Let's be us again

Chapter 11- Without you

Owen pov

The lights were off, the only light that was on was the TV. I had an empty bottles all around me and in the garbage can. I had dumped them all out after Darby had kicked me out of her and Opals lives three weeks ago.

There was a small knock on the door. "Go away!" I shouted. Whoever was knocking started knocking again. "Fine I'm coming!" I snap as I wrench the door open. Only to see Conner Williams. Darby's older brother. "What are you doing here Conner?" I asked him.

"I came to get you." I says. He then takes a breath and wrinkles his nose in disgust. "Oh man when was the last time you showered." He snapped.

"The last time I saw Opal and Darby." I sighed sadly.

"You haven't showered in three weeks!" Conner spoke appalled with me. And probably the smell I had created around me. "Go get in the shower. Then I am taking you to the hospital."

"Why the hospital?" I ask trying not to sound worried. That's just where Darby works. Right?

"Because that's where Opal is. She wants you." Conner said looking at me.

"Darby told me I wasn't allowed within ten feet of my daughter. I can't go." I told him angrily.

"So you're going to deny a little girl her dying wish. Some father you are." Conner snapped at me.

"What do you mean by dying wish?" I asked him. Conner had now gotten my attention.

"They found a tumor in Opal's brain. She has been asking for you for three weeks. Darby said that she keeps calling you but you won't answer." Conner says.

"You have to be lying. Opal doesn't have cancer. She is the healthiest kid I know." I didn't want to believe him.

"You think I would make this story up. My niece is in the hospital dying right now. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can't believe you'd think I'd lie to you about this. I didn't want to come here Owen. The only reason I came to talk to you is because Opal doesn't have enough time left. I know she wants to spend it with her dad, and I know you want a chance to say goodbye to her. I also know that Darby needs you right now." With that Conner turned around and walked away. But he stopped when he got to the door. "And here I thought you had changed. I thought you were different. But your the same guy. The one that always runs away from his problems and mistakes."

I paced around my apartment for a while. Debating whether or not to go to the hospital. I knew I didn't deserve to be there. I didn't deserve Opal. Or Darby. But at the same time I knew I had to be there. It was my baby girl we were talking about. I may not have deserved her. Or the love she had for me. But I couldn't let her down. I had done that way to many times. Conner was right, I was that kid that always ran away from my mistakes.

I sighed softly. "Boy Owen, you sure have screwed up really big this time." I ran my finger through my hair and then got in the shower. I knew what I had to do.

**************

I made my way to the hospital room. I just looked in. Careful not to make a sound. Darby leaned against the wall. Tears streaming down her perfect face. Her hair was thrown up into a messy bun. She had dark circles under her eyes, she probably hadn't slept in weeks. She was slowly sipping on a Dr. Pepper.

I quietly knocked on the door. Darby looked at me. The quickly looked to where Opal was sleeping soundly. "Can I come in?" I ask barley above a whisper. I didn't want to wake up our daughter.

"Oh yeah sure." Darby whispered looking at me.

I sat right next to her. "Here. The flowers are for you. And the stuffed teddy is for Opal." I say handing them to her.

"Thank you. The flowers are very beautiful. And I am sure Opal will love the bear when she wakes up." Darby said glancing back at our daughter. "She doesn't sleep much. Now that she has started chemotherapy treatment. She spends most of the time sick. She has only been asleep maybe twenty minutes."

"Darby I need to apologize for my careless behavior. I should have acted more like a father. I also know how you feel about alcohol, since your dad was killed by a drunk driver. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness or you and Opal. But I want to say that I am really sorry." I spoke to her.

Darby nodded. "I also need to apologize to you. I shouldn't have hit you. Or tried to choke you. That wasn't mature at all." Darby just looked away at me. I could see the tears in her eyes. "If you wouldn't have been stupid, then we probably wouldn't have found the tumor."

I nod. "Yeah um, can you explain that to me?" I ask her.

"They found a tumor the size of a football next to her brain stem. The doctors say it could be to risky to operate on her. With the tumor being so big. So they are hoping that chemotherapy and radiation treatment will shrink it." Darby had a steady stream of tears flowing down her face. "I just want her to be OK. I can't lose her."

I found myself wrapping my arms around Darby's shoulder. "She's tough Darb's. Maybe she could do this."

Darby shook her head. "I love her so much. She can't leave me." She then sobbed into my shoulder.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled Darby close to me. "I know Darb's. I love her too."

I held Darby close to me for a long time. Finally she pulled me away from me. "I never told you how I picked Opal's name."

I shake my head. "No I don't think you ever did."

Darby sighed contently. "I had just found out I was having a girl. I didn't know what to name her. Matt went out and bought me a book of baby girl names. They told me to close my eyes, open to a random page and point. And whatever I land on will be the name of the baby. Well I opened to boom and the first name I landed on was Wilma. I wasn't about to name my baby girl Wilma. So I tried again. And I  landed on Opal. I already had her middle name picked out. I knew that I wanted the middle name to be Grace. When I landed on the name Opal. I just knew that her name had to be Opal Grace."

I smile at Darby. "That's really cool. I didn't know that's how you got the name Opal."

Darby and I talked quietly. Then the doctor came in. "Can we have a word out in the hall?" He asked us.

Darby nodded. She then glanced up at the bed. Opal was still asleep. I helped her up and followed her and the Doctor outside.

"Darby we ran some tests, and X-ray's again. The cancer has spread throughout Opals body. He has tumors in her lungs now. I'm so sorry but we didn't catch this in time. There is nothing we can do. Opal is going to die."

"How long? How long do I have with my daughter?" Darby asked.

The doctor sighed. "Well it all depends. Maybe a month. Two if you're lucky." He told us. "I'm really sorry. Take Opal home. Make her comfortable. Maybe go on a trip. Just try to find closure." With that the doctor walked away.

Darby then looked at me. "Let's have Opal pick where or what she wants to do. But I don't think we should tell her about the tumors. I don't want to scare her."

I nod. "Yeah I agree."

We walk back into the room. Opal was awake with the TV on. She was watching Frozen. "Daddy!" She called when she saw me. "You're back from your trip!"

I smile. "Yeah I came back." Darby sits on one side of the bed. And I sit on the other. "I brought you a teddy bear while I was on my trip."

Opal smiles. "Thanks dad. I love it."

Darby smiles at our daughter. "Opal we want to do something with you. If you could do anything in the world what would you pick."

She thought for a moment. "If I could pick anything. Then I want to watch my parents get married."