Forever Yours

19. Ball

Lucy was ecstatic the whole next day.  She got up early, cleaned the house like a madwoman, and ate a few quick meals.  She was too excited to eat much.  She thought that would make her head feel better; she was feeling a little woozy.  So far it hadn't helped though.

Around noon the doorbell rang.  She rushed to get it, wondering who it could be.  Jo was at work so it couldn't be her.  She was just about to go check on her friend though.  She frowned as she opened the door.  Adam Winston was standing there, his hair styled in the usual short cut, his blue eyes staring into hers.  

"Adam, I wasn't expecting you," Lucy said.  There was a little awkwardness in her voice because everytime she saw him, all she could think about was being sick.

"You've been avoiding me, Lucy," he said calmly with a grin on his face.  He opened his jacket and took out a small box, setting it in the palm of his hand.  "I know you're out of the other, so I brought you some more tonic.  Has it been helping?"

Lucy grabbed him by the blazer of the very expensive suit he was wearing and yanked him inside.  She closed the door hurriedly behind him.  "Are you crazy?  Don't say anything about my illness out in the open like that!  No one knows."

Adam raised his hands up in surrender.  "Sorry.  I didn't mean to upset you.  Have you had any more black outs lately?"

"No.  I've been fine."

"Good."  He took out his wand and pointed it to the box in his hand.  "Engorgio!"  The box grew to three times the size it had been.  "At least I was trying to be discreet, Lucy.  I'm really glad you're doing well.  I figured that tonic would help you, but this one is stronger.  You need to take it every other day."

"Every other day?" she repeated in disbelief.  It was followed by a low groan.

Adam smiled sadly.  "I know you don't want to, sweetheart, but it's for your own good.  Mortikill Syndrome is a very bad and rare disease and you don't want it to progress any faster than normal.  Trust me."  A sadness settled over him.  "I lost my sister to it a couple of years ago."

Lucy gasped.  "You never told me that."

"Everyone thought she just blacked out and didn't wake up, but it was the disease that killed her.  No one but my parents knew."

"Where are your parents now?"

"Dead.  Voldemort killed them way before Trina died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you."  Adam sighed.  "Well, sit down there on the couch.  I brought my stethoscope so I could check your vitals while I was here.  Chad told me that Jo was living with him now.  I guess that attack shook the both of them up pretty bad."

Lucy nodded.  "It did shake them up and me too."  She picked the box up off the coffee table where Adam left it.  "I'm going to take these and put them in my room and I'll be right back.  Then I promise I'll be a good patient."

She was gone only a few seconds.  She walked back into the room and sat down on the couch beside of her doctor.  He checked her heartbeat and her blood pressure.  Everything seemed okay.  He got up.

"Well, I'm supposed to have an appointment in a few.  Everything seems to be going well for you right now.  I'm surprised.  Usually Mortikill goes faster than this.  No nosebleeds or anything yet?"

"Nope," Lucy answered.  "Not yet."

He smiled brightly.  "That's great.  Maybe I was wrong about you, Lucy.  Maybe you will live longer than I expected.  I hope so."  He walked over to the door.  She thought he was going to leave, but he paused.  Suddenly he turned around to face her, his eyebrows knitted together.  "I really think you should consider telling Jo about your condition, Lucy.  You don't really want to be alone at a time like this."