To Brooklyn, With Love (Completed) - Finding You Book 2

Brooklyn

This is happening. I take a breath and look once more in the mirror before turning off the dim light of the hospital bathroom and step back out into the room. In less than an hour, they'll be wheeling me back so I can donate my bone marrow to my little girl. I shouldn't have to stay overnight; it's an outpatient procedure that won't take long. I won't feel a thing, they say, but it's not the physical stuff I'm worried about. I'd gladly take the pain Sophie is about to go through; she's already been through far too much.

Her chemo treatments were intense - far worse than I thought and far worse than I could ever describe. She's a fighter, but she deserves to be tired, angry, sad. She shouldn't even know what cancer is at her age, but I'm certain these are days she won't ever forget.

She gets it. She knows she'll be here for awhile and that part of making sure she feels better for good means she has to feel terrible for awhile. Holding her hand is all I can do, but it doesn't feel like enough.

"You all set?" Harrison's voice breaks my thoughts as he knocks on the door softly. He's been here for hours already, sitting up with Sophie in the pediatric oncology wing while he insisted I got home and get a full night's rest before my procedure. The brilliant colors of his eyes have dimmed and it's been weeks since I've seen that beautiful smile I fell in love with.

He hasn't stepped into the room.

"Yeah," I say quietly. I'm surprised he's here. He brings a foam cup of coffee to his lips and readjusts his baseball cap. He's uncomfortable around me when we're alone, but when we're with Sophie, we're too focused on her to notice the awkwardness between us.

I open my mouth to thank him for stopping by, when Layla zooms in from the hall.

"I thought I might be too late," she says running toward me. Her arms wrap around me and she presses a kiss on my cheek. I'm taken aback. I thought Harrison told her the truth, but she's treating me no differently than she ever has - like I'm family. It's enough to send tears to my eyes that I won't let fall, so I squeeze her back.

"Thank you," she says sadly. "For doing this for Sophie,"

Maybe he didn't tell his family.

"I hope it works," I say simply.

"It's her best shot," Layla reminds me. "Good luck, girl I'll have the ice packs ready!" she says again as she heads toward the door. When she reaches Harrison, she stops and loops her arm around his as she looks up into his eyes. "Brooklyn's gonna hurt for awhile after this. Don't forget to take care of her, too," she reminds him before leaning up to kiss his stubble covered cheek. His eyes are still hollow, but his he offers his sister a small smile just before she leaves.

"You didn't tell her," I say plainly.

"Of course I did," he says flatly. "But she's Layla, and she sees the goodness in everyone. It's just who she is," that small smile returns for just a moment as he talks about his sister. "The shock took a minute to settle in, but once it did she smiled. Said it's a miracle. Fate. All of it," he clears his throat. "That's Layla for you. If I was more like her, things would be a lot simpler."

I know his parents can't have reacted the same. I don't blame them.

"Anyway," he breathes. "Layla will be back to take you home when you're ready,"

"No way," I snap. "I want to be here for Sophie's transplant,"

"Brooklyn," he swallows. "That's not what the doctor recommended,"

"I don't fucking care what the doctor recommended," I laugh angrily. "Try and pull me out of this hospital, Harrison. It won't work, not while my baby's in the operating room,"