(Complete) Nick has suffered sorrow and loss. He has relied on his family to help him survive. Can Nick ever find happiness and a love?
Sara has spent the better part of her twenties caring for the sickest people of the world. Realizing that her dre...
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Ever since the doctor's text, she had been thinking the worst while waiting for him to return. When she heard him, her stomach tightened with dread. When he walked toward her, she saw wetness at the corners of his eyes.
"The scan showed no change. This last round of treatments did little to the tumors."
For a moment it transported her back to when Uncle David had a similar message about her mother.
"Is there anything else they can do? Something experimental, perhaps? Can they remove them?"
She sounded desperate, but she needed to know. She couldn't just give up on such a young life.
"That treatment was experimental and the tumors are too invasive."
"What does this mean?"
Nick shook his head. "It is hard to say. Maybe months."
"Oh!" Sara gasped and she couldn't stop the sobs. She tried to apologize, but she couldn't speak. She was distraught and angry. In the time of modern medicine, there should be more they could do.
He walked toward her, and she could see tears in his eyes. He surprised her by wrapping his arms around her and holding her. There was nothing she could do, but blubber all over his shirt. Eventually Sara stepped backwards, away from him. His wife wouldn't want him consoling her.
He looked down at her. "Are you going to be alright?"
"I think so." She didn't know if she really was.
"I hate to leave you like this, but I need to get home."
"I'm fine. Thank you, Doctor."
She wasn't fine, but she couldn't ask him to stay and comfort her. She considered going to Poppy's, but went home. She resisted the urge to stop for ice cream. Except for cookies, she didn't eat sweets, but ice cream was her vice when she was upset.
Once alone, she had trouble sorting out what rattled her most, the news of Lily or his gentleness and concern. Possibly it was the feel of his arms around her. She told herself he was just comforting her. He had rushed home to his wife, who could console him in ways she never could.
No matter how she felt about him, she knew he cared as much about Lily as she did. After the initial impact of the news had settled, she had questions.
She received a text message from him. Perhaps her tears on his shirt reminded him to check in with her.
🗨Dr.B: Are you ok?
🗨S: It's hard. Poor Christine.
Sara had lost her mother, but the thought of a mother losing a child.
🗨Dr.B: I know.
🗨S: What's next? That was the biggest question on her mind.
🗨Dr.B: She'll go home, and we'll continue to support them.
