" I'm not sweetheart... Everything is okay.. and so will you." Rick smiled and sat next to Lesley
" Rick tell me what’s wrong…. I know you were upset” Lesley said right to the point.
" It's nothing really.... I'm fine." Rick replied trying to pass it off
" Yeah except I'm the one who has had trouble over the last few months with trying to get better but have been failing to get there... Come on Rick, tell me why you're upset.." Lesley gave a serious look
" Lesley you scared me... When I called a couple of times and you didn't answer I thought something happened to you... And when I found you on the floor by the bathroom... I about felt my heart drop because I didn't know in that second if it was... If it was your.... your body that I found… lf you had just passed out " Rick replied and slightly turned his head away from Lesley.
" Rick, I'm sorry... I never meant to scare you like this... I thought if I could try to go to the bathroom on my own and showed that I could still do it, then I'd be okay but I took a fall... I think I had hit my head slightly because I passed out before I could pull myself up to make it in the bathroom..."
" Don't be sorry Lesley not for anything... Because you're gonna get better and when you do, you and me are gonna hopefully go away.. and we're gonna have some time to ourselves for alittle bit." Rick reached to grab Lesley's hands after helping her back to lay down again.
" Rick... Please hear me... I'm gonna be okay... Believe me I want to... I just..." Lesley took a moment when she started coughing again.. " Easy Les... It's alright." Rick took her into his arms and rubbed her back alittle.
" I don't know how much more I can keep up with this Rick... I just... I am really scared.. I do want to get better Rick I promise you..." Lesley started to cry while Rick stayed at her side but refused to let go of her
" It's alright to be scared Lesley because I am too... To think of the possibility that I could lose you it makes me want to go crazy... But I'm not gonna lose you because you're gonna fight this and you're gonna get better and because I will be there every step of the way to make sure you do." Rick gave Lesley a kiss.
" Get some rest and don't try to make it on your own. You call out my name sweetheart if you need to go to the bathroom or if you need anything promise?" Rick hugged Lesley and pulled up her throw alittle bit so she wasn't freezing
Rick stepped out and went downstairs to give Jessie a call and see if she could arrange for a small surprise for Lesley and to let her know that Lesley was doing okay so far
" She's okay Jess.... She's had slight trouble on and off but she's hanging in okay." Rick explained about Lesley's progress
" Just remember Rick that she's got to keep her weight up, she's too thin as it is... Tell Lesley that I will call alittle later to check on her and hopefully maybe I can stop by tomorrow morning." Jessie replied.
" Jess actually that's what I was calling for to see if maybe throw up alittle get together for her just to cheer her up alittle bit." Rick suggested.
" Rick I think that is a good idea but I also know that Jerry may not approve of it right now because of her treatment." Jessie pointed out.
" I know but Jessie, we really should do something. Even if it's just to cheer her up for alittle bit…. She's just real scared about all of this and if we could help ease that and get her mind on something other than going back and forth to Chemo and to doctors, then I think it's worth it to make her smile."
Hoping not to feel sick to her stomach again Lesley sat up alittle bit when she heard Rick coming back upstairs with something to eat and hopefully she was hoping they could watch alittle TV at least for her that's what she was hoping to do until she starting vomiting again
" I rea-really wish you wouldn't have to see me this way Rick...." Lesley held to the side wall and Rick's hand when she started vomiting more.
" Sweetheart I would rather spend time in a jail cell than to let you suffer like this by yourself... You need me and that's a promise I made to you all that time ago, Lesley I don't take that lightly. That promise is very serious to me because I made it to you... You're not just my best friend or colleague or partner.... Lesley you are my wife.. and I am gonna spend the rest of my life to protect you or to be there when you need me..."
Rick pulled Lesley into his lap while he took a seat on the floor and just held her while she was shaking from a small moment that she got upset but Rick knew that she was gonna be okay because he refused to leave her side. After falling asleep in Rick's arms, Rick brought Lesley back to bed and pulled up the blanket so Lesley could be comfortable before he went downstairs to see what all the noise was.
