Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

Chapter 27: Afterwards! Part 1

    First Uploaded: March 2014 Dates updated: January or February 2018; November 4, 2019; Dec. 1, 2020, 12:15 PM)

                 Kylie grabs her sister's hand as tears roll both of their cheeks. "It's....it was.....you have...." Kylie stumbles on her words as she's trying to form the words and hold back sobs at the same time. Kayle shakes her head. "It is." She bursts into tears. Kaylee falls limp into Kylie's lap. Kylie sits there for a second having no idea what to do. Then she thinks of how much her sister needs her right now. So she wipes away her tears and ignores her worry for a moment. She needs to push her issues to the side and be there for Kaylee. She looks at the group, who all look extra concerned and worried. Kylie looks at her brother who is crying because he is the only one out of the group who knows what has been going on. She notices Brian looking at Kaylee and Kaylee only. While she recognizes Jakobe and Finn oddly conversing together what seems to be a serious conversation. Kylie looks at the group and tries to tell them what's wrong, but can't get the words out. Instead, small sobs start to form.

"I can't believe this is actually happening. I've felt fine for a while." Kaylee says in a zombie-like tone, as she sit up wooing her tears away. Jakobe, Brian, Finn, and Nicholas all stand hovering around her, and Kylie staring at her silently. Oddly the only person she has been talking to about her feelings while waiting for the test to come back has been the girl she has hated the day she arrived at Seaside Sydney United; Kylie, who she's grown to like and dare she admits, love, since she found out she is her older sister. Since then she tries to see her differently. Not as the nemesis she was. And she can't remember why she hated Kylie to begin with. Now since she has ALL. What the doctors said is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, she and Kylie have tried their best at pushing their past issues behind them and they have been becoming close. Closer than she would have ever imagined. They still bicker like normal siblings, but not like they did when they were enemies. 

Kaylee releases her hand from Kylie's un-natural strong grip, who has been sitting next to her since she got the call. Realizing that she hasn't felt normal for a few weeks to maybe a month or two, Kaylee's body stiffens. She looks at Nick and then to Kylie. "So your dad along with my mom and everyone else has been wondering why I haven't been talking much at dinner and when I do it's always something sarcastic." Kaylee's eyes begin to water as she chuckles. "And why I've been getting out of breath so easy and why I've had a lot of headaches and fevers and this weird rash." She lifts up her arm and points at her ankle revealing purplish-brown spots. Brian cringes. "Yuck. I'm sorry you've been dealing with that." He says sympathetically.

Kaylee smiles at Brian. Then her expression changes. Her face slackens. "I guess it all makes sense now." She sucks in a deep breath, trying not to let all her emotions roll out. "I didn't think anything of it until now. I just thought I was stressed from school and thought my new lotion gave me the rash." Kaylee says trying to hold her tears back. Kylie places her hand on Kaylee's. "It's okay. We are all here for you." As a few more tears trickle down her face, Kaylee looks at everyone. "I have Leukemia."

"NO!" An exasperated voice sounds behind them. Brian jumps startled and everyone looks behind them to see Evie standing there. Finn nods. Evie smiles tightly. "It's not true is it?" She asks as a few tears roll down her cheeks. Jakobe shrugs. "Yeah, it is."

Kaylee looks at her other sister and sighs defeated. Evie pushes past the group and sits on the other side of Kaylee. She grabs her hand and pushes down her tears. "I'm here for you whatever you need. Whatever OUR family needs. I'm here." She says looking at Kylie. Then she looks at Nicholas whose head is lowered. Evie looks closer and sees tears running down his cheek. "I said I'm here for OUR family. So that includes you too Nick." She says noticing he became distant since she arrived. He parted away from the group. His head lifts up and stares at Evie. "Thank you, Evie." He says wiping his eyes. "That's what family does. We stick together." She smiles. Nick nods and a small smile forms on his face.

"I'm here for her too Evie. I've been there more than you have." Brian retorts. Evie recoils, shocked. Then she lets it go because emotions are running high right now. But then he points to Kylie. "I've been there for her more than you too Kylie." He says upset, with a hint of anger in his voice. Finn puts a hand on Brian's shoulder gently. "Brian. They are aware of that. But it wasn't their fault. No one knew about the secrets held by their parents." Brian rolls his eyes knowing that Finn is right. He looks to his brother. Jakobe shrugs agreeing. "He's right mate. They would have been there if they knew." Brian nods. "I reckon. Sorry, Evie. Sorry, Kylie." Evie and Kylie both nod and say together. "It's okay."

Evie shifts on the bench to get comfortable. "I have some news. I can tell you guys now or tell you later." Kaylee sighs heavily. "Please not bad news. I can't take any more bad news." Evie shrugs as she shrinks back feeling guilty. "Maybe."