Hanging by a Moment Here With You

Chapter 24

Lillian couldn't believe how quickly things could change. Yesterday she was the happiest she had ever been in her life. The man who she loved had asked her to spend the rest of her life with him. She couldn't have answered him quick enough. While she wasn't sure that was exactly where their relationship was heading, she hoped it was. The love she had for Donghae could not be put into words. There has been no one else in her life whom she loved more then him. He was exactly what she needed. That night she went to bed, her heart still beating a mile a minute.

The next day, a short time after the boys left, she got a phone call. They had found something in one of her recent blood tests, so the doctor wanted to see her right away. There was no way that Lillian could have predicted what news she was hit with when she went in. She almost couldn't believe it. There was so much doubt in her mind that she asked the doctor multiple times if she was hearing him correctly.

She was unsure how she made it back to the house, her mind was in such a fog. The one person who she yearned to be with was out for the whole day, so she did the only thing she could think of and crawled into bed and went to sleep.

After several hours of tossing and turning, Lillian finally sat up in the bed. Just then she heard the door open. It was almost 12am. The boys had a long day.

While she wanted to just let him get some rest, she needed Donghae right now.

Waiting until she could hear him settle down in the room next to hers, she quietly tip toed out of her room and into his.

The light was off, so she quietly walked to the bed, laying on top of the covers, snuggling as close to Donghae as possible.

Feeling her slip into bed behind him, Donghae turned around to face her and covered her with the blanket, leaving himself exposed to the cold air in the room. He smiled warmly at her. "As much as I want you here, this could escalate pretty quickly." Leaning his head down, he kissed her softly on the lips. When he didn't feel her reciprocate, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. "What's wrong?" He immediately put his arms around her, clutching her to his chest.

"Remember I told you about the routine doctor's appointment I had right before I flew to New York?" He could hear a slight whimper as she spoke. Nodding at her, Lillian continued. "They found something, so they called me in today."

Donghae moved his hand to her cheek, stroking it gently. "What is it?" Anxiousness could be heard in his voice.

Starting to softly cry, Lillian tried her best to answer. "Cancer." She barely got the word out before breaking down, burying her face into his chest.

His heart dropped as the word hung in the air. Searching his brain to find the right words to say, he found nothing. As Lillian sobbed into his chest, all he thought to do was to hold her closer and stroke her head.

***

"I have to be honest; this appointment is a little intimidating." Lillian tightened her grip on Donghae's hand. He covered both with his own.

"We are sorry to have you come in again today, but we wanted all of us," He pointed at the two other doctors with him. "to be together for this and to explain everything to you."

Lillian nodded. "Thanks Dr. Salem."

"Sorry I had to see you again so soon." Dr. Salem nodded at her then looked to the other doctors. "Let me put your mind at rest, it isn't terminal."

Donghae, understanding what the doctor had said, let out a big sigh of relief as he nervously played with the ring on Lillian's finger.

"But we do need to take care of it soon. Because it's in your intestine I will be removing the infected part. I hope to do that next week if at all possible."