Last Train Home (5SOS and 1D)

Chapter 53

VICTORIA'S POV

Today, we were going to the hospital to see what Violet's test results would be. A week ago, right before I came home, I was told that Violet underwent a test to see how her body's doing after a month and a half on a certain medication. Dad and William would be coming with us, the whole family was going to be there.

The change in Violet was evident. Aside from losing weight and being inactive at times, ever since she underwent the chemotherapy, she's been eating less and less. She said she didn't feel like eating because it would only make her feel worse. There would be times when her energy was high, but that would only be seldom, like Christmas Eve. She was so upbeat and energetic that night.

Our family drove to the hospital in silence. Before we left, we all agreed that whatever the results may be, nobody should ever lose heart. Not ever. We walked inside the lobby and Louis met with us there.

We entered a clinic and we were greeted by Dr. Sterling's assistant. After a few minutes, Dr. Sterling arrived. Our family went to the office and found some place to sit. Mom, Dad, and Violet sat down on the seats while Julian, William, Louis, and I stood up.

"How are you, Violet?" Dr. Sterling asked, smiling kindly at Violet.

My sister smiled and sat up straighter in my mother's lap. "I'm feeling good, thank you. How about you, doc?"

Dr. Sterling smiled and shook Violet's hand. She took out a folder and pulled out papers which she lay on the table.

Right before Dr. Sterling spoke again, there was silence that seemed to stretch on. "These are Violet's results. As you know, we conducted a test to check whether the medication is taking effect on her or not."

Dad rested his chin on his fist. "May we know the result, then?" I could tell he was as nervous as I was. I could tell from the way his foot tapped on the floor and his constant shifting on his seat.

The doctor sighed and I looked at how she conducted herself. "The number of her cancer cells have gone up," Dr. Sterling carefully said. "As if the medicine did nothing to suppress them. Like what Dr. Penn and I told you before, the medicine's effect depends on the patient. On some patients, it works and on some, it doesn't."

I clenched my fists and breathed in. I felt my eyes starting to water and my throat began to hurt. I looked at my parents and they looked momentarily shaken but they held their heads up high. Mom planted a kiss on Violet's head and adjusted her arms around my sister. William let out a sigh and Julian was staring at nothing in particular.

I felt someone hold my hand and it was Louis.

"As we ran the tests, we also found something else," Dr. Sterling continued. She took out the remaining contents of the envelope and showed x-ray images of Violet's lungs. The pen she was holding circled on a portion of her right lung. "The mass has been growing at a slow, but steady rate." She pointed to the left lung now. "Over here, these small specks that you see, those are small tumors that are starting to grow as well."

"So, doc," Mom said. I could hear the quiver in her voice. I wished I hadn't. "This shows that it's spreading, isn't it?"

Dr. Sterling nodded grimly and laced her fingers together. She looked at me and dropped her gaze. I knew that she was going to say something else and I had a feeling that I should brace myself for whatever would come next. I squeezed Louis' hand and he squeezed back.

"Mr. Hale, Mrs. Hale," Dr. Sterling addressed. "The condition of your daughter has reached stage four in just over a month. I'm sorry. It's terminal."

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. I didn't want to think about it but I had somehow knew this was coming. Every time I went home, I saw that despite that happy facade my sister held, I knew that she was slowly drifting away. I tried not to notice it, but I did. It wasn't hard not to see it. Of course I wanted her to get better.