" What is with all this noise down here... you both should know better that this noise is not allowed here especially while your mother is upstairs trying to rest in spite that she isn't feeling good… And treatment didn't sit well with her today" Rick bit out
" Becca wanted to come over to study and hang..." Genesis answered
" When were you going to ask if that was okay? You know that it's very important that we have to be careful with people coming and going with your mother's health situation?" Rick asked
" Why does everything have to be like this.. you are assuming that we will be going near mom and we are not.." Genesis clapped back
" Young lady, this kind of attitude better stop right now. Your mother is very sick and her treatment is no walk in the park. Any infection can hurt her and send her right back to the hospital or it could kill her... Now your friends can start coming over again after your mother is finished with her treatment and it is cleared with our colleagues that she can see anybody she wants to see." Rick bit out
" It's okay Mr Webber, I understand more than Genesis seems to think... I lost my mom a while back... I'll see myself out and I hope that Mrs Webber gets better." Becca showed herself out and went home for the night
Genesis went up to her room and just ignored she had homework to do while downstairs Jesslyn and Rick decided to talk in the living-room
" How is mom really?" Jesslyn asked
" She's trying her hardest. Treatment today didn't sit well with her but she's okay... It's tough for her but she'll get better soon... We just have to be careful with things and when we have people coming over here." Rick replied
" I hope she gets better soon... With the holidays coming up."
" So do I kiddo... Hopefully by Labor day and later Thanksgiving she'll be able to feel better and will get to see other friends too." Rick replied and pulled Jesslyn for a hug.
" Tell your friend that I apologize if I was alittle harsh about her being over..." Rick stood up to get Lesley her medication and to bring up something light for her to get something to eat.
“ Dad it’s okay, you heard what Becca said she understood and she said she’s praying for mom so there were no hard feelings from her.”
~~~
Early Friday morning Rick took Lesley in for her usual testing and waited with Jessie but dozed off in the waiting area from staying up all night as he found it difficult to sleep. A few short moments later, Jessie kept an eye on Rick when she noticed that he started dreaming and Jessie knew it didn’t take too long that it was gonna turn into what would be his worst nightmare.
" How are you feelin Les?" Rick asked and sat down on her side of the bed beside her.
" I feel like I'm slowly suffocating... just when I feel like I can relax I feel like I'm gonna be sick and like I'm gonna need to throw up again…. Are the kids home?"
" The kids are fine...they love you and hope like everyone that you will feel alittle better soon so come your birthday this weekend, I can take you guys and Jessie out to Dino's." Rick replied with a small smile.
Lesley tried to reach for Rick's hand." I wi-wish I could be there with you... I wish I was gonna be."
Now Rick's smile disappeared from the words he couldn't believe he heard " Hey don't you do that... don't you start thinking you're gonna be going somewhere you're gonna get better... I won't lose you, I will not let you give up Lesley... You can beat this.... I know you can."
“ R-Rick it’s alright what’s important is I ha-have you by my side right up to the end of this… and being in your arms, i'm not afraid not when I am with the man I love.” Lesley kept her light grip when she pushed up as much as she could to kiss Rick before they both went to bed for night
The next morning, Rick went to call Gail for a short couple of minutes before he was to help Lesley get up and ready to go for her doctor's appointment with Dr Richards
" Girls let's go, you're gonna miss the bus then I will be real upset with you later... I have to have your mother at the hospital by 8:00 for her final visit with her doctors since we stopped her treatment a few months ago." Rick called up
" We're going." Genesis replied back
" Remember to come straight home after school unless you have something after school. Remember to call if you have to stay after..." Rick said and started to head upstairs to get Lesley up to get ready.
" Lesley sweetheart I'm sorry but I have to wake you up... You have to be at the hospital before 8:00.... Lesley... I need you to wake up...." Rick gently shook her and tried to keep himself calm but the fact was Lesley wasn't waking up and that he knew wasn't a good sign
Rick darted fast to get an ambulance and right after he called Jessie to have her get over.
