Pay the Price

Chapter Ten: Considerate

Silence.

That's what it was, but it wouldn't last long. Gavin chuckled nervously. "You're kidding. This is just a joke. Mom was in on it, too. She didn't faint or anything, and the nurses, they know, too!"

Dad just shook his head. "I'm sorry guys, it's true. I'm going to get some water, Anne will explain everything to you." He left at that and Anne stepped up.

"Have a seat you guys." She said.

"No." I snapped. "I'm fine."

Anne sighed. "I understand this is hard, but it's not all doubts. Your mother is young and healthy, she can fight through this."

Gavin sat down and put his head in his hands. "What type? What type of cancer is it?" My brother would have some understanding of it since he went to medical school for a few years before deciding he wanted to be a physicist.

Anne leaned against the wall. "It's A.L.L., acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. It's rare in females and people under seventy years of age, but it is still set that it is what your mother has." She placed a hand on Mack's shoulder. "This explains the bruises and weakness. It seems the cancer has been in her system for a while so we need to get the medication to her right away."

Anne dashed off at the call of her name, leaving the three of us behind dumbfounded.

"I can't believe this." Mack muttered. "Our mom? Why was it our mom? She's healthy and happy. What if she... dies?"

Gavin jumped from his seat. "Mack, don't say that. You heard the nurse, Moms healthy, and if they just give her the treatment, she will be fine."

"Exactly!" I shouted. "But, guess what? Dad has no job and we can't survive on Mom's low pay check and pitiful health insurance to pay for the room! Her treatment alone will be too much. There's no way she will be able to stay for as long as she needs." I huffed. "Sometimes I wish we did own Sport Tech." I jogged to the wash room.

The mirror fogged from my shallow breaths and a tear splattered on the side of the sink. Was this payback- revenge for lying about my Dad. "I'm sorry, Lord! I'm sorry I'm such an idiot, just don't make my mother pay for it."

-

The ride home was long, but the bike ride back was even longer. Dad had insisted on taking the three of us home because we had school tomorrow, which I refused to agree to. I'm not going to school the day after I found out my mother has cancer! I snuck out on my bike because Dad took my car keys.

"Hello Jennifer, what are you doing her at this time?" Anne asked as I found Leslie's room. "I thought your father took you home?"

"He did." I stated, opening my mothers door and sitting on one of the chairs by her bed. I held her hand and laid my head next to it. "Hi Mommy."

Mom grunted to show she heard. She was weak and the medication made her even more tired. "You- you should be... be home." She stuttered.

I didn't reply and soon heard her light snores. Eventually, they lulled me to sleep, too.

-

The sound of the door opening woke me around 6:30 in the morning. I looked up groggily at my Dad. "Hi." I yawned.

"Sweetie, let's go home." He soothed.

I shook my head. "No, I need to stay with Mom. She'll wake up soon, I know it." I straightened my hair.

Dad gently grabbed my arm. "Jenn, she needs rest. She'll probably be asleep for another five hours. You're coming home."

I followed my father out of the hospital. "Stan?" My dad's voice rings in my ear. Wait... Stan?

"Clyde, Stuart told me what happened. I came as soon as I could." Stan patted Dad on the back. Gavin must've told Stuart about Mom.

Clyde sighed. "You didn't need to come so early." He moved to the side so I could say hi to Stan. I waved, then saw Stuart and Tony.

I grabbed Tony's leather jacket and dragged him to the other side of the room. "What are you doing here?" I whisper- shouted.

Tony shrugged. "I heard, too. I would've loved for someone to come when my mom was in the hospital." He hung his head. I think he didn't think I would hear that last part.

"Pardon?" I asked, tilting his head up.

He widened his eyes. "Oh- ahhh... nothing." When I stared at him, unconvinced, he sighed. "My mother, she died nine years ago from a brain tumour. Nobody came to visit her, not even my dad. He was too busy at work across the ocean."

"I'm sorry. And thank you, I appreciate your support." I didn't know whether to pat him on the back or shake his hand, so I just stood there. What surprised me was what he did.

He hugged me. "I'm sorry about your mom, and I hope it doesn't end up like mine did." Tony walked off, leaving me cold as he unwrapped his arms. I didn't know Tony Anderson was capable of being considerate.

Dad gave me a hug when he came back over and led me toward the car. I still couldn't get how Tony was so nice, out of my head, and I actually wanted to go to school to see him tomorrow.

-

I couldn't eat anything. My appetite was gone. Mom missed a lot of family meals, but this time, we all knew it was different. She was absent because she was in the hospital with cancer.

I heard my phone beep for about the seventeenth time that night. My dad had called the school and told them why I had missed today. The principle announced it and now everyone was texting me sympathy texts.

"Ugh!" I muted it. I pushed myself out from the table. "Sorry Dad, I'm not hungry." And with that, I stomped downstairs.

I shoved my face into the pillow began to doze off.

Before I knew it, Dad was waking me up. "Sweetie, you don't have to go to school today, if you don't want to."

I rubbed my eyes, thinking of everyone coming up to me and hugging me, it would just make things worse. No way, I wasn't going. Then I thought of Tony yesterday, and that made my decision.

"I'll be ready in fifteen."

-

Before Dad dropped me off, his phone rang. "Hey, Stan, what's up?"

There was a voice on the other end.

"What?! No, I can't let you do that. Stanley, no, I can't accept that."

After more bickering, Dad hung up. His faced held the biggest grin. "He's so considerate! Stan and the boys have just donated money to our family. We will be able to pay for your mothers hospital bill!"

He hugged me tighter than I have ever been held. "Wait-" I pulled away. "The boys, as in Stuart and Tony?"

Dad nodded. "Have a great day at school!"

I kissed him good bye. That means... Tony knows my family is poor. He knows I lied about Sport Tech!

....

Hope that chapter was alright. A bit slow, again, but I hope you enjoyed the update!