Make a Wish || Rhett and Link

Chapter 60 - Going Home

***** Rhett's Point of View *****

"And then they had this concert for all the kids on the ward, and they played all my favourites! And then Dan Platzman himself held his drumstucks out to me and let me play! I got to play! I got to be a part of the band! And then they all signed my shirt!"

Lily smiled. "Sounds awesome."

Cooper nodded, flicking through some photos on her iPad. "See, there we all are together, and here's the video of when I was playing, and that's when Dan let me have his drumstucks, and he signed them too! It was so cool!"

I smiled slightly. "Come on Super-Cooper, we have a plane to catch."

She picked her bag up and we walked to the gate. We'd had to spend an extra week in Vegas, but at least we were going home now.

"Dad?" Locke whined. "I'm hungry!"

"I'll get you a pack of chips or something once we get onto the plane." I assured.

He frowned and sat down next to me.

"You understand the drill for when we get back?" I asked Cooper again.

She sighed. "We're really doing that?"

"Yes." I told her firmly.

"But I don't want to go back into hospital... I just got out."

"I know Cooper, but it's only for a few days so Doctor Anderson can take a look at what happened and adjust your medication or whatever happened."

"It's not like I don't know what happened." She muttered.

"Hmm?"

"I know what causes those headaches."

"What does?" Link asked, not knowing the answer himself.

She sighed softly. "When the tumors in my head grow, they have to push on the brain tissue, right? And that really, really, hurts."

"Oh..." Lily murmured.

"So therefore I don't see why I need to go into hospital, because I already know what's happened." Cooper folded her arms.

"I don't make the decisions, Super-Cooper." I sighed.

She sighed as well. "Fine..."

We were called for boarding and headed home on the plane. Cooper slept the whole way, and I just kept an eye on her.

"She's gonna be okay, right, Dad?" Locke whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, she'll be fine." I assured. "She just needs to spend a few more days in hospital and then she can come home."

He nodded and went back to reading the book he'd brought.

We got off the plane and made a quick trip home to drop our bags off. Cooper went to Jessie and tried to convince her to let her stay.

"Please Jessie? Pretty please?"

She sighed softly. "Cooper, honey, you have to go in and see your doctor. It's up to him when you can go home."

She hung her head slightly and sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." She mumbled, walking to her room to grab her things.

She didn't talk for the entire drive to the hospital, and just looked at the window with a glum expression.

"It's just a few days, Super Cooper."

"I know.... I know... but then I'll only have a week left before I have to go back for another couple of months."

"Have you enjoyed your break?"

"Obviously." She murmured. "It's been amazing. But too short."

"I know it feels like that Super-Cooper, but time in hospital will fly, and then you'll be able to come home again."

"But what will I be by then?" She asked. "I'll be dead on my feet, Rhett. I'll be a skeleton. A shadow of who I am... that's what chemo does to you."

I frowned. "You don't know that."

"I've seen it all before." She whispered, bringing her feet up to her chest. "When those kids pass away, you don't even feel sad, because you know that they don't have to suffer anymore."

I sighed slightly as we pulled up at the hospital. "Don't think about that Cooper, okay? We're going to do our very best to make you better."

I could tell she was contemplating whether she should say something in response, but just sighed and nodded. She took my hand as we walked inside.