" Jessie it's Rick I need you to come over here right away something is wrong and I can't get Lesley to wake up..." Rick said quickly
" Alright Rick I'm gonna be right there... Call for an ambulance... If you haven't already."
Rick got off the phone and tried to wake her only when he went to reach for her hand and he touched her, his disbelief coupled at the worst of his fears that he may have lost the love of his life by that point as she was cold to the touch and rigger had already started to set
The paramedics had just gotten there when Rick led them to their bedroom. " Please you've got to help her"
“ Is your wife on any medications or allergic to any medications?”
“ She's not allergic to anything I'm aware of, and we had stopped treatment about 5 and a half months ago. She has terminal cancer.” Rick replied praying he hasn't lost her
“ We're very sorry Mr Webber… if it's of any constellation, she had gone in her sleep peacefully.”
" Lesley don't you do this to me don't you go and leave this way... You know I can't live without you." Rick cried out and took Lesley into his arms after the paramedics had told him they tried what they could but she was gone
Jessie arrived just in time as the ambulance had gotten there and had ran into the house where she waited a few moments and after the paramedics left, she immediately went upstairs
" Rick I.... Rick..." Jessie said gently
" She's gone Jessie" Rick cried " Lesley's gone...."
" She's never gonna leave us... Not entirely Rick.... What I want you to do is wake up... Rick wake up!.... Wake up!" Jessie called out a third time to Rick
Rick sprang up fast in a panic and called out to Lesley who was just about to be finished with her exam and tests
" Rick, I want you to take a deep breath... Lesley is okay she'll be coming out soon"
" It was the worst nightmare Jessie.... And I don't think I can survive if it were to become a reality." Rick admitted
" Alright take a moment Rick and tell me what it was..." Jessie placed a hand on his shoulder
~~~
Lesley was still waiting in radiology as her blood work hadn’t come back and to think it wasn’t gonna be good news terrified her “ That’s crazy to think that; don't think of anything stupid.” Lesley thought to herself because she is a doctor she’s waited like this hundreds of times just like this for blood work of other patients she treated through the years.
“ Lesley, I'm sorry to keep you waiting.” Bobbi said when she disconnected her wires... “ Bobbi I know that look, it’s not good is it?” Lesley asked
“ Lesley I have no reason to think it’s gonna be bad news for you… Dr. Richards will be in soon to see you and Rick about your scans. You just have to hold your head up and think positive.” Bobbi answered before she brought Lesley down for another Spinal tap and pet scan.
" Do something, would you….? Give this to Gail to hold onto for me… I set this aside for Jesslyn… but not until after…"
" Lesley you are gonna get through all of this I know you will… and I don't mean that just because you have saved my brother more than once…. I say it because I mean it."
Lesley was just finishing with the spinal tap procedure and was waiting to get through for getting her pet scans done before she was soon gonna be able to go back into the waiting room to be with Rick.
" Lesley, how are you feeling? Any nausea or pain?"
" I've seen better days Tammy but no I don't feel anything just lightheaded with being very tired but I'm okay for the time being…." Lesley responded hoping to be done soon
~~~
After an hour Lesley was finished with getting her scans through when Dr Richards was on his way with her blood work results
" Lesley your blood work came back and it looks to be heading for the better… your blood pressure is steady pulse and oxygen saturation has stayed within a satisfiable range. I just might be able to have your oxygen respirator removed by the middle of the week."
Lesley about started to get excited. " Don't get too excited for that just yet, we still have to determine your progress with where you are with your treatment.. how are you feeling otherwise?"
" Well I've been more tired than I would like to be and every once in a while I'm up in the restroom throwing up but I haven't really been vomiting as much as I was in the beginning of this nightmare… I have honestly felt better now than I have before in a while…"
" Well that's a good step in the right direction and your blood work, as I said, was looking alot better so far so, all we should have to wait for is your pet scans to come back which should be in a couple hours or so.” Dr. Richards exclaimed
Dr. Richards stepped out to check on another patient while they were waiting for the spinal tap and pet scans to come back.