The Fighter

Chapter 48: You'll See

The letter had me seething with all kinds of emotions. I was angry that it would have been the last thing he said to me. How could he have thought that that letter would have been enough? I was also reeling with shock because of the bombs he dropped. My brother Josh, according to him, was gay. And he told me it was 'okay' to marry Dylan. 

AS IF THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN.

His predicted version of me made me overwhelmingly furious. The whole fantasy he created, it was all centered around his death. I wasn't yet able to imagine my life without him, and to Xavier, it was just a big joke. 

Before I left his house, I did some research, having enough information to understand his diagnosis. But this time, I was too furious to get devastated. I researched all kinds of alternative treatments and found a drug trial that had been delivering promising results to participants with different kinds of metastatic cancers that had spread to the brain. The treatment was known as target therapy, and this particular study was combining several pioneering treatments of advanced-stage cancer. 

One of the doctors had specifically referenced lung cancer. He said that one day soon, advanced lung cancer could be treated like a chronic condition, with just a few pills each day, like treatment for high blood pressure or diabetes. 

I printed out the information for the study, which was starting another round of trials. I planned to slap it on his lap, and demand he keep trying. 

After taking an Uber to the hospital, I arrived in red. The red dress. Yes, the one he requested that I wear to his funeral. I was angry he made that request, and angry at all of the other requests, and it seemed to fit with the red I was seeing as I thought about that damn letter. Even as I made my way to the waiting room, I was gripping the rolled up papers in my hand to the point that I was crumbling them. 

I met Sarah and Mark in the waiting room. When they saw me, they both could not suppress their astonishment. 

"Sophie, what's with the dress?" Mark said. 

Sarah patted the seat next to her, urging me to come over. "They're doing some tests, but they say he'll be able to talk today." She tried not make it obvious that she was surprised by my look, and I determined that she was a master parent. The skill she has at ignoring the obviously absurd was admirable. 

I followed her directions, taking the seat next to her.

Mark switched his own chair to be next to me. He was still looking grumpy like he was that morning. "Are you wearing this dress because you read his death letter?" He whispered it into my ear. 

I pushed his chest away from me. "What do you think, Mark?" 

He gasped. "That is so not okay. He's going to be livid." 

I felt my emotions rise. "You don't think I'm livid?" 

He was taken aback, his brown eyes were growing stormier by the minute. "Okay, okay, chill out. The man is just getting over a major surgery, you can't ruffle his feathers right away." 

I crossed my arms. "I'll do what I want." 

Sarah chuckled, and I glanced over at her, her lips twisted into a slight smile. 

I had no idea why she was finding my rage funny, but I decided she had a right to whatever emotion she was feeling... So I kept my grumbling to a minimum. 

Eventually, we decided that Sarah and Mark would go visit together and that I would get the next shift.  

Xavier had no idea what was coming for him...