73 Memories

The Sixty-Eighth Memory

The next day, I threw up again. I still had a stupid migraine, the muscle pains, and the dizziness. I called in sick, again, and you got Laura ready for school, again.

I want you to know that I'm sorry for it. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything.

After you had left, and I'd taken a nap that only lasted until one p.m., thankfully, I called Emlyn.

"Can you come down today? I still feel like-" I didn't get the chance to finish my sentence because I threw up in the kitchen sink.

"Girl, you okay?" I could barely make out the words from where my phone was clutched in my hand.

When I was certain I was done, I answered. "I just threw up again. That's the second time today," I muttered, walking slowly up the stairs so I could brush my teeth.

"I'm coming over to take you to the hospital. Call your husband and tell him to meet you there. See you soon."

Before I had the chance to object, Emlyn had hung up.

I sighed and slid my phone into my back pocket so I could clean out the sink, and then when I finished that and sprayed some Febreze, I called you.

"Emlyn's taking me to the hospital. Can you meet us there?"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon," you were trying to sound calm, but there was still an underlying urgency you couldn't cover. "Do you want me to pick up Laura?"

"No, just call Olivia's mom and ask if she'll have her over for a little bit. She'll say yes."

"Alright, do you need me to bring anything?"

"No, that's okay. Oh, shoot! Emlyn's here, I'll see you soon. Love you!" I hung up before he could answer, trying to make it outside before she started honking. Loud noises are not the best cures for headaches.

When we got there, you were already sitting in the waiting room, and I knew you must have done some slight speeding in order to be here first.

"Hey," you said, standing up as I walked toward you stiffly. I pulled you into a hug, trying to erase the worry I heard in your voice.

"I'm fine. I'm just sick, no big deal."

"Okay, well go fill out a paper and tell them why they need to see you on such short notice."

I nodded and made my way to the front desk. "Is there a doctor that can see me today? It's kind of urgent." The receptionist looked up at me and smiled. "Let me get a nurse to come out here, and read over this," she said, handing me a form. I'll have her sit next to you until you finish and she'll decide if it's urgent."

I smiled and nodded, taking the paper and pen from the lady. I thanked her and then went back over to you and Emlyn, sitting down and starting with the question asking symptoms before I did anything else, like name, or age.

The nurse made it out as soon as I finished filling out the paperwork, which didn't take to long.

As she read over it, the smile she had been wearing slowly faded away, and I found my heart beating a little faster. When she looked up from the paper, she forced a fake smile onto her lips and handed the paper back to me.

"I'll go get the doc."

I looked over at you and Emlyn, seeing the same amount of worry on their faces that I was feeling inside.

When the nurse came out with the doctor, only I was allowed to go back. "We're going to slide you in here and scan your brain. More than likely everything is okay, or if there is a tumor, it will be small and easy to remove. Just stay as still as possible, and we'll contact you as soon as the end of the week with your results. You're lucky we weren't busy at all today. Kind of surprising for Florida," he joked.

I was not amused.