the quiet; jg.dp

e l e v e n

⌠daniel⌡

Penelope, the nurse and I arrived at the tiny dark room.

She reached in her pocket, and pulled out little bronze keys. As she rose them to the doorknob she obtained the key with an x on it. As she turned the key to unlock the door, the keys jingled.

P: Okay, I am going to have to ask you to lay on the table and open up your robe please.
D: W-well I am not really comfortable with that.
P: It's okay, we can't have anything covering your skin, except for the safety mat.
D: Oh.

I slowly took off the swan covered robe, and placed it on the floor, revealing my six pack. I took off my shoes and hoisted myself up on the X-ray bed.

P: okay, now I am going to put a mat on you to protect you and your buddies from the radiation.

Penelope and I both laughed, as she finished clicking the rest of the buttons on the machine.

She brought over a thin blue piece of fabric, and draped it over my torso. Then, she placed the machine overtop of me, leaving it hovering over my body. I was scared that my arm was broken because it hurt so badly.

Nurse Penelope then entered a small room, and closed the door a couple feet away from me. We were only separated by glass.

P: Daniel? I need you to stand still for 5 seconds.

She said using a microphone to her mouth.

D: O-okay.
P: Stay very still.

The machine moved up and down my body. From my head to my toes. I could feel the radiation, keeping me warm. As the X-ray took pictures, I could hear the clicking sound it made as it captures all of my insides.

P: Okay you are done! You can put your robe back on.
D: That was fast, haha.

≫

Penelope smiled and brought me back to the room.

J: How'd it go?
D: I don't know.

Penelope looked at the pictures, her eyes widening. My heart started to beat faster, and so was Joey's. I could tell.

J: Is anything broken?
P: I can't share this information with you.
D: What do you mean?!
P: The doctor has to share the information, I can't.

Joey and I nodded. We both watch Nurse Penelope leave the room.

J: I am going to go get some food, do you want some?
D: Yes oh my god.
J: Whatcha want baby?
D:Hm.... Pizza!
J: I don't know if they have vegan choices, but I can check!

I smiled, closing my eyes and started to drift off.

≫

I was awoken shortly after due to a knock on the door.

D: C-come in babe.

The door slowly opened, and my cheeks blushed when I realized it wasn't Joey.

X: I am not Joey, I'm the doctor.
D: I am so sorry, I thought you were him.
DO: I'm afraid not.

He sat down at the desk and opened his laptop.

DO: So.. Mr. Preda do you know any family medical history?

I scratched my temple, thinking.

D: Well, my father had lung cancer, but he beat it. Then it came back, and he sadly passed away.

My eyes started to tear up. I sniffed and wiped the droplets off my cheeks.

DO: I am very sorry to hear that, Daniel. Did anyone else have or pass away due to any other illnesses?
D: My great grandmother had liver cancer, but she didn't pass due to that.

The doctor nodded his head and continued typing. He cleared his throat and looked at me.

D: So is anything broken?!
DO: From what it looks like, you have no fractures!
D: Oh good.
DO: But-

I grabbed my chest. My heart was racing, and my head was starting to hurt due to my anxiety.

DO: You do have cancer.

My eyes started to tear up even more, so I let them. My eyes were itchy, my nose was running, and my body was shaking.

D: W-what k-kind?
DO: Lung.

The doctor closed his computer.

DO: The cancer is not in a bad state. It is quite small actually. It probably started growing like 2 months ago. I will email or call you when I think of a date and we will check it out okay?
D: Y-yeah, I- guess.

≫

The doctor left, and I sat there trying to make the tears stop.

I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't decide if I should tell Joey or not.

We just started dating and I don't want him to get worried, or broken.

Then someone knocked on the door.