Mama Tiger

Chapter 27.

Chapter 27.

"Last day, honey," Lena squealed, and she, Stef, and Sharon entered the hospital. "Are you excited?"

"Yes," Stef nodded. She couldn't believe her chemo treatments were finally ending, but at the same time, she felt a sense of dread.

"You don't sound very excited, doll," Sharon commented, squeezing her hand. "You okay?"

Stef sighed. "I just hate feeling sick." On her off-weeks, it was easy to say that she was getting better with each passing day. But for every week that she felt good, there was a week of hell to go through: toxic chemicals being pumped into her body, burning pain, bloating, nausea, and red urine. On her chemo weeks, the felt as if she were taking three giant steps back. And she'd always heard that the last chemo treatment was the worst, in terms of side-effects. She couldn't imagine it being worse than the second-to-last treatment was.

"Just keep telling yourself, 'this too shall pass,' Sharon told her, as they went into the elevator. She wrapped her daughter in a hug and kissed her cheek. "We love you, honey. And I know you can get through this. I'm proud of you."

"I love you too," Stef sighed, as the elevator reached it's stop, the oncology ward.

After she signed in, the nurse weighed her. She'd gained half a pound, to her relief. A few days before, just for kicks, she tried on her favorite pair of jeans from high school. They sagged in the butt. After her weight was recorded, she got her blood pressure and temperature taken, and had some blood drawn. Once she was deemed healthy enough for her treatment, she was led to the area where treatments were given.

"So, this is your last treatment," her nurse smiled, as she prepared the IV. "Congratulations, honey!"

"Thanks," Stef replied, laying back as Lena took a blanket from the blanket warmer, and draped it over her legs. "And thank you for making these treatments so comfortable for me. I've really appreciated it."

"You're welcome," the nurse said, patting her hand. "Are you ready to get stuck one more time?"

Stef took a deep breath. "Yes." She reached out for Sharon's hand as her nurse brought the needle to the crook of her arm. "Mommy?"

"I'm right here, baby," Sharon said, moving closer. She took her hand, gently massaging it.

She felt a sting as the needle slid under her skin. But her anxiety was eased by her mother's touch and her wife's presence. Rubbing her shoulders, Lena bent down to kiss her.

She looked around, at the other patients around her. Several of her acquaintances were gone now; some had lost their battle. Others had won it, and moved on, like she was about to. She closed her eyes, as a single thought entered her mind. Her mothers words: This too shall pass.

One Week Later:

Stef stood in front of the mirror, her robe open. She touched her scar, the marks where the staples had been, running her fingers over the bumps. Below her chest, her ribs and hip bones jutted out. She closed her robe as her tears came.

There was a knock at the door. "Mom? Can I come in?"

She turned to the bedroom door. "It's open."

Callie came in, already dressed. "Mama wanted me to see if you were ready yet." She frowned. "Mom, you're crying." She reached out to touch her arm.

"I'm fine, honey," Stef promised her. "Just a little nervous about my appointment today."

"Me too," Callie admitted. She sat down on the bed. "I keep thinking about that first day, when you were diagnosed, how scared I was." She hugged herself, trembling involuntarily.

Stef's mind had been on that day all morning. Her daughter's face blurred as her eyes filled with fresh tears.

Callie held out her arms, looking up at her. "Come here. Please?"

Stef sat down next to her on the bed, as Callie moved closer, reaching up to carefully touch her wet cheek. "You comforted me that day," she said quietly. "It's my turn to comfort you."

Taken aback, Stef let Callie wrap her arms around her and hug her close to her chest. She wasn't used to being comforted; she was the comforter. But she let Callie hold her, gently rocking her. She let her kiss her temple and tell her she loved her, that everything would be okay, that she was right there.

Once her tears were dry on her cheeks, she looked up at the clock. It was getting late. She'd been in Callie's arms for over five minutes. "I have to get dressed now," she said quietly. "But thank you, my sweet girl, for being there for me."

"Well, you've been there for me through everything," Callie told her. "You deserve the same."

"You're going to be a good mama someday," she said, patting her daughter's knee. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized she would live to see that day. She and Lena would grow old together. She would get to hold her grandchildren. She had so much to look forward to.

"I'll let you finish getting ready," Callie said, getting up.

Later, Stef sat on the table in Dr. Robinson's office, just as she had months ago. This time, Lena stood beside her, holding her hand.

Dr. Robinson knocked on the door, and Stef's heart leaped with an instant of panic. But then, a calming warmth rushed over her when she saw that her doctor was smiling. Lena squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Mrs. Foster," Dr. Robinson began. "I just got the results of your test, and I'm happy to tell you that there is no evidence of disease. You're in complete remission. Congratulations!"

Stef covered her face with her hands and began to cry, flooding with a mixture of relief, hope, and anxiety. Lena pulled her into a hug. "I'm so happy, honey."

"Me too," she sobbed. "I need to go tell my babies."

"Go ahead," the doctor smiled. "Just make sure to schedule your next appointment at the desk."

"I will," she said, standing up. "Thank you so much." She shook Dr. Robinson's hand before going back out to the waiting room.

"Guys," she said, going to her kids and her mother. "I have some good news!"

The kids and Sharon looked at her intently, breathlessly.

"It's over," she said. "As of today, I am in remission."

A look of surprise registered on her family's faces. Then, they all stood up and crowded around her. She hugged each of her babies, one by one: Brandon, who had been there when she needed someone to listen, Mariana, who had mourned right along with her, Jude, who's sweetness made even her hardest days feel more normal, Callie, who had always offered to help out, even when she was falling apart, and Jesus, who had shaved his own head of hair, just to support her.

"I knew you could do it," Jesus told her, giving her a kiss. He rubbed her bald head. "Now we can start growing our hair out together."

Stef laughed and hugged him tighter. Then, she found herself swept up in Lena's arms. "I didn't think this day would ever come," she sobbed.

"I did," Lena said, kissing her cheek. She turned to the kids. "You fought for them. And we don't call you Mama Tiger for nothing."

Stef hugged Lena even harder. She knew that her fears were far from over; each year at this time, she would have a doctor appointment to dread. She would wonder if her illness had returned, and hold her breath for bad news that might never come. But she would never give up. Because she had hope, and that, and the love of her family, were enough to see her through anything.

The End

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