Family Things & Growing Pains

Chapter Two

Three weeks later

"Are you sure you're okay?" Braelynn asks, watching Taylor worriedly.

Taylor turned her head to look at Braelynn. "I'm okay, honestly." She said softly, still refusing to admit she had leukemia.

"Tay, you need to start your chemo, you promised to after she was born." the older girl says softly.

"But I'm not sick." Taylor said cautiously.

"Yes you are, you have leukemia and it's killing you. I can't lose you and neither can Quinn." Braelynn breathes out.

"I'm not sick." Taylor repeated, swallowing.

Sighing, Braelynn gets up to grav Quinn when she starts crying. "You are and you're going to die and leave us behind if you don't get help."

Taylor swallowed. "I'm scared... okay?"

"So am I!" Braelynn snaps out.

"I'm sorry." Taylor mumbled, flinching, before getting up and leaving the room. She collapsed onto the bed and burst into tears, curling up into a small ball.

Closing her eyes,  Braelynn takes a deep breath and begins gently rocking a now crying Quinn. She could hear Taylor sobbing in their room.

She felt extremely terrible, but there wasn't much she could do.

Quinn wriggled in Braelynn's arms before calming down and drifting back to sleep.

Laying her in the bassinet, Braelynn makes her way to their bedroom. "I'm sorry."

Taylor had her face buried in a pillow. She was trembling and sobbing.

Moving to the bed, Braelynn gently places her hand on Taylor's back. "I'm just stressed and worried. I'm sorry for snapping."

Taylor still sobbed into the pillow. She wasn't scared of Braelynn. She was scared of herself and what this illness was doing to her. She was scared of death.

Gently, the older girl rubs Taylor's back. "I'm here baby."

Eventually, Taylor calmed down but now she was exhausted from all the crying. She could barely move, her chest was sore.

Laying down, Braelynn pulls Taylor into her arms and rubs her back. "Shh,"

Taylor let out a quiet groan. "My chest." She breathed.

"What's wrong?" Braelynn asks softly.

"It hurts." Taylor breathed out, pushing her hand against her chest. Her heart was beating faster than usual.

Rubbing her back, the dark-haired girl kisses her forehead. "Take a slow deep breath."

Taylor did as Marley instructed her to do. "I'm scared." She whispered quietly into Braelynn's shoulder.

"I know baby, so am I. That's why I want you to go to the doctor." Braelynn says softly, rubbing her back.

"That's why I'm scared." Taylor mumbled. "I hate hospitals and doctors offices because I spent a lot of time in them when I was a kid."

Kissing her forehead, Braelynn sighs softly. "I'll be there."

"I know." Taylor sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "But I'm still scared."

"I know, I'm sorry." the older girl whispers softly.

Taylor yawned. "I'll do the chemotherapy." She mumbled quietly into Braelynn's shoulder.

"Thank you." Braelynn breathes out, kissing Taylor's forehead and rubbing her back.

Taylor didn't respond, her hands were shaking nervously.