The Golden Couple

Chap. 27

"I feel like I've fallen into this really sad routine," Bryce informed me.

"What kind of routine?" I asked him, as I took a seat on top of the picnic table.

"I wake up about halfway through the day, I play some video games, I have PT and speech therapy, and then I take chemo and pass back out."

"Well you can't be expected to do too much," I pointed out. "You're on chemotherapy."

"I just don't want to be that guy that completely shuts his life down because of cancer."

I hate that word.

But I just nodded, because I know that Bryce needs someone to talk to. And I need to be that someone for him.

"Well let's do something spontaneous today then," I suggested.

"Getting into your car and coming down to the dog park today was literally the hardest thing I've ever had to do," he pointed out. "And I might actually barf all over you."

"Well you can't decide that you want to live a more exciting life and then change your mind because of the chemo," I pointed out.

"I don't want to change my mind because of the chemo," Bryce defended. "But it just shuts my body down."

"Has your speech therapist talked about discharging you at all?" I asked, changing the subject.

Bryce was getting heated. I hadn't meant to make him angry, but I realize that I could've probably worded my thoughts a little better.

Bryce shook his head. "When I really get going I begin to stutter over myself again."

I reached over and kissed him on the cheek. "Baby steps," I reminded him. "Look at how far you've come."

"Look at how far I want to be."

"Alright Oscar the Grouch, why don't you go hop in that trash can over there and come back with a little less sass?"

He chuckled, the first smile on his face all day. "Alright, alright, sorry."

"You're lucky I still love you."

"That I am." He leaned back on the picnic table, bracing his arms behind him. "But I am serious about this."

"About what?"

"I don't want to fall into a cancer routine," he reminded me. "I don't want to be that guy that lets the brain alien win."

I couldn't help but smile. "Then tomorrow night, you and me are going out."

~*~

"Is right here good?" Kylie asked me, as we came to a stop in the middle of the woods.

I feel like this is where all the horror movies happen. In just a couple of seconds, a guy with a chainsaw was going to jump out at us and hack us to pieces.

"I don't know if I can do this," I said, looking over at Kylie. "It's really creepy out here."

"We're going to make it really cute," she informed me. "As long as you feel like this is a good spot."

I looked around, shrugging. "We're surrounded by woods. What makes this piece of land different from that one over there?"

Kylie let out a dramatic sigh. "Clearly you are not the outdoorsy type."

"Clearly," I agreed, with a laugh.

"How did we ever become best friends?"

"Because you love me?" I suggested.