The Unexpected Nanny

7- Family time

"I've made a decision and please don't get mad; I want you to hear me out." Harlow says to him as she stood across him, while leaning down on the desk. He leaned back in his chair, looking at her, not saying a word. His eyes stayed glued to her and watched her walk around the desk, standing between him and the desk, she leaned against the desk, and looked at him.

Antonio didn't like what he was about to hear, and leaned his head down in his hand, as his elbow rested on the arm of his chair. "What decision is that?" he asked quietly, and his heart beating faster, nervous to hear what she had to say.

"I'm not going to go through with anymore treatments, nothing is working anyway." she says, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Antonio slid his chair closer to her, wrapping his arms around her, and resting his head against her stomach. She started running her fingers through his hair, trying not to cry harder. "I've been thinking hard about this, and I really do not want to go through chemotherapy, I have been reading all about it, and it doesn't sound like it will be easy to go through. As far as those clinical trials, I don't want to do that either, they are not proven to work, and I don't want to be a test to them either." sniffling as she spoke.

"Harlow, listen to what you're saying." he whispered, choking up. "You sound like you're wanting to give up, trying not to want to live." he says hardly getting his words out, wiping away the tears from his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, and wanted to try and change her mind.

She leaned down and cupped each side of his face, wanting him to look at her "I know what I am saying, what I am feeling, and I don't like it either... but this is reality. You do realize that if I were to start chemo, I would lose all my hair, I'll be more tired than I already am, I'll also be vomiting all the time, and lose my appetite, it's also a possibility for infections to start. I don't think I could handle all of that."

"You have to try it... for us." he whispered, pulling her tightly against him. "Those girls love you; they need their mother." he begged.

Harlow cupped her hands on the sides of his head and leaned her head down onto his. "I just don't think I could handle it, and I don't want the girls to see me go through all of that either, it's a very harsh treatment." she whispered, kissing the top of his head.

If his heart wasn't broken enough as it was, it was more broken than ever. He wanted her to live, he wanted her to try and do whatever it took for her to live, to be with him and their girls. He imagined them growing old together, not this. He never imagined that this would stop all of that from ever happening, and it was killing him inside.

"I really don't want the girls to see me with no hair, I want to enjoy being with them, and not lay there watching them play without me, or playing with someone else either." she says, trying to take in a deep breath, to refrain from crying.

"We can get wigs, if that's what you're worried about." he says, holding her tighter than ever.

"It's not just that, I know I could do that too, but it's the other side effects I'm worried about."

He pulled back wrapping an arm around her waist and pulled her down, setting her down on his lap. She turned to face him, cupping his face and leaned in for a kiss. He pulled back to look at her, running his fingers through her hair, while looking at every part of her face, sliding some strands of her hair away from her face, and looked into her eyes. He saw sadness in those eyes of hers, and could feel that she didn't want to do what she decided. All he could do at this point was respect her wishes, even if he didn't agree with them.

"I can't make you do anything, but I wish you would rethink this, you never know, it could save your life." he says, pressing his lips against hers, wanting to cry as he kissed her. They embraced in a passionate kiss before getting interrupted by the girls.