WHAT IF

34

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                   " how are you feeling " Leon asked
Valerie shook her head saying she is okay .
                    " then you wouldn't be here if all was fine " Leon added. 
                    " I will be fine " Valerie said , much as he loves joking with Valerie there was concern in his voice more so worry .
                   " much as you look beautiful there , it doesn't suit you " Leon said , his voice a bit sad ,his head tilted down a bit to hide his eyes and emotions that are displayed on his voice .
                    " now you have changed your mind about paying for me to just be here " Valerie said trying to smile
forcing laughs
                    " yeah I have given it a second thought " Leon said . Valerie kept quiet looking at him , Leon raised his head looking at Valerie.
                    " I went to see your doctor , I asked him what is wrong with you " Leon said then swallowed hard . He looked sad , Leon was in pain even Andrew could feel it .
                    " he didn't want to tell me , actually he didn't tell but as he talked to your father in law , I over heard ...." He breathed in a bit
                    " somehow I wish I hadn't over heard them speak " Leon said. Leon giggled hard then looked down .

                     " me hearing that you have a brain tumor ....reminded me of the old days Val " Leon said .
                     " those days of You , Mel and I . " Leon said . Both Leon and Valerie giggled a bit. 
                     " I was weak , bullied , and a coward but and Mel stood up for me , even when you were hit and you nose bleed " Leon swallowed hard
                     " I was terrified , I run instead of being a man to help the you who was fighting for me , the both of you become my super heroins , I hid behind your back every now and then" Leon added.
Andrew left his work listening to how far his wife and Leon have come .
                     " but look how we are now Val " Leon said ,his voice shallow like he wanted to tear up .
                     " I am not dying Leon , and so is Mel " Valerie smiled .
                     " NO....no No Val , thats what you don't Val " Leon loudly said , he was so defensive .
                     " Mel said the some thing , but where is she now , Where ....." Leon said loudly .
Valerie hurriedly pulled herself a bit up
                      " what do you mean " Valerie asked tears in her eyes .
                      " you know I wanted to hate Val , I actually did but Mel asked me not to , Mel was your best friend but up to now you have never taken time to know any whereabouts concerning her " Leon added
                     " I am sorry " Valerie said
                     " it's just that me an Mel had a fight just before my wedding , before we even made up ,she said she didn't want to be friends with me any more , I tried reaching her but I failed " Valerie added
                       " two years ago , I found her in Brazil , she said she was on a vacation , she asked about you and how my life was , but it was not so long that I discovered she had cancer , last stage " Leon said so broken . Tears rolled down Valerie's eyes .
                       " that day I  received a call from her mom, I rushed to the hospital , I found her so weak , pale but she still smiled , she said she didn't want us to see her in that state or even know that she was sick , she wanted us to remember her as strong as she was , so she asked me not to tell you so that at least you remember the strong , jolly her " Leon said .
Valerie burst into tears , at one point Valerie blamed herself for moving on so fast from her past and not wanting to connect with anything from it, that way she didn't know that her dear friend had even died , hurt her more that she didn't even get the chance to reconcile with her .

                    " we made a pact , both of you swore to let me battle for your fights just like you did with mine ,first with Mel now here again with you " Leon was sad .
                   " why do I have to know all that I s important when it's late , I am pretty sure you wouldn't have told me on this " Leon sadly said .
At this point , Andrew wished he was out not listening to all this , if only he had made his presence known to Leon then maybe he would have moved out and they have this personal conversation.
                 " Valerie , how and when did you come to this , much as I wasn't the one marrying you , I was relieved that you were moving out of your  mother's house , I thought you finally be happy , I thought every now and then that I saw you in magazines and on TV while I was away that you were happy " Leon said , he seamed so broken at what he was saying
                  " but after seeing you again , being close to you , seamed like it was a new you , you were empty even when you smiled or laughed and I promised to fix that but how the hell am I supposed to fix the brain tumour or the continuous bruises and broken bones " Leon cried out .
Valerie cried even more .
                   " Val , before you become the lady I love , you were my best friend , you were a mom in times that I needed one , you were like a big sis to slap the sense in me and before all that you were the first person who ever stood up for , who told me I fight any battle because am string you were my saviour " Leon cried .
                  " so how the hell am I supposed to act , or do if I lose you too . it doesn't matter whether your married , or in love with whom ,your forever my person , my motivation so how the hell did you allow your self reach this point , yet you know many are being motivated and moved by your well being especially me Val  " Leon said cleaning his tears .
                " I don't want a life when I know your no longer existing , or when I can't reach you " Leon painfully added . Valerie cried harder
               " Leon...." She tried to speak but she couldn't .
               " don't tell your sorry , don't tell me not to worry " Leon asked sadly
               " I know there might a lot that has happened while I was away that you can't feel me in at , But Val your strongest person I know , your smart , your worth more than the sickness your carrying or the stress ,depression , so how did you lose it , why did you give in " Leon painfully said .
Valerie teared looking at Leon , at this point she was weak to even hide how fragile she was , she shook her head saying no to Leon
                 " I just ....don't know ..." She cried
                 " Don't tell me you don't know Val , and...and I know I have no right to tell this but ...." Leon breathed out heavily
                 " I am scared " he said ,more like a whisper
                 " I am scared to lose you " Leon said . He then hurriedly moved close to Val ,she grabbed his hand supporting herself in sitting up properly
                " I am sorry " she cried
                " I know " Leon said then sat down close to her , he embraced her tightly and she continued to cry .
Andrew sadly looked at them. At one point he is to blame , for some of the misery in her life , and at least today been able to see that .