Those who have Thorns

2

Journal Entry 2

This is a memory I might never forget. When I was ten, my mom wanted me to meet her new boyfriend. I knew him as one of mom's many doctors. Well I'm glad this one won't freak out about the illness. I was sitting at the table at the local diner next to my mom. The other side of the table was Dr. Frank and his two sons, Carter and Gavin. The boys were twins, Carter, dirty blonde hair and Gavin, same color hair but covering his eyes. They were a year older than me. I haven't said anything all night because it was my first time seeing Frank outside of the hospital and in casual clothes. He seemed a bit nervous, he wouldn't stop biting his straw. The boys kept making funny faces at me and whispering to each other. My mom broke the silence; "Is there something wrong? You always talk.", nudging me. I gave her a small smile, showing her that I was doing okay. "Darling, it's fine. I understand that Charlotte is a bit shy meeting me outside," Dr. Frank said, giving me a toothy smile showing me his perfect pearly whites. That caused me to giggle. "You have a big smile," I always seem to state the obvious. "That was rude," Mom scowled me. I did not think I was being mean, I just thought he had a nice smile. "But mom, I--" but, before I could even finish, all three boys started laughing. I looked at them, feeling my cheeks heat up. What Gavin said next made me laugh the rest of the night, "He does, doesn't he! He's pretty close to the Cheshire Cat." What I did not see coming was this man would soon become my new dad, and his two sons would become family, too.

A few months later, my mom and Dr. Frank got married. Mom looked beautiful and happy, it was one of those moments she didn't look sick and I wanted to snapshot that to memory. That was when my life changed into a roller coaster of sick events.

❥

When we get to the hospital, I don't wait for my brothers, I just run in. The sliding doors open, and I step in. Almost ramping myself into the front desk, I asked for Mary Peterson. The lady hands me a visitor sticker and tells me she was on the 3rd floor, in room 367. I make my way to the elevators and push the up button multiple times, waiting impatiently. The elevator doors open up and I get on. Behind me I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head, it was Carter with a concern look all over his face and behind him was Gavin. I give them both a reassuring smile before the elevator doors shut with us in it. I know they know how I feel but I don't want to show my weakness for too long. I pushed the button to the third floor about fifteen times because the more I press it the faster it moves, right. I watched the numbers as they lit up and my patience is running thin, the longer I am in this stupid elevator the more I get antsy.

Once the doors opened, I ran out, rushing down the hall, looking at the room numbers. I vaguely hear a nurse yell in the back of my mind to stop running. Ignoring her, I got to room 367 and ripped open the door. Mom was there laying in the hospital bed all hooked up to monitors. I sat down in the chair beside her bed. She turned her face to look at me and gave me a tired smile, "I'm okay, honey," I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face. She turned to face the door, "Thank you boys for coming to see me," I turned to see them standing in the doorway. They must have decided to just walk to the room. Running a hand through his black hair, Gavin said, "we are going to go talk to dad about everything. Then after we will be in the cafeteria if you need us," they left, turning down the hall and I turned back to mom and grabbed her hand. "What did the doctors say?" I was afraid of the answer to that question, but I needed to know. Her face fell, she clearly didn't want to tell me, but she knew I had to know. "I'm not getting better," she paused, obviously trying to find the best way to answer. "They are giving me a year. The doctors want to stop treatment and let me have my year away from the hospital. To spend it with family.", I begin to cry more. "But they said you had a fever," they have no right to say that, I need my mom. This shouldn't be happening to her, "Sweetie, I do have a fever but it seems it was proof to the doctors that nothing has changed," I cried harder.