Lost Souls (Completed)

Lost Souls - Chapter Twelve

     Today was a serious day. Lola was going back into hospital for another operation. The tumour had rescinded with the help of the chemotherapy and they said they’d be able to take some more out. It was such good news. But they wouldn’t be able to tell how much they could take out until they opened her up. According to the scans, it would be about 75% of it gone, but what the scans say and what Lola’s body says are two completely different things.  

     While Lola was down in theatre, we could do nothing but wait and hope. I’d fought with myself so much over the last couple of days to tell Dylan the truth. But he was so blissfully unaware. I didn’t want to ruin things between us when they’d only just got better again.

     “You’re really going to have to tell him soon, Casey” mum told me, interrupting my thoughts. “He’s missing out on so much time with her. And if things don’t go well…” she trailed off.

     “Don’t bother thinking like that, mother!” I scolded. “And I can’t tell him. We’ve only just got things sorted”

     “So when, then?” she started and didn’t wait for my answer before continuing. “When Lola’s on her deathbed? Or when she’s already dead?” Her words stung. I didn’t want to think about that.

     “Things are looking up for Lola, mum” I said, hopefully. “After this, there’s one more course of chemo and then they’re hopeful that she’ll get better and hopefully be in remission.”

     “It’s not as simple as that, and you know it!” mum shouted, causing patients and their families to turn and stare at us.

     “Mum, don’t start”

     She ignored me. “You know as well as I do, that Lola’s not getting any better. The tumour she has might be shrinking, but there’s something not right. She’s having more and more night terrors. She’s in constant pain. At least before, she had breaks from it and could sleep a little. She’s so tired, Casey. You HAVE to tell Dylan before it’s too late. I know you and Dylan have just sorted things out, but if he’s such a good guy, he’ll get over the fact that you didn’t tell him.”

     “No, mum! I’ll tell him in my own time!” I shouted before standing up and storming off.

     I walked around the hospital grounds for a while and thought about the whole situation. I knew Dylan would need to find out sooner or later, but I just didn’t have the guts to tell him. I felt so selfish. Lola had regularly asked who her daddy was and I’d just brushed it off and changed the subject.

     Walking back into the hospital, I met up with Dylan. He insisted that I tell him what was wrong, but I just passed it off that I was worried about Lola. Which wasn’t a complete lie. Then the doctor came out. I was looking for any giveaway sign that would tell us what had happened.

     “Sit down. Please” the doctor said as we went to stand up.

     I looked at mum and she grabbed hold of my hand. Having my mum there was the best feeling ever. I knew that my mum would stay strong, even if I didn’t.

Dylan’s POV

     The last few weeks with Casey had been great. We’d spent every evening and night together and then I left before she woke up the next morning to go to work. I hated having to leave her during the day. Especially today. Today was the day they were taking Lola back to the hospital for another operation. They tried to cover up their emotions but I knew they were all scared. Today was make or break for Lola. They were there to find out whether they could remove what was left of the tumour. Hopefully it was good news. I’d grown so attached to the little girl over the last couple of weeks and I couldn’t bare thinking of anything else bad happening to her.

     Today was the last day of school before the summer holidays. I was only here until 2:30, so I could leave straight away and get down to the hospital before Lola was out of surgery. I spent the whole morning trying to push it out of my mind. Trying to focus on what I was doing. But it didn’t work like that. I spent the whole day worrying. When I finally got to the hospital, I could tell there’d been something going on. Casey’s eyes were puffed up and she looked like she’d been crying.

     “What’s wrong?” I asked her. I was concerned. Had something happened to Lola?

     “Nothing. Everything’s fine” she snapped. “I’m just worried about Lola.”

     “Casey” I said, with furrowed brows. “You know I can spot a lie coming from your lips from a mile off. Tell me what’s wrong, Princess.”

     “Mum’s just stressed and thinks that something bad’s going to happen to Lola.” She admitted.

     “She’ll be fine. I can bet my last penny on it” I smiled.

     I pulled her close and held her hand as we walked into the hospital and after a few moments, the doctor came to see us.

     “Lola’s back from surgery” the doctor started. “We were able to remove more of the tumour than we initially thought and we removed most of it.”

     I felt a smile creep on my face and I felt like jumping up and down with joy. But the doctor wasn’t finished.

     “She’s going to need one more very intense course of chemo and radiotherapy, but that should be the last of it.”

     I was shocked. I didn’t know what to think.

     “So, it’s all good?” I asked, slightly confused.

      “Yes, it’s all good. She’s responded really well. We’re very pleased with the way things have turned out. We’ll do this last course of treatment and then we’ll test her again. But I’ve got a strong feeling that all will turn out well”

     “But what about all the pain she’s in?” I’d heard all the screaming in the night lately. It had got worse.

     “The tumour was pressed against a nerve. We managed to get it out without doing any damage to the nerves. We’ll prescribe her some more pain medication to take home with her.”

     Casey was so excited. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around me, kissing me.

     “Can we see her?” Casey turned and asked the doctor.

     “Yeah, of course. She’s awake and she’s through there” he pointed to a room a couple of doors down.

     When we went through to Lola’s room, I stood back and watched Casey cuddle Lola. I couldn’t understand why she’d given Lola to her parents. She was a great mother and I just hoped that one day she could see that for herself. I also hoped that one day she could see how much I loved her. But that was a long way off yet. She still didn’t trust me completely not to leave again. My heart broke at the thought of her never trusting me again, and I didn’t know what I could do to help the situation. So, I’m doing what I think’s best. I’m sticking around for her and Lola. She needs me around and if I can show her that I’m trustable again, maybe it will happen one day.

     I broke out of my thoughts to find that Lola had fallen back to sleep and Casey was laid with her. They looked so sweet together. I could only hope I would be a part of that one day soon.