When You Least Expect It - 9-1-1 - Evan "Buck" Buckley

Chapter 16

After lunch with Gina I spent some time with my parents. Baked a batch of cookies with my mom and just enjoyed being around them. I explained my options about treatment and it seemed we were all in agreement that surgery seemed like the best option...even if I wasn't fully convinced yet.

After promising my parents I would keep in touch about my decision and that they would have a place to stay so they could come to town no matter what decision I made, I started what felt like the longest drive back to Annabel's.

I dragged myself inside and threw myself on her couch. I was so exhausted mentally and emotionally from the day that just laying on her couch felt amazing. I stayed still for what felt like hours until there was a knock at the door. I turned myself to look at the clock thinking Annabel had used her lunch to come home given the time.

"Did you forget your key?" I asked swinging open the door only to be surprised by not Annabel on the other side, but Maddie.

"Maddie, hi" I said in a shocked tone.

"Hi, I'm sorry I'm not sure if this is ok or not but I went to the hospital and Annabel said you were off for awhile and told me how to find you and I really just wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing. I'm not here to try and force you to get back with my brother or anything I don't care about that right now. I just wanted to see how you were and if there was anything I could do so...is this ok?" She looked at me with clenched teeth waiting for my answer.

"Would you like to come in and have some tea?" I smiled at her.

"I would like that a lot" she smiled back taking a breath of relief before I moved aside to let her through the door.

"So, did Buck tell you everything then?" I asked putting on a kettle of water as she sat at the table.

"Not everything, mostly everything but he just told me you were sick" she answered. "Is it true?"

"Yeah" I breathed taking a seat with her at the table. "Ovarian cancer"

"Oh. Wow. I...I'm so sorry" she placed a hand over mine.

"Thank you, I feel like a lot of the reality hasn't really hit me yet. I keep trying to remind myself sometimes that this is really happening, it all just feels so surreal"

"Is that why you left Buck?" She asked cautiously.

I nodded looking up at her.

"I didn't think I could put him through that, drag him down with me you know?" I looked at her hopeful.

"I understand that, really I do. Can I just offer one little bit of information?" She again clenched her teeth and waited for an answer. I nodded. "I've known Buck my whole life, I have never seen him love anything or anyone the way he loves you. I know that he would stand by you every second of every day no matter what, if you would let him"

"I think a part of me knows that, but another part loves him so much that I don't want to ruin him" I started tearing up as the kettle alerted me it was done.

I quickly poured the tea and came back to the table with the two cups.

"So, have they told you what their plans are? The doctors I mean. Surgery could be a good option, it's a bit invasive but if there's a chance they think it might eliminate the need for any other treatment...I'm sorry. I just ramble a little when I'm nervous and I didn't mean to completely intrude like that" she smiled nervously.

"Oh that's right, you used to be a nurse right?" I looked at her with interested eyes.

"Yeah, that's me" she laughed.