Helpless | A Modern Hamliza Story

Chapter Sixteen

"So, Eliza. Can you tell me how you've been feeling over the last three months?" the oncologist said, fingers hovering over his keyboard waiting to write down everything that she said.

Eliza nodded, looking a bit towards Alexander, who was sitting next to her at her first follow up appointment since the cancer was gone. She was in a big sweater and jeans, as the fall weather was turning into chillier winter weather.

"Better than ever," she assured, clicking her tongue in boredom. These appointments were never fun, and there was so many little things that needed to be discussed. "I haven't felt this well since last December. I haven't felt sick at all."

The oncologist smiled, glad to hear that Eliza was continuing to stay healthy in her symptoms. He typed down what she was saying, keeping record of it for the next follow up appointment, and the ones after that.

"Since we aren't seeing any recurrence of symptoms, we will do an MRI in three months to check on the pancreatic tissue again. For today, I'm just going to have Amy draw some blood for a test to see if your CA19-9 numbers are staying down," he explained, looking over the care plan.

Eliza's heart sunk a little, thinking about how she would need another MRI in a few months. They always made her a bit dizzy after, and it meant that they would have to wait to start trying for a family again. She couldn't have an MRI while pregnant.

"So, I should still stay on the birth control?" Eliza asked slowly, trying not to sound too upset in front of her oncologist and especially not in front of Alexander. Her voice choked a bit halfway through, but she took a deep breath to calm her down a bit.

"For now," the oncologist said sympathetically, knowing how badly the couple wanted a child. "We can talk more about it after your next follow up. We typically have couples wait at least six months, and if there still isn't any concern after then, I don't see why you couldn't go off of the birth control and start trying again. I just want to make sure that you have the best, safest odds possible."

Eliza forced a smile, understanding where he was coming from. It hurt because she knew they were struggling to begin with, and it wasn't like they had huge odds already, considering they spent two years trying to conceive before the diagnosis. She could only hope that it wouldn't take another two years.

"Thank you," Eliza said, shaking the doctor's hand as he left the room.

"We'll get there," Alexander promised once the oncologist left. He put a comforting hand on her thigh, cheering her up. "We just have to be patient for a little bit longer."

...

"Eliza, are you almost ready?" Alexander called from the front door. He was dressed up, tie and all, for a work dinner, which both of them were dreading. They didn't want this one to end up like the last one.

Eliza walked out of the downstairs bathroom as she put in her second earring, her hair curled and falling delicately over her short, tight dress. It may have been a little short and cold for the beginning of December, but she always loved flaunting a little extra at Alexander's work dinners. She loved to see the jealous faces of some of her husband's coworkers as she walked by, arm around Alexander or fingers interlaced with his.

"I just need my shoes. Are my nude heels over there?" she asked, grabbing her nicer and fancier coat off of the coat rack.

He placed them in front of her, holding her hand as she slipped them on.

Twenty minutes later they were in front of the restaurant. They were the last of the invited group to arrive, though they still weren't late.

"Tonight's goal: try not kill Jefferson," Alexander announced before opening the car  door. He walked around to open her door as well, mainly so that he could grab her hand on the way inside the restaurant. He loved getting to show his coworkers that he won the "wife lottery". They all knew Eliza was way more than he deserved.