Hate, actually ✔

Chapter 6

"Well, she's starting to show the signs of fast deterioration. Look, Miss Torres, I'm calling you to inform you that the team of researchers claim they have found a cure. For people with her blood type, that is. Her blood type isn't too common so we need as many test subjects as we can get. It's been tested on animals but as you may know, it can never have the same exact effect on humans."

Despite myself and the excitement I harbor, I so badly want to tell him that 'same' and 'exact' mean the same thing.

"So try it on her. Hell, try anything that sounds promising. As long as it doesn't make her worse," I interrupt.

"We asked your mother to try it out but she declined the offer. We were hoping that you could talk to her, convince her that this is a sign that she still needs to live. She doesn't like the idea of being a test subject but if this works, she'll stick around long enough to see your children and maybe even theirs.

"Since she's deteriorating the fastest out of everyone with the needed blood type, we thought she should try it first - there's also only so much in supply. This could save many other lives as well and she will be offered a generous amount of money for being the first test subject." The doctor sounds somewhat sincere.

What's up with this sudden streak of luck?
I feel like asking life itself what the catch is.

"I'll talk to her about it. Are there any side effects we should know of?" I fidget in my seat, giddy at the thought of having my crazy, fun-loving mom back.

Calm down Sadie. There's a chance it won't work. You've never heard of this kind of thing before so don't get your hopes up, my much more sensible alter ego all but chastises me.

"It has more or less the same side effects as chemotherapy; take or give but it's supposed to work a lot faster. I would advise you to talk to her about it as soon as possible, as we don't have much time."

I have so many questions, but I'm scared that the answers will disappoint me. The least we can do is give it a shot.

I assure Doctor Ferdinand that I will do my best to persuade my mom before I hang up.

Leonardo gives me a side glance. "What was that all about? You look like you've been proposed to by the love of your life."

Ha. I nearly smirk at the irony.

It seems he's so nonchalantly asking to fill the silence in the air more than he actually cares.

"It's about my mom. She has stage four lung cancer that has spread. Some researchers or something claim they've found a cure and they want me to convince her to try it."

He spares me a glance, eyes slightly more ajar. "We could move the meeting with the wedding planner to this afternoon and go and see your mom now."

I think about visiting my mom with Leonardo in tow. I've already told her about him and she was so happy to hear that I'd 'finally found someone.' She was pretty upset though, that Leonardo and I have been together for a 'year' and I hadn't mentioned it to her.

Just like with Lauren, Steve and Kai - I came up with some pretty convincing excuse about why I didn't tell them I had a boyfriend 'all this time'.

"Really?" I ask. "That would be great, actually."

Leonardo stops by a florist on the way and he gets a bouquet arrangement of peonies and a splatter of baby's breath.

By the time we stop outside the hospice, Leonardo looks like he's about to write an examination that determines his future.

I unbuckle my seat belt and turn to him. "What's wrong?"

He unbuckles his own seat belt. "What do you mean?"