Stole My Heart ❤️ {a Jackson Avery Love Story} (continued)

Chapter 199:

I look at the old man in amusement.

Delilah: you heard him DeLuca.

As DeLuca runs out, I get a paged from Jackson about Maggie's mom.

Delilah: page me if you need me Hunt.
Owen: sure.

I run off and I find Jackson with Maggie's mom in an exam room.

Delilah: hi! I'm here.
Jackson: so, how are you feeling Diane?
Mrs. Pierce: I'm– I'm good. Just a little tired.
Jackson: yeah.

Jackson helps Diane sit on the bed.

Mrs. Pierce: chemo's not my idea of a great time.
Jackson: sure. Well, Lilah and I spoke with your oncologist. She gave us a full report, and the chemo's been working.
Delilah: your repeat scans came back, and they show a good response. You are her star patient.
Mrs. Pierce: ooh, and the prize is a mastectomy.
Jackson: your reconstruction is gonna go perfectly. It'll be our best work.
Delilah: today, we just focus on getting your pre-op taken care of, and we get our oncologist up to speed.
Jackson: did you want, um... Maggie here before we continue?
Mrs. Pierce: um...

My face drops at the realization. She hasn't even told Maggie.

Delilah: Diane...
Jackson: you didn't tell her yet?
Mrs. Pierce: it's too much stress.
Delilah: which is exactly why she needs to know, because it's gonna be stressful enough for you.
Mrs. Pierce: we're already fighting today.
Jackson: no, as your doctors, we can't, in good confidence, continue to let this go on, alright?
Delilah: Jackson's right. It's bad for you both. It's bad for everyone.
Mrs. Pierce: well, just not yet.
Jackson: when? Our surgery is tomorrow.
Mrs. Pierce: ... after. I can just have the surgery and tell her then, and I can tell her that I had cancer and not that I have it.
Delilah: that's not the best idea.
Mrs. Pierce: it's how I want to do it. Is that understood?

I hated this. I don't want to hide this from Maggie, but I don't have a choice. I have to obey Mrs. Pierce's wishes.

We get Maggie's mom set up with a nurse then we go over the reconstruction with another doctor.

Doctor: pretty straightforward modified rad. I'll remove the breast tissue, then do a lymph node dissection, and leave you both to the reconstruction.
Delilah: that sounds great.

I notice someone from the corner of my eye and I turn around to see Wilson and Jenkins behind us.

Delilah: you need something Wilson?
Jo: yeah, I'm on your service today Dr. Avery.
Jenkins: and I'm with you Dr. Avery-Shepherd.
Delilah: Jackson didn't request a resident. And neither did I. And even if I did, I would rather have literally any other resident than you. Remember the last time I had you on a case Jenkins?

Jenkins hangs his head low.

Jo: Dr. Minnick assigned me to you, and assigned Jenkins to Avery-Shepherd.
Delilah: well, tough cookies 'cause I'm not taking him.
Jackson: alright. I will, um... I'll talk to Dr. Minnick after we're finished here, but no thanks. We don't need anyone.
Delilah: get lost Jenkins.
Jackson: okay, sorry. You all set?
Doctor: yeah. I'll see you both tomorrow.
Delilah: thank you very much.

The doctor leaves the room and I look at the scans.

Jo: this is Diane Pierce?
Delilah: woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, no. Do not look at that. You're not in this case.
Jo: is this Maggie's mother?
Jackson: Wilson, please.
Maggie: Jackson! Lilah.
J&D: hey.

Jackson and I quickly turn off the monitors and act natural.

Maggie: what the hell? Why am I locked out of my mother's file? I'm a doctor.
Jackson: yes. Well, she requested privacy.
Maggie: I'm her daughter. She can't handle the fact that I might have an opinion about her boob job.
Delilah: she's anxious because she's going into surgery.
Maggie: now you're telling me how my mom feels Lilah? What is going on here guys? Level with me. You both saw what happened the last time she was here. And I thought we could actually fix it. I wanted to talk and actually try, but she has been shutting me out from moment one. Why is she doing this?
Jackson: you know, we really– we really couldn't say.
Maggie: is she embarrassed about the boob job? Then why is she getting it?
Delilah: she's scared... about her surgery. I mean, she needs support. She needs your support Mags.
Maggie: so I'm awful is what you're saying.
Delilah: you know that's not what we meant Maggie.
Maggie: okay. I'll try. I will leave it alone. I will try.
Jackson: thank you.