Going, Going, Gone

Chapter Twenty One: Dates and Duets

Maddie's P.O.V.
----------------------

It's been a few hours since Mackenzie went back for tests. My mom and I wait incredibly impatiently until a nurse walks out.

"Mackenzie is finished. You may come in her room." She says. My mom and I scramble into the room where a sick looking girl lies.

"Mom! Maddie!" Mackenzie shouts. She stands up from her bed and runs over to us. She gives us hugs, and she starts to dance around.

"Mackenzie, go lay back down." The nurse says. She nods and walks back to her bed, but as she's walking, she passes out cold onto the floor.

"Oh my god! Mackenzie!" I shout. I run up to her and lift her up onto the bed.

"What's wrong with her?" My mom asks the nurse.

"Mackenzie has a pretty rare kidney disease. She will be put on a list for a transplant, but unfortunately she is on the bottom of the list. Until she gets her transplant, she will have to be in and out of the hospital quite often, and will have some medication with side affects that aren't so nice." The nurse explains.

"Poor Mackenzie." I whisper sadly. I feel even worse for my mom though, now both of her kids are fighting diseases. This must be a lot to handle for her.

"Mom, I can help. I can drive, and I'm home every day so I can help out. She'll be fine, I promise." I tell my mom. She nods, as if she is accepting my words, and the nurse starts to explain what is going to happen.

"Every Wednesday Mackenzie will have to come in for a check up at the hospital. She will have to take a few pills in the morning and evening. She will have side affects that include vomiting, fainting, high fever, and severe mood swings. She should sit out of dance if she feels nauseous at all, as it could be very dangerous to her health."

"I don't know how I'll be able to handle all of this. I work a full time job and I don't sit in your dance classes anymore." My mom complains, on the verge of tears.

"Mom, I told you that I will help. I can take Kenzie to the hospital and keep an eye on her at dance. It will be okay." I reassure again.

"Okay. I believe you." My mom says.

I hope I can believe me too.

...

One Week Later

"Mackenzie! Get ready for dance! We have to leave in 45 minutes!" I shout through the intercom.

"Can you make me dinner?" She asks back.

"Sure. What do you want? Pasta, salad, sandwich?"

"Peanut butter and jelly sandwich and applesauce please."

"Okay, come on down in a few." I respond. I grab the ingredients, make the sandwich, cut the crust off (that's how she likes it), and put the sandwich and applesauce on the plate.

Next thing I know, Mackenzie comes stomping down the steps. She slams her dance bag on the floor and shoves her butt into the chair.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Of course not. YOU DID NOT GIVE ME A DRINK MADISON." She shouts at me.

"Sorry, geez. What do you want."

"I don't care."

"How about milk?" I ask.

"NO I DON'T WANT MILK." Kenzie shouts at me.

"Why are you being such a-" I start, but then I remember her mood changes because of her medicine. "Never mind." I say. I get a cup of apple juice and put it down on the table.

"Thanks, Maddie. I'm sorry, this is really hard." Mackenzie says, tears lining the brim of her eyes.

"Mackenzie, it's fine. I know what it's like to have to deal with a disease." I say.

"Thanks." She says. She finishes her food and we get in the car, leaving the house.

...

"And on top of the pyramid is Maddie. Great work." Abby proclaims. "This week we will be having one solo, two trios, and one duet. The solo goes to Kalani. The first trio is Paige, Kendall, and Nia. The second trio is Chloe, Brooke, and Jojo. The duet goes to Maddie and Mackenzie. We are starting with the duet, everyone else go into the other studio and stretch."

I'm so excited to have a duet with Mackenzie! We haven't danced a duet together since we were little.

"Your song is called I Will Never Leave You. The dance is about a little girl and a nurse. Throughout the dance, Mackenzie, the little girl, will be dying, and Maddie, the nurse, will become very attached to the little girl, proclaiming that she will never leave her. In the end, the little girl will die and the nurse will be heartbroken. Maddie, start upstage right and Mackenzie start lying on the bed downstage left."

...

Today is the day Josh and I are going on a date. I wake up, do my cyber school, and take a shower. I blow-dry my hair and curl it loosely, following it up with some teasing to give my hair volume. I do my normal makeup and add a nude lipstick. Finally, I put on a plain black, high neck, tank top dress. I slip on my nude pumps, silver necklace, and grab my purse.

I waltz down the stairs and sit on the couch in the family room. After about five minutes, I hear the doorbell. I saunter over to the door and open it.

"Hi, Josh." I say when I open the door to him.

"Hi, Maddie." He says back. He stares up at our foyer in awe. "You have a REALLY nice house." He proclaims.

"Thanks," I respond. "Are you ready to go?" I ask.

"Yep!" He says.

"Bye Mackenzie! Call me if you need anything!" I shout.

"Ok!" I hear faintly.

Josh and I walk out to his car. He opens the passenger door for me and I sit down. We drive away and soon reach Olive Garden. Josh checks us in and they seat us.

"So, Maddie, you're in eleventh grade?" Josh starts small talk.

"Yep. I originally went to Joffrey School in New York, but I wasn't really a fan of the environment there. I came back to PA, and now I do cyber again. What grade are you in?" I ask Josh.

"I'm in eleventh, too. I go to-" Our conversation comes to a halt when I see a call coming from no other than Mackenzie.