February 26
"Seriously. I can't get over how pretty this is," I say, stuffing a strawberry in my face as we sit on the blanket under the sky.
"Well, it took a while to do, but in the end it was worth it. Anyways, I have a serious question."
"I probably don't have a serious answer but ask away."
"So, I know this is the first date, and it's kinda rushing it, but we've been 'talking' like 3 weeks. Therefore..."
"Continue..."
"I wondered if you would want to be my girlfriend. I mean yes it's a bit early, but I wanted to ask now. I think we'd be good together, you and I."
Silence.
Crickets.
"I-uh- I do too. I mean. I think we'd be good together. And- I- like you a lot, uh - so i'm- yes. That's a yes. I'll be you're girlfriend. Also that is a serious answer by the way."
"Yes! I hoped you would say yes!"
"And I did!"
"Good."
"Good."
He grabs my hand and I flinch, but let him take it.
"You okay?"
"Mhmm."
"Why'd you flinch."
"Reasons."
My dad. Cooper.
"And those reasons are."
"I-um- Something you do not need to know of as of right now," I say pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Oh. Okay........" he says, suspicious of me. "Well, anyways, since you said yes to being my girlfriend, I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch tomorrow?"
I want to say yes, but I can't.
"I can't. I want to. But I can't."
"Why's that?"
"I-I. Well-"
"Claire?"
"There's a few things I need you to know."
"Okay?" he answers warily.
"I have two things going on tomorrow. First of which, is treatment."
"What for?"
"Um, give me a second. I'm trying to put this in the best way possible."
"Okay."
"Kay, I got it. Easton. I need you to promise you're still going to date me after I tell you these things."
"I promise."
"Okay. So you know what cancer is right? Leukemia? You know what that is?"
"Of course."
"Okay. Good."
"Why?"
"You know what treatments are right? What some of them are?"
"Yeah. I only know two though. Stem Cell Transplant and Chemo."
"Okay, I wanna know how you knew that but i'll wait until after this..
". I have acute myeloid leukemia," I say.
His eyes snap to mine, and he gets a look of panic.
"Myeloid?"
"Yes."
"Fuck."
"Okay, woah. I didn't realize it was that bad of. turn off."
"It's not. It's just. Damn it I was going to tell you yet. I , have... acute myeloid leukemia too."
"You're screwing with me aren't you?"
"I'm not."
"This is not funny. Are you seriously mocking me?!"
"I'm not Claire! I swear to god. Well. Sort of. I'm in remission."
"You're not messing with me?"
"No. I had a SCT a year and a half ago. It's working as of right now. I finished chemo 7 weeks ago."
"Really?"
"Really. I wouldn't joke about that."
"Well this night just took an unexpected turn."
"That it did. Seems kind of like some cliche movie trope thing. But please don't tell anyone. Please. Drew is one of the only people who knows."
"I-okay.•
"Anyways, second reading as to why you can't go."
A long silence.
"Therapy."
"Why therapy?"
"Traumatic events happened. I fucked up a few weeks ago. I still get thoughts about what happened. And I have traumatic flashbacks from other things. My life is a wild mess. Im okay with it though."
"Oh. Well Im okay with it too."
"Good."
"Good."
"Should we continue with our night like this talk about traumatic events and cancer didn't happen but not forget it because it's important?"
"Brilliant plan."
"Okay."
********
After the date- 11:30
********
"Well that took a turn," I say, setting my purse on the couch, and plopping down onto the couch where Drew is reading a newspaper, while I assume he was actually waiting for me to come home.
"So he told you."
"He did."
"He must really like. Hardly anyone knows. You told him you do too."
"Well it's not something you're should really keep from your boyfriend."
Drew peaks his face over the paper. "Boyfriend?"
"Yes."
"That was quick."
"He's impatient."
"I know. He's my best friend since he was 3."
"Okay, fair point."
"You like him?"
"A lot."
"So you're dating?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful."
"Why so angry."
"He's my bestfriend. You're like my little sister that I don't have. Hell, Easton is like a brother. That's practically incest."
"You're making me very uncomfortable."
"Sorry."
"He's not actually related by blood or by connections therefore he it's not incest. Now stop being weird."
"Can't promise anything."
"Drew."
"Okay, okay I'm sorry. It's so weird for me."
"So you've said."
"I have?"
"Quite frequently."
"Okay sorry. I'm sorry."
"Yeah whatever. I need to sleep."
"Yup, okay. You have stuff to do tomorrow. K forgot."
"Mhmm."
"Okay love you little sis."
"Yeah whatever. Love you too."