29 November 2016. 2:37 p.m.
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The engine roared to life and Aunt Helena pulled out of the driveway. She had taken the rest of the day off to take Rose to the hospital for her checkup. They drove for about 10 minutes before they were met with some traffic and the car stopped.
Rose watched as a group of girls walked out of a coffee shop, giggling at one another, looking into their phones and just living. Living their lives.
She saw a girl, younger than herself, wearing a dark blue dress and white socks up to her knees, holding a woman's hand and walking by. The woman, Rose assumed was the little girl's mother. She watched as they walked until they were out of sight.
The traffic had cleared but the same could not be said about the sky.
The sun was nowhere to be seen. It was a dull, wet day. It had been raining for two days and the sky was grey.
"Almost there" Aunt Helena spoke.
Rose nodded.
Her phone chimed and she checked to see she had one new message.
Harry: are you there yet?
Rose: almost
She looked away after sending her reply and rested her head back, closing her eyes for a minute.
A minute was all she could afford.
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"Now are you taking the medicines I prescribed you last time we met?"
"Yes"
"Good. I want you to stop taking them"
A series of confused looks were shared between Rose and her aunt before the doctor spoke again.
"We've decided to increase the doses and see how her body takes it."
"More pills" she sighs to herself.
"More pills yes. we love them, don't we?"
She frowns at that. Rose hated pills, she'd never even take an aspirin when she had a bad headache, no matter how much her mum forced her to she'd never take them.
"Collect your medicines from outside.. you know where from. I have to tell you now, sleep is very important and you need to get alot of it. make sure she gets enough sleep and also...."
She could still here the doctor's voice but she wasn't listening. She was staring at a chart behind his table.
Graphs and statistics scattered on the it and bold words at the top read;
Take care of you!
She saw how it said people often ignored their health and it lead to major diseases.
Is that what she had done? Is that how she ended up with Lukemia?
The doctors said the cause is not determined. It could be anything.
Genetic or maybe the lifestyle. But Rose didn't even ponder over that, all she could think about was if she died what would happen to the ones she left behind.
"..and I'll see you next week Rose." Doctor Bradley smiled.
She blinked a few times before turning to her aunt.
"Can I wait back for a minute?"
Although she was apprehensive, Aunt Helena nodded.
"I'll wait by the car"
The door closed and she looked at doctor Bradley who was waiting for her to speak.
"Yes Rose"
"You never told me what stage I'm on"
"I thought you'd.."
"I think I need to know" she paused and looked at the papers on the table
"need to know how soon the damage will be done"
"What makes you say that? Damage? We're going to do everything we can and you'll be fine Rose"
"No, no you don't.. I meant the damage I'll be causing."
Doctor Bradley didn't say anything after that for a while. He just sat there looking at his young patient who wasn't concerned about her but about the people in her life. He looked into her eyes and saw how soft they were. He realised she was one of those people who were humble no matter what happened. No matter how much the world forced them to turn cold like a stone, they left their heart open and welcomed the world with warm arms. He came to understand how her voice was not low and gentle because she was scared she was dying, it was because that is what she really was; gentle.
And he knew Rose Walker was nothing like the kids her age. She was simply different.
And he also saw her eyes waiting for an answer.
"You want to know" he finally says.
"Yes sir. I do"
"You're on stage four"
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"Can we listen to the radio?" Rose asked her aunt once she was buckled in and they were heading home.
"Of course sweetie"
"it's raining" she smiled at the sky like someone was watching and waiting for her to acknowledge that they had made it rain.
She rested her head against the window and watched the small droplets fall down, onto the leaves of the trees making it look extra green, onto the road ahead of them, on her window. The wet road reflected the tall trees and it all looked so beautiful like a real life oil painting and she loved it.
She loved how the sound of rain hitting the roof of the car calmed her. What topped it off was when The Beatles' Yesterday started playing on the radio.
Both the ladies snapped their heads to look at each other and giggled at their action.
"Favourite" they said together and laughed and for the first time in the last week Aunt Helena felt like her niece was not being taken away from her.
The heat in the car kept them warm while Rose rested her head on the window again, listening to the rhythm of the rain and the harmony of The Beatles and she thinks she could fall asleep to this bliss.
And so she does.
Closing her eyes after a while of watching the rain, she feels herself drift off into peaceful slumber.
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a.n. im sorry for the delay. alot hasbeen happening lately
I'll post more often.
stay safe.
all my love to you.
-s
