Call It Home (Adopted by Brendon & Sarah Urie)

5.3

Alyssa's chemo days had begun to be more and more routine.

I woke up, got ready quick, and went downstairs. Me and Brendon always had breakfast together on those days, whether it was a piece of fruit at home, some thing from a drive through, or if we had time to sit down somewhere. Then I would go to school and stay until last period, Zack picked me up at the very start of my last period. Then me and Zack met Alyssa, Sarah, and Bren at the hospital. We sat with her through the session, then we went home, me and Alyssa fell asleep on the couch, and the adults stayed in the kitchen talking. Sarah woke us up at like 7 to see if we were hungry, then we ate and went to our own rooms to go to sleep.

Today was a day that we all knew was coming, but had only talked about once. Alyssa was on her third week of chemo (she went twice a week). But today Alyssa was brushing her hair, and a clump came out.

"It's up to you, baby." Sarah said, as the four of us stood in the bathroom. "You let it go by itself or you can just shave it all now."

"Just shave it." Brendon left to get the shaving stuff without saying anything.

Alyssa sat on the toilet seat, facing the wall so her back was to Sarah and Sarah could shave it. I sat next to Alyssa on the ledge of the bathtub. I held her hand as Brendon plugged in all the shaving stuff.

I grabbed Alyssa's band and looked at the differences in our hands. She had become so much paler than me, but it was always a running joke how tan she got and how pale I naturally was.

Nobody said much as Sarah started, Brendon was singing some song under his breath, and at some point wiped his face. I couldn't tell if he was crying.

these nightmares always hang on past the dream

Alyssa ran her hand over her head.

"It feels like a peach." Was the first thing she said, making me laugh a little.

"Do you want to order dinner?" Brendon offered as we moved to the kitchen.

"Pizza?" I asked, and Brendon picked up his phone.

"Hold up, c'mere Lyss." He picked her up, and placed her on the counter. "Smile." He took a couple of pictures of her, poking at her sides to get her to laugh. "Okay, Alyssa is pizza good?"

"Yeah, can we get the bread too?" One time when Zack was over he requested cheesy bread with the pizza and Alyssa became obsessed with it.

"Anything you want." Alyssa and I glanced at each other, taking it as a challenge.

"Anything?" I confirmed.

"Well, something that's actually on the menu and you will eat."

"That's not as fun." Alyssa joked, and I agreed.

"Just the cookie things then too."

Alyssa and I went to the couch to wait for food, and Sarah and Brendon were quietly arguing in the kitchen.

"You have to ask her before you do anything." Sarah tried to reason.

"What if somebody sees us in public and starts rumors? I'd rather it be out there now then a bunch of rumors going around."

I eventually couldn't listen to the bickering anymore, and got up to get a drink.

"Food should be here soon, Cate." Brendon said, opening his arms for a hug.

I walked into his arms, and let him hug me tight for a minute. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing." Sarah smiled, "What movie are you guys watching?"