The Joke

Chapter 26

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Melissa's POV

This is surreal .

It just can't be true.

I'm living in an another nightmare and I'll soon wake up, I must wake up and get relieved. Shall I start laughing because this sounds like a damned joke or start slapping my face to get the hell out of this dream?

Unfortunately, I'm not sleeping, I'm wide awake and sitting still in front of this woman that actually just announced me that Annie has the most fucked up disease, which particularly means that we can start counting down her days alive, how strong she will be until it ruin her inside or until she beat it down, waiting for its next appalling and unwanted comeback.

This must be an inelegant joke.

"And it's malignant, can be spread to another parts of her body.." she looked down at her hands. "The worst part of it all isn't that, though." she adds, her gaze traveling straight to my lost eyes.

"What's it then?" my voice cracked and hot tears are now making their way down my cheeks. It feels like I'm a volcano and I just woke up, lava overflowing from inside of me. The tears are like lava, too hot and unknown for my flesh.

"Time. You should bring her here since she had the first pains. We could do more about it..."

"You cannot help her situation now?!" I panic, trying to stop crying and focus on what the doctor will say. I stand up from the chair, traveling my fingers through my hair.

"How long did she have those pains?" Dr Anderson asks.

"About 2 months or more." I reply.

"What did you guys do about it?" she questions next.

"I wasn't with her since the period she started feeling them. Her boyfriend was and he had told me to go her to a doctor if she was going worse. In the beginning, we thought it was a stomach flu.. She was taking pills every day." I wipe my tear-stained cheeks, but more and more streaming down.

"She what?" she snapped, taken aback.

I couldn't speak anymore. I was a part of this problem, I definitely was, because if I had gotten her to a specialist earlier, it would be different. Everything would be.

"Let's hope that her organism accepts the medication she will be given... Taking pills is not helping beat cancer."

If she knew she had this, she wouldn't have taken painkillers. She would have come here at the day one and I'm 1000000000% sure of it.

"Where does she have it?" I can hardly even complete my sentence.

"In her cells and belly."

I can't hear anymore.

"Entire belly?" I ask and it feels likely I'm gonna explode.

"Unfortunately..." she responds and stands up from her swivel chair, coming to my side.

"Tell me she's gonna be fine." I burst into sobs, loud sobs and the woman takes me into her hug.

"Let's just pray for her." she replies, patting at my back. "You need to let her know any time now." the doctor said.

How will I? With what strength? Where's the strength and confidence I always had?

Vanished away.

"But take your time first." she continues. "Remember two little but extremely essential details." she motions with her index finger.

"One. Don't show sadness in front of her. She needs to be as calm as possible, especially when it is about her. Show positivity, smile and give her mental and emotional power. She needs it more than anything else." she emphasizes.