The days went by slowly, slowly, but surely. It was day after day of hospital visits, with a very rare day when I could go home and relax and see my family again.
It was day after day of wishing that everything was normal again and I wasn't so sick. I hated not being able to go to school or go to the Winter Garden with Dana. I hated not being able to see my friends and even the annoying boys in my grade that seemed to all have a splitting crush on me for some reason. I hated waking up every morning to the smell of hospitals and sterilization, waking up every morning and realizing I wasn't home.
But this morning, I woke up to not a nurse barging into my room, but Dana's phone ringing. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and then realized that for once, I was in my own room in Dana's apartment.
That at least made me feel a little better, if nothing else would today.
"Hey Penney?" Dana asked, popping into my room. "Can I talk to you for a few minutes? It's kind of important." I sat up and said, "Yeah, what's up?"
"So...this may seem hard to believe, but I just got a call from your doctor a few minutes ago...you don't have cancer after all." Dana said.
Now this was news.
"What? How? I didn't even start chemo yet, how am I cancer-free already?" I said.
"Well...you're not exactly 'cancer free,' you just got...falsely diagnosed. You actually have...renal failure."
"What the hell is renal failure?" I asked. Dana sighed and said, "Baby girl...it means your kidneys are failing."
"My WHAT?!"
_______
"Hey Alex."
"Hey, kiddo. How are the treatments going? Have you started chemo yet?" Alex asked over the phone.
"Nope. And I won't even need chemo. Cause I don't even have cancer. I have kidney disease, I think my kidneys are actually failing me. I'm a little scared, but Mommy says that it's not as bad as cancer. I'm going to the hospital tomorrow, I think I'm starting dialysis in a few days and I'm a little scared." I said.
"Oh my God. Are you okay? Do you want me to come visit you in the hospital tomorrow?" Alex asked.
"No, it's fine, I'm not staying overnight or anything, I'll just be there for most of the day. On the bright side, at least I won't be staying overnight as much and I'll be home more often!"
"That's the spirit, Penney. And if you need anything, anything at all, you know where to find me, okay?" Alex said. "I love you."
"I have to go, Alex. I love you, I'll talk to you tomorrow before my appointment, okay? Expect a call from me at around noon."
"Okay, Penney. I love you so much."
"I love you too."
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Adopted by Beetlejuice
FanfictionPenney Van Aller hasn't had a "good life" per se. Trying to avoid the foster system after her mom died and her dad walked out on her, she's left selling her art on the streets to make money. But a new customer soon becomes a new home...
