Imperfections

10 - The Disease

The next morning, Allyana had packed all her things and got ready to go home. But then when she knocked on his door, she got nothing but silence. She got worried and the knocks raining on Thomas’s door.

Allyana called the concierge for help opening the door and she found Thomas laying on his bed. She tried to wake him up but nothing came out while the concierge had already called the ambulance minutes ago.

The ambulance came and Thomas was picked up to the hospital with crying Allyana on his side. He got into the emergency room when Allyana was prohibited to step inside for the doctor wanted to check how he is doing.

Allyana’s cry got heavier and deeper as the time flew. It had been half an hour since they arrived and Allyana called both Daniel and Isla.

Daniel and Isla got into the hospital together since they decided to go together. Isla hugged her best friend who was sitting and waiting outside the emergency room, her heart beating like a drum that got faster and faster, afraid of what would happen to Thomas.

“I don’t know what to do Isla. I don’t know.” Allyana said in the middle of her cry.

“Sh… everything is going to be ok.” Isla tried her best to calm her down.

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” Daniel asked.

“Tell me what?”

“He has a disease.” Daniel said after he sat down.

“What? What disease?”

“IPF. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Basically, it attacks his lungs, irritated it, that’s why he can’t breathe well. That’s why he wears mask, because the air can irritate his lungs more than it had already. He had an oxygen tube in his house. To keep him breathing. He hid it from you so you wouldn’t know what he is going through. He doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

The doctor came out the emergency room with a face that was nor happy or sad. But more devastated.

“His IPF is at the worst state possible. It will be best if all of you bring him back to town. So his doctor can really know what’s best for him.”

The three of them did as the doctor said. They brought him back to their town with an ambulance and Allyana was still not believing what Daniel told her. Thomas was still unconscious and he was in the town’s hospital with his doctor.

“He has got IPF for 4 years now to be exact. Usually it’s not possible. Usually IPF patients only have one and a half of two years but Thomas had really fought in these last years. There’s not much I can do for him because there is no cure yet for IPF. He had done his best to fight the disease but it is still overpowering to control what can’t be controlled. You can see him now. It’s all in his hands.” The doctor explained to Allyana.

Allyana stepped slowly into the all-white room with Thomas on the bunker and tubes coming out of his body, mask around his nose and mouth. Another tear fell down her cheek as she got closer and closer to him, sat on the chair beside the bunker. She took his hand and held it tight while her heart breaking inside to see him like this.

“Hi. Tommy.” Whispered Allyana that no one can heard it.

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me about all this? Why do you have to keep it to yourself?” Allyana asked him though she thought he didn’t listen.

“Because I don’t want you to be like this.” Thomas said making Allyana surprised.

“If you knew, we wouldn’t have those amazing days. You would’ve told me to stay at home. So I can live.”

“Of course I would.”

“See? We wouldn’t have gone out. Go to the fair. Or stargazing on the rooftop.”

“But you will be better.”

“I won’t be better Lyana. I can’t. This disease is consuming me. In the end, we all know who the winner is. And I want to spend my days with you. While I can. I’m sorry I have to drag you into all this. I don’t want to break your heart. But I am selfish enough to let you hurt just so I can be happy. I’m so sorry Allyana. I’m so sorry.”

“No no no, you are not selfish Tommy, you’re not. I want to be with you. If you have told me in the first place, I can help you out. I can help you find the solutions. I can be with you through all this. You wouldn’t have been alone.”

“I tried all medications. I tried. But nothing worked out. Pulmonary rehabilitation. I tried it but it didn’t give out much results. Nor supplemental oxygen.”

“There is lung transplantation. We can try that.”

“No equipment here prepared for lung transplantation.”

“Then I’ll take you somewhere else. Somewhere you can heal.”

“Lyana. This can’t be healed.”

Both of their spirits now trembled because of the disease. Allyana cried more and more besides Thomas who was incapable of doing anything than just lying on the bunker facing the white wall in a blue coloured hospital dress. His green eyes looking at Allyana who was devastated by this situation of his, sleeping by his side all day long until the sun sank and the moon rose, holding his hand to her now wet face. A tear rolled down Thomas’s cheek for he realized what Daniel said days ago. If he listened to Daniel, this wouldn’t have happened. But he wouldn’t have experienced those amazing days with the girl he loved.

Daniel came into his room, looking sad as everyone is. He put his left hand on Allyana’s shoulder shaking her body just a little until she woke up.

“Lyana. You should take some rest. I will take care of him.” Said Daniel.

“It’s ok, Dani. I…”

“You have been here for hours. At least you can go home and change. Take a few hours to sleep. You can come back in the morning.” Daniel cut her words.

“He’s right. You have to get some rest. I don’t want you to get sick.” Thomas approving Daniel’s idea while cupping her crying face with his right hand.

Allyana finally agreed to pack her things and go home. On the sofa, a girl sitting waiting for her to open the door. Her best friend, Isla. As soon as Allyana arrived and opened the door, Isla rushed towards her and gave her the biggest, warmest, longest hug ever when Allyana cried on her best friend’s shoulder and she did the same. After the hug, Isla tried to calm her down, leading her to bath and to her bed to get some rest.

So turned out this was the thing holding Thomas back. What will happen then?

-jojo❤