Silently Falling | √

•Chapter 4•

I released a breathy sign, "I don't want to keep doing the treatment anymore if there's no surety that I still have enough time left."

"What? No honey, we can't stop your treatment," mum said as tears rimmed her eyes.

"But it's just a waste of money."

"No it's not and you father and I will do everything to make sure you're better."

A dry laugh escaped from my lips as I shook my head, "you just don't get it, do you? I've lived for eight years with this thing and I can't keep doing this to you, to everyone and more importantly to myself."

"I'm afraid that's not a good idea Alexis," Dr. Dave spoke, "you've been my patient for eight years and I know you're a fighter and you will get through this."

"Oh please! This isn't something about being a fighter, it's about life and I am slowly losing mine," I scoffed.

Mum's eyes were now puffy and her nose was a ruby red colour but no tears were visible.

"I want to go home."

"Okay dear," mum said and we left the hospital and everything in it.

The atmosphere in the car was so tense that you could be able to cut through it with a knife. I didn't want to say anything after that appointment and I hoped mom felt the same way but guess I'm always wrong at everything.

"Honey we need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about."

Mum glanced at me momentarily before focusing back on the road ahead. "You can't stop your treatment and you know your brother will highly be against that," she said. "How will Asher feel when he finds out that you don't want to have your treatment anymore? Do you think he will be happy about that?"

"Suffice to say James will be beyond annoyed and quite certainly livid with me but I can talk him into trying to understand my decision," I spoke, "and for Asher, I don't know what he will say. He might possibly stop talking to me after I tell him."

"Then why do you want to go ahead with it when you know you'll be hurting the ones that love you?"

"It wasn't an easy decision to come up with," I admitted. "But I am most definitely not going back on it."

Mum was quiet for awhile and I assumed that was it with the talk.

"Your dad and I will be broken and you know that."

"I know."

And that was that. We drove the rest of the way home in silence as I stared at the buildings that we passed in a blur. This is the right decision, I told myself.

When we finally pulled up into the very familiar driveway-we sat there in silence with no one making a move until I got out and mum quickly followed after locking the car.

The front door was unlocked and immediately I knew dad was home already, "Dad?"

"In the kitchen honey," he shouted and I followed the voice.

"How did the appointment go?" he asked once I was in view.

"The same as usual."

Dad nodded and mum later appeared besides me.

"I thought we could hang out with the whole family like old times this Saturday," dad began, "you can invite Asher as well as his part of the family.

"But James is at school," I said with a raised eyebrow.

"Lexi!"

No way, that voice is familiar but I thought-no it can't be him.

"James?"

"Of course it's me, who else would it be?" he asked from behind me and I turned to pull him in for a hug.

"I missed your annoying self," I sighed clutching onto him and never wanting to let go.

"Missed you too baby sis. But if you don't let go anytime soon then I might die from suffocation," he joked to which I reluctantly pulled back. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"Yeah but I took a couple of days back so I can hang with you guys and annoy my baby sis," he said. "So are we up for that family hangout or what?"

"Yes we are."

Mum finally spoke after standing there for a long time watching us and what she said made my blood run cold.

"Alexis has something to tell you about the appointment."

~A