The Original Taylor Daughter

Shocking News

By the end of July, Alice's period is a few days late but at the time she didn't worry about it, her period had a habit of being late sometimes.

She forgot about it though as the release of Queen's The Invisible Man single was coming up and she was on the music video set with them most days.

------

The morning of the 23rd of September, Alice woke jumping out of bed for the bathroom, throwing up the remains of last nights dinner.

As she flushed the toilet, she notes the pack of unopened sanitary towels on the side and grabs her calendar. Checking the dates, she's missed a second period and will probably miss a third since her next should be due in a week.

Sick at the thought, she fleas her bathroom getting changed and stuffs her shoes on. Running down the stairs to picks up her bag and car keys, "Hey," Roger stops her sipping his coffee, "Where you off to in such a hurry?"

Alice quickly thinks up a lie, she can't tell him she might be pregnant, he'd flip. "I'm going the Lucy's for the day, I thought I told you. She wants help with bridesmaids dresses for the wedding and I woke up late, that's why I'm rushing."

He doesn't seem to bat an eyelid at the lie, "Well be careful. Ring me to let me know what time you'll be home."

"Yes sir," She mock salutes before leaving the house.

After stopping at a shop to buy two tests, Alice does head to Lucy's. Knocking on the brunette's door she waits, when Lucy swings the door open Alice feels her eyes well up showing her friends the test, "I need help."

Lucy pulls her into a hug, "Come on, you can take it here and don't worry about Rami, he's at uni." Rami and Lucy moved into a flat together not long after they got engaged.

That's how she came to be sat on the side of the bath in Lucy's bathroom, waiting for the test to work. "Alice?" Lucy knocks gently on the bathroom door, "Are you alright? Please let me in."

"It's not locked," She mutters loud enough for Lucy to open the door.

She kneels in front of Alice squeezing her hand, "15 minutes are up. What does it say?"

"Don't know, I can't bring myself to look," She looks at the brunette, eyes begging her to look for her.

Reading the look correctly, Lucy stands turning the two tests over, "Well you had nothing to worry about, Ally, both are negative."

"What?!" Alice grabs the tests reading the same results, "But I've missed two periods. If I'm not pregnant, then why have they stopped?"

Lucy shrugs not knowing what else to say, "Maybe you should make a doctors appointment? The tests could be wrong."

Alice nods, "Can I use your phone?"

"Of course."

------

She managed to get an out of hours appointment for later that same day at the hospital with Doctor Melrose. Too worried to go alone, Lucy goes with her.

Once in the room, Alice explains everything to Doctor Melrose, "Hmm... after two missed periods, nearly three, you should be far enough along for a test to detect."

The woman thinks for a moment, hoping she's on the wrong wavelength, "I'd like to run some tests with your permission?"

"What tests?"

"Blood tests, ultrasound and then an MRI scan if the first tests prove negative."

Those are the same tests she's had every year for the past 13 years, "Doctor, you don't think this is a pregnancy, do you?" Despite not wanting to have a baby yet, being pregnant might be the lesser of two evils if she's on the same wavelength as Doctor Melrose.

"I'll admit I'd prefer it to be a pregnancy." She doesn't say anything else just makes a few phone calls to set up the scans, then takes the blood samples she needs.

Alice lay on the examination table waiting for the technician to perform the ultrasound, Melrose is stood behind the woman's shoulder. Alice couldn't be more thankful for Lucy holding her hand at that moment.

The technician moves the wand about her stomach, starting at the lower abdomen over her womb but when she moves higher closer to her kidneys, Alice knows they're no longer looking for a baby, "I'm not pregnant, am I?"

Melrose looks to her young patient, eyes brimming with sympathy and concern, "No there is not, but the ultrasound shows a potential mass connecting to your remaining kidney. But I'm going to send you for that MRI before I confirm anything."

Alice zoned out after that, Lucy tries to talk to her, distract her but she's lost in her own world. She just resorts to being a physical reassurance to her friend.

By the time she's had the MRI scan, Alice's blood results have come back and Melrose can put together a clear confirmation of what is causing Alice's menstrual problems, "So what did you find doc?"

Sighing Melrose flips through her notes, though she already knows the answer, "I'm sorry to confirm that there is indeed a mass tumour but it's actually coming from the remains of the removed kidney, it is small but it has spread."

"Spread?" That's never good when it comes to a tumour, "How far?"

"It's spread to your womb which is why your periods have stopped but it's also stretching towards your lungs."

Alice couldn't speak so Lucy does, "What does that mean for her treatment going forward?"

Melrose resists telling her the following information, "Perhaps this news is better given with your mum or dad here?"

"Doctor Melrose please," Alice begs, "I'm 19, I don't need them here. Tell me."

"I've spoken to a few other colleagues and they agree with my course of action going forward. Despite being small the tumour is too advanced and I'm afraid that means incurable, I'll book you in for a hysterectomy to remove your worm and it will give to more time but..."

"It won't save me," Alice feels numb eyes welling up but forces herself to ask the following question, "How long do I have?"

"20 to 24 months if you have the surgery, if you don't then 16 to 18 months."

"Then book me in," She tries to be flippant, "I need all the time I can get. Please don't tell my family, I'll do that myself."

Melrose nods, "Of course. Once you had time for this news to sink in and your family knows, we'll set up a meeting and discuss what happens going forward."

It's already starting to sink in though Alice tries to laugh it off, "This morning I dreaded the thought of going home and telling my dad I'm pregnant. Now, I think that would be a piece of better news to give,"

Tears leak from her eyes and she looks to Lucy, "Can I stay at yours tonight? I need a night to collect myself before telling anyone."

"Of course you can stay," Lucy whimpers, clinging to Alice's hand, "I won't tell anyone, not even Rami. You tell people when you're ready."