The receptionist struggles to fit us in for Tuesday but eventually the last slot available, at 6:10pm, has had a cancellation. I dread to think why a patient in this clinic would cancel an appointment and see by the ashen look on her face that Penny is thinking along the same lines as I am.
Taking her hand in mine, I rush her out to the safety of the car park. After buckling her seatbelt with fumbling fingers, Penny breaks down again.
“Come here.” I say, undoing her belt and pulling her into my lap. “It’s all right, just let it out.”
And she does just that. A dam of tears washes over me as Penny cries into the crook of my neck whilst I soothingly stroke her hair, her back and place sweet kisses on her cheek.
“I don’t want to go back to school, Mag.” She sobs eventually.
“Why not?”
“What if I am… sick.”
“That shouldn’t make any difference, Pen.”
“Yes, it should! And it does!” she cries.
“Penny, look at it this way. If the doctor called us just now and said that you were going to die tomorrow, would you wallow and wither away in your room alone? Or would you go out with your friends and spend time with your family, doing fun things a girl your age would do?”
She sniffs. “Well, when you put it like that…”
“Do you want to go out for dinner or stay in?” I ask as she clambers back to her own seat.
“I want to stay in but can we get a take out?”
“Sure, as long as you eat some cookies and drink some orange juice when we get home.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Once we’re home, Penny calls Happy to let them know we don’t know the results yet and she apologises for her behaviour before. After she’s finished her homework and done her chores, much to her complaint, we order take out from her favourite Indian restaurant and set about feasting on that when I see I have two missed calls on my mobile from Jason.
Slipping out onto the balcony I hit redial. He answers on the second ring.
“Maggie, hi.”
“Hey, sorry I missed your calls.”
“That’s okay. How were things at the hospital?”
“Intense. But we won’t know the results for another day or two.”
“How is she coping?”
“She wasn’t too hot at first but we had a chat and I think she’s doing better now. Not one hundred percent her usual self but… she’s getting there.”
“Who are you talking to?” Penny asks, sliding out onto the balcony beside me. “Is it Mr Cooper?”
“Um… yeah.”
She holds her hand out for the phone in silence.
“Jason, I think Penny wants a word with you.”
“Oh.” He says, sounding as shocked and amused as I feel. “Okay.”
“Mr Cooper, its Penny. Look we’re not in school so I’m just going to speak honestly now without fear of retribution. I know my sister spent last night with you and I know that she likes you a lot.”
“I like her too, Penny.” I heard Jason’s voice on the other hand.
“Good. You’d better take good care of her otherwise you’ll have me to answer to. Understand?”
YOU ARE READING
Sing Me To Sleep (formerly From Maggie May to Penny Lane)
Teen FictionLife is hard and short Especially for Penny Lane She's dying from Leukaemia Maggie's doing her best to help her To care for her, and complete her 'List' in time. But Maggie's bosses don't make it easy Whilst caring for Penny she also cares for...
