'Can-cancer?', I stuttered, my insides starting to feel cold, 'Are you, serious?'
'I'm afraid so', Doctor Green replied, 'It seems to be a case of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. The mole seems to be the centre of it so, you will have to have it removed.'
'Then, then what?', I asked, as my body started to shake.
'Then you will need chemotherapy', Doctor Green explained, 'And then maybe radiotherapy. It will depend on how well the chemotherapy works.'
'O-okay', I whispered.
'Is there anyone with you?', Doctor Green asked, 'I know it's a lot to take in.'
'I came on my own', I replied, 'I'll have my friend pick me up.'
With that Doctor Green told me the date that I would be having the mole removed, and I then left the hospital.
Once outside, I called Hannah to ask her to pick me up. She knew it was urgent by the sound of my voice.
'Are you okay?', she asked, when she arrived.
'Uh', I said, opening the door of the car and getting in, 'I don't think so.'
With that I burst into uncontrollable tears.
'Oh my God Jules, what's wrong?', Hannah gasped, reaching over and hugging me.
'It's bad news Han', I choked on my tears, 'It's really bad news.'
'Wha-what is it?', Hannah asked, as I cried into her chest.
'It's', I started, before stuttering, 'It's cancer. I have cancer Hannah.'
'What?', she asked, moving me away from her so that she could look me in the eyes, 'No way! Julie you don't smoke, you don't use sun beds, and you eat healthily. How the hell could you have cancer?!'
'It's the mole', I whimpered, 'It's the mole.'
'I can't believe it', Hannah replied, holding my hand, 'Don't worry Jules, you're going to get through this! We're all going to be here for you, me, your parents, and Mark.'
'How am I going to tell them?', I asked, 'It will break their hearts.'
'Well at least tell your parents tonight', Hannah replied, 'You can tell Mark when he gets home. It'll give you a while to prepare what you're going to say to him.'
'Yeah you're right', I said, drying my eyes, 'Thanks Han.'
As Hannah drove me home ( I'd collect my car the day after ), I told her about how I'd have to have the mole removed and then the chemotherapy and the radiotherapy I'd have to endure.
When we got home I could tell that my parents were back from work, because both their cars were in the drive-way.
It was that night though before I built up the courage to tell them about my illness. Predictably, they were both very upset, but I promised them that I would fight my way through as much as I could. They, like me, knew that they had to accept it, and they promised that they would help me as much as possible. They also agreed not to tell Mark, or his family, until I had spoken with him and told him myself.
I thought that Mark would never be home from tour, and although he phoned me most nights, he sounded distracted or something, and I knew I could never tell him my news over the anyway.
Eventually, the day came for him to come home to Oldham.
'Are you meeting Mark today?', my mother asked me, that morning.
'Yeah', I replied, 'I'm going to tell him.'
'Well he'd find out eventually anyway', Mam said, giving me a hug, 'It will be okay Julie.'
