Fight to Go On (her)

Denial

It had been about two weeks since I had eaten lunch with the Reuben's.  I hadn't seen Landry since then either, and I didn't understand why that made me sad.  I never got upset when someone stopped coming to see me.  I heard a knock at my door,

"Come in." I muttered.  Maria stepped through the door. 

"How are you feeling?"  She asked, with a sad smile.  I just shrugged my shoulders.  Physically I felt fine, but mentally?  Mentally I was a mess.  My mind was all mixed up.

"Plans for the day?"  she questioned, checking my charts.  Hmm didn't really think about it.  Did I want to leave my room?  I guess their was no point in sitting around in here.

"I'll probably just read to the kids in the library."  I said nonchalant.  I got up, heading to the bathroom to change.  I changed from my blue and gold star pajamas into a pair of jeans and a sweater.  Though winter was over, it was still quite chilly.  Making my way out of the bathroom, I slipped on a pair of sneakers.  Maria had already left.  The room was a pure bliss of silence.  I decided to text Landry,

"I saw you at the hospital a few days ago. Why didn't you say hi?"

"I didn't see you. So hi, I guess." He replied.  I took a deep breath, trying to think of something to send.

"Okay, do you have to come up here again soon?"  I decided to say.  It took him a couple minutes to reply.

"I think I do sometime this week. I don't know."  He simply said. 

"Make sure to say hi if you do come."  I texted.  After a while he hadn't replied.  So I put my phone in my back pocket.

I hurried out of the room, not wanting to be in silence any longer.  Making my way down the hallway towards the library, I smelt the familiar scent of lemon.  As I walked into the library I seen all the kids sitting and chatting with one another.

"Josie!"  They all yelled with excitement when they noticed me.  I slightly giggled and waved to them.

"Are you going to read to us?"  Ella, a little blonde girl with brain tumors, asked.  I playfully thought about it for a minute.  I nodded my head with a light laugh.

"Yay!" They all cheered.  Eight year old Carlos came up to me with a book.  It was Pete's Dragon, the same book we'd been reading for a month now. 

"Thank you Carlos."  I said, ruffling his hair with a smile.  He smoothed his hair, trying to stay cool in front Ella, his crush.  I sat down in the bear shaped chair.  Turning to the page we had ended on.  As I was about to read a little girl came in and sat with the other kids.  I couldn't see her very well, but began to read,

"That's Interesting.  I've never met someone with a dragon before.  What's he like? "  I started, trying my best to impersonate voices.

"Just a plain ordinary dragon."  I said.  I was then interrupted by a man and a woman barging in.

"Victoria!  What are doing here!?"  The man yelled.  A little black haired girl got up, slowing walking over to the adults.  I got up to go talk to them about what was happening.

"Sorry I was reading a story and she kind of floated in.  If I would've known-"  I stopped when I lifted my eyes and they met with my worst nightmare.  The parents standing in front of me weren't just any girls parents.....They were my parents.  The ladies eyes widened,

"You stay away from my daughter, you infected monster!" she yelled.  Grabbing the little girls arm, she turned on her heal and marched out, dragging the little girl with her.  My eyes had not left the mans in front me.  A couple tears escaped my eyes.  He just stared at me.  Not a single bit of emotion changed in his eyes.  He simply turned around, and walked away towards his family.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Jaeger and Mrs. Reuben rush in through the doors.  I quickly made my way towards them.  Jaeger was crying.  I quickened my pace.

"Mrs. Reuben? What are you doing here?"  I asked, my thoughts taking over my mind.  She looked at me, fear filled her expression.

"Oh Josie.  Its Landry, come with us."  She said grabbing my hand.   She pulled me down the hallways I had walked down so many times, but this time it was different.  We turned left down one hallway, then right down another.  We finally made it to a room.  Inside Landry laid passed out on a bed, his face looked so pale.  His father was slowly rubbing Landry's head, smoothing out his hair. 

"My baby."  Mrs.  Reuben rushed over to Landry's side, looking down at him.  I pulled a sobbing Jaeger into a hug.  She continued to cry, I tried my best to soothe her.  Mr. Reuben walked over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks for coming Josie."  He said, sadness filling his expression.  I nodded, giving him a small smile.  I felt the tears start to trickle back to my eyes, but tried my best to hold them back.  I don't know what has gotten into me, I've never cried when any of the people I was friends with in the hospital got this sick.  I just slid it to the back of my mind, but this time I just couldn't.  My traitorous eyes let the tears fall, trying to be as quiet as possible, a slight hiccup would pop out every once in a while. 

"Ken, Jaeger? why don't we go get something from the cafeteria."  Jaeger grabbed her fathers hand, and nodded.  Once they had left, I slowly walked toward Landry's side.  The closer I got the more real it seemed to be.  I sat in the chair next to his bed, and grabbed his hand.  The tears ran free, without being stopped.  Once I got calmed down, I spoke,

"My parents were here."  I whispered.  A couple more tears falling but I wiped them away quickly.

"What should I do?" I asked, though knowing full well he wouldn't reply.  After a while the Reuben's came back in, this time Branan was with them.  He looked into my eyes, though instead of a glare like last time it was a look of sadness.  I feeling that you would never think he had from his usual glares.  The doctor came in after,

"Josie, since your not a close relative I'm going to need you to step out."  She said.

"We'll let him know you were here.  Try to stop by when he awakes ok?"  She said pulling me into a hug.

"Ok, I will." I agreed, before leaving the room.