Air

8. New Hospitals, Tears, and Breakups

Chapter 8

(Brittany's POV)

Dedicated to Janet, my friend's aunt,

 A brave lung cancer survivor!

I didn't take the news well. At all. After so many days spent crying, I managed to pull it together for Jackie's sake. I spend time with her, sitting in a chair next to her while she's lying in bed. With her purple cast on her ankle.

I take walks with her. It's not fun seeing her in a wheelchair. The worst thing is that she could be walking on her ankle because it's been a week and a half since she broke it. She's too weak to stand. Because of her cancer.

This whole thing doesn't even feel real. I understand that people get cancer. But it isn't something that's supposed to happen to your little sister. It isn't supposed to happen. Especially to somebody so young. She's only fifteen.

Like I said, it isn't easy. But I pretend I'm okay. Even with a hundred bullet holes through my heart. It's a battle.

Jackie is being transferred today. Right now I'm actually packing her clothes and things into her suitcase so we can catch the plane to Alabama. One reason that we couldn't leave earlier is that  Jackie can't exactly spend so much time apart from a hospital. It's hard to find a plane from West End, Bahamas to anywhere in Alabama. And we can't catch a plane to Florida, because we would have to drive home, leaving Jackie without medical care for too long.

Honestly, as I sit on a bed in our hotel room while Cori keeps packing, I am worried. More worried than I've ever been. I work up the courage to Google bone cancer side effects.

I click on the ninth result. It says, 'What are the side effects of treatment of bone cancer? -On Health.com

It's horrible. There are about a thousand side effects. Infections, the cancer coming back, injury to surrounding tissue. The options for treatment are chemo, which Jackie is going to do, radiation, surgery, bone marrow transplants.

I don't want this for her. I'll take her cancer. I'll have it. So she can be safe. She's Prim. I'm Katniss. Except I  can't volunteer in her place. I can't save her this time.

My college roommate, Celinda, keeps calling me. But I never pick up. I think next time she calls, I will pick up because I just need somebody to talk to. This whole thing is so frustrating and I need somebody.

I haven't even seen Dad in such a long time. I don't know where he is. It's been a week. He's been gone a week. Probably staying in a separate hotel, because he can't stand seeing Jackie like this. I wish he could come back.

I decide to just call Celinda. I dial in her number. She picks up immediately.

"BRITTANY!" she shrieks from the other end.

"Hey Cel..."

"BRITT! WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME I WAS WORRIED SICK! THAT WAS HORRIBLE I WAS SO SCARED!"

I get a little angry, "Well I'm sorry! My sister has cancer and I was a little bit busy, you know? Actually, I don't think you do because everything in your stupid life is probably willy nilly and peachy keen. Alright? I'm sorry I didn't get to calling you, but you have to stop being so darn jealous!"

There is a long silence. I hear Celinda's voice really quietly over the phone. "Gosh. I'm sorry, Britt. I know this is hard for you, I just wanted to hear from you because I was worried about Jack Jack. I'm sorry."

"Cel," I replied. "It's fine. I'm sorry, I'm just horribly stressed out. It's really bad. Jackie can't even stand up on her own. And we are coming back to Alabama today. Our flight comes at four. We'll be back in two days, so you can visit us."