said Tobias, offended at the thought.

"Yeah, well, is it normal to randomly pass out? Is it normal to live with stage four cancer?"

"You've been doing that."

"Well, I can't do it forever. God's calling me home sometime."

Tobias sighed in disagreement, although he knew deep down she was right.

"Anyway, I also feel like he didn't want me. He left because I was too much of a burden," Laura hung her head. "Well, look at me, I am. Trying to keep me alive is crazy expensive."

"Laura, quit being so hard on yourself. You're not a burden, you're sick. Sick people have to get help, and when their families love them, they get them help."

Laura dismissed what he said and continued, "Also, he's rich and famous, yet he couldn't just at least come back and help a little bit, like with money? It's hard for mom and..." Laura paused, "...Andrew to pay for my treatment."

"Andrew?" Tobias cocked his head, curious as to why she referred to him as that.

"Yeah. You know him. The man that raised me and led me on to believe he was my father," she said blandly.

"At least he stuck around, even after they divorced. Technically, he has no ties to you, except for love. Why stop calling him Dad?"

"Because he isn't my dad. Now I feel like I don't have one. If Andrew isn't it, I don't have a dad. Steven Nova is not a good one," explained Laura.

"I think he deserves the father title," said Tobias, defending Andrew. "I think he earned it. He's seen you as his daughter for sixteen years, and you've seen him as your daddy for just as long. He's been good to you."

"You're right," Laura nodded. "I'm just extremely upset right now with them. Just everything feels so changed now."

Tobias grabbed her hand, trying to comfort her. She leaned into him. "Even us," Laura continued after a long pause.

"What?" Tobias cocked his head.

"Don't you sense it? The dynamic of our relationship is changing. It's like, we're not just friends anymore," she explained.

"We're friends," Tobias assured her.

"Toby, it's clear that you see me as more than a friend. I do you too, but I just am not in the position for this. And now, things will be too weird, too different," Laura hung her head and let go of his hand. "Sorry. I guess I don't know how I feel. Nothing is how I planned."

Tobias seemed a little hurt at the rejection of his love. He also worried that this would end the friendship. "What did you plan?"

Laura closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I was going to live a healthy, happy, long life. Cancer free. Sickness free. Disease free. I was going to grow up like a regular little girl, having lots of friends at a public school. I would have my own hair and real eyebrows. I would live under one roof with both parents and have a happy family as a girl, only to later meet a guy with brown hair and hazel eyes with sharp features. We were going to have a family of three. Two girls and a boy."

"Alaina, Katrina, and Marcel," interrupted Tobias, showing how attentive he'd been to her talks all of these years.

"Yes," she nodded. "But nothing has gone this way. Not remotely."

"Who says I'm not the guy you're looking for? Just because I have dark brown eyes and hair shouldn't all of the sudden make me chopped liver," said Tobias, frustrated. "I have been there for you all of these years, as you have me too. God brought us together for a reason. I truly believe that."

"But Toby, it just isn't right," said Laura. "I'm sorry, but I just know you aren't my guy. I don't have that lightbulb moment. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

Tobias was quiet for a second. "Well, I hope you realize that despite your struggles, your life really isn't all that bad." Before Laura could respond, he got up and left, clearly stating that he was upset with her. Hopefully that wouldn't be their last exchange.