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Elizabeth Jensen sat out in the waiting room of the hospital alongside her parents and brother talking to Justin Foley's doctor. This was over a week since Prom. "Justin has given me permission to discuss his treatment and diagnosis with you." The doctor spoke with her clipboard in her hands. "I am afraid I have some difficult news to share. Justin has tested positive for HIV-1." Elizabeth's eyes widened as she looked down at her lap. "And based on his symptoms, we believe it has progressed to AIDS."
"That's-" Matt Jensen looked between his daughter and the doctor. "How is that possible? He- he had the flu. He's been tired."
"Well, HIV has a long period of latency after infection," the doctor explained, "which means that Justin may not have shown any symptoms for some time." Elizabeth bit her finger nail as she listened. "With his IV drug use and extended periods of homelessness, this would have made him more susceptible to rapid progression. And according to his records, he was never tested."
Lainie Jensen moved forward in her seat as she sniffled. "How- how has he never been tested? We got him the best GP. He had a complete physical."
"Testing requires patient consent." The doctor answered. "It's not uncommon for a young man with a history of IV drug use and sex work to avoid testing."
Clay Jensen's eyes widened. "Sex work?"
The doctor looked at him for a second. "Justin never spoke to you about the time he spent homeless?"
"Not about that part, no." He spoke before looking at his sister. "Did you know?" The girl nodded her head, looking down at her hands.
The doctor let out a sigh before turning back to Matt and Lainie. "The pneumocystis pneumonia has an indolent presentation, which means that the symptoms develop slowly over some weeks, and there was a late diagnosis." Elizabeth felt a tear run down her cheek. "There us also a neurological infection. A fungal meningitis that has not advanced quite so far, but it is pervasive."
*
Elizabeth sat next to Justin on his hospital bed. "Babe, go home and get some sleep." She had not left the hospital that entire week.
"It's the middle of the afternoon." Elizabeth shook her head as she let out a yawn. "And besides, I'm not even tired."
"Take a nap." Justin furrowed his eyebrows as he took her hands in his. "I get that you want to stay here with me, and I love you so much for that, but this is not good for you."
Elizabeth looked down at her lap. "I'm not leaving here until you do."
"You're so fucking stubborn." Justin laughed, but the laughed turned into a cough.
