Her Secret

thirty one | the news

You have survived cancer, Leena.

You have survived.

Survived.

"We did it?" I weakly mumble as tears quickly fill my vulnerable gaze that's directed at Dr. Weker. Needing to hear again that his words are true and my mind isn't playing a cruel trick on me.

"You did it, Leena." He responds strongly, not leaving any room for debate.

His words finally register and as I focus on my parents smiling at me like they never have before I can't help but let the tears I've been holding in for the past two years finally fall.

"Oh my God." I sob as I weakly stand up and embrace my mom as my dad pulls us both into his warm body.

We spend the next few minutes whispering soothing words to each other, and praising whatever higher power is up there, thanking Them endlessly for helping us through this taxing journey.

Next I wipe my eyes and focus on Dr. Weker, the man who has given me so much of his time, the man who saved me.

I begin to slowly make my way over to him, whose been watching my family with a smile and tears of his own in his eyes. Once he sees that I'm headed his way, he meets me in the middle and regards me with a genuine smile, not the one he's trained to wear when he gives me treatments.

"Thank you so much." I sob as he gathers me in for a hug.

"I am so happy for you." He whispers hoarsely as he pulls away.

I return his sweet words with a smile, knowing that I couldn't possibly ever say anything to thank him for everything he has done for me. The english language just isn't developed enough.

I back away and sit down in my wheelchair as my parents profusely thank him as well. Deciding to wheel my chair out into the hall for a moment, I make my way out of the room.

"Holy shit." I whisper to myself as I hold my bald head in my hands and allow the tears to gather once more, completely overwhelmed and not knowing how else to deal with it.

"Lee?" I hear my twins voice in the distance and as I lift my head I see him running towards me in concern. 

"What's wrong? Did you guys have a meeting today?" Dylan asks in frantic worry as he nods towards the office door and wipes some tears from my eyes.

I gaze into his pale green eyes, and take in his dark brown hair and built physique, not quite having wrapped my head around that I'll be here for all of the things I thought I would miss.

"Leena!" He shouts, panicked by my lack of response and no doubt having flashbacks to the last time we had a meeting like this and remembering the bad news that came from it.

"I'm cured." I whisper so low that I don't expect him to have heard me, but from the shocked hope that takes over his face I know that he has.

"What?" He asks as vulnerably as I did in Dr. Weker's office, needing the same reassurance I did.

"I survived cancer, Dyl." I say, and damn if saying it out loud like that doesn't feel good.

His reaction is instantaneous, pulling me into a suffocating bear hug and letting his tears wet my hospital gown as he whispers thankful words into my shoulder.

"Fuck yeah!" He shouts as he fist pumps the air with glazed eyes and regards me with the happiest expressions he's ever worn, making me return it with a smile of my own.

"What did I say, huh?" He asks loudly, his smile still not dropping. "If anyone could do it, it would be you. Right?"

I nod along with a smile, his enthusiasm brining me into a happy stunned silence.