Chapter 13
Lymphoma
The rest of the week went by just as awkwardly as it had before… all because I had managed to screw things up even more. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam thought I was a freak of nature. He probably never wants to talk to me again.
I came home after school on Friday to find my prescription that we had ordered waiting for me on the kitchen counter. Dad must have picked it up sometime today after I had left. I walked over to it and stared at the bottle, then peaked inside it at the small white pills that were going to give me color in my life.
Nervously I picked up the bottle and brought it to my room, setting it on my nightstand. I have to take one every morning it directed on the back, and I won’t feel the effects for another three to four weeks. When I had talked to Dr. Allen about them, she’d told me that there still would be some days where I felt depressed, but they would lessen and not be as fierce.
They reminded me so much of my mom and knowing that I was so much like her kind of made me feel bad. If she wouldn’t have left, we would be going through this together. Or maybe my case wouldn’t be as severe and I wouldn’t even need medication. It could be her fault that I’m like this. I think that if my mom knew that she would cause us all so much pain in the end, she would take back her death if she could. But now it’s too late and she’s left me with this.
This bottle of pills.
My phone started vibrating and I took it out, answering it wearily.
“Hello?”
“Stop it Cora! You’re gonna burn the cookies and my mom will be so pissed!”
There was an annoyed voice arguing back.
“Hello?” I asked again.
“Sorry Quinn!” Ali’s voice came on the phone. “Cora and I were wondering if you wanted to come over and hang with us?”
I set the bottle of pills back on my nightstand and stood up, walking over to my window. “Sure,” I managed to say in a happy voice, already forgetting the pills behind me.
“We were thinking of going to Sweet Lillian’s Custard later too. But first you can just come to mine.”
She gave me her address and I wrote it down. I had a good idea of where she lived and grabbed my keys and started driving.
Of course on the way I ended up seeing him walking. I guess I should have realized that since I was driving through his neighborhood there was a good chance he would be outside or something. Sam was walking with Ethan toward my car as I drove.
They both recognized me and waved for me to stop, so I did.
“Hey,” I said, rolling down my window.
“Where are you heading?” Ethan asked.
Sam was noticeably quiet.
“Going to Cora and Ali’s,” I answered.
“Sweet,” Ethan said and walked around the car. He opened the door and sprang into my passenger seat.
I blinked at him and rolled my eyes before turning to Sam.
“I take it your coming too?” I asked him.
He smirked and opened my back door and hopped in too.
“Do you know where Ali lives?” I asked.
“Yeah I can lead you,” Ethan said, excited.
We parked in front of a small and homey-looking house. The main thing I noticed were the Fall decorations, hung all around the small place. We all got out and filed over to the door. I poised my hand to knock on it, but before I could Ethan opened it and walked right in. I stood there awkwardly, feeling like I was intruding rudely. Sam was still behind me and he nudged me in. We ended up standing inside Ali’s Living Room. I blushed slightly as I looked around myself, unsure of where to go, realizing I was alone with Sam and we weren’t talking to each other really at all. Then we heard arguing voices so Sam and I followed the sounds and ended up in the kitchen.
“Who brought you here?” Ali whined at Ethan
“Guilty,” I blushed.
Ethan rolled his eyes and said, “Sam and I were walking, bored, and Quinn was driving by. We just had to join her.”
“Ali, this is a good thing. They can help!” Cora exclaimed, sticking her head out from the fridge. She walked around the door with a carton of eggs, hitting the door with her hip to shut it.
“I don’t trust them. Last time Ethan tried to bake with us it turned out a disaster.”
“Oh, please,” Ethan said, walking over to the counter and peeking into a bowl. He stuck his finger in and pulled it out with a chunk of cookie dough. Cora slapped his hand away and grabbed the bowl possessively.
“What’re all these cookies for?” I asked.
“A bake sale at school during the next football game. It’s only for school fundraising so we can get props for the school play,” Ali explained.
“Why are you guys doing it?” Ethan asked.
“We’re in student council and we offered.”
“Why did you even offer?” Ethan asked.
“You see, we aren’t lazy like you and actually do stuff for other people,” Cora said.
Ethan rolled his eyes and sat down at the counter, grabbing one of the cookies off the counter and taking a giant bite. “Mmm, peanut butter,” he said in between mouthfuls of the cookie.
“He’s probably going to eat more then he’ll even make,” Ali sighed.
Sam decided to join Ethan at that moment and grabbed a cookie of his own.
“Why exactly didn’t you guys tell me what we were doing on the phone?” I asked them.
Ali blushed. “You see… we really need the help. And I’m guessing this isn’t exactly what you would want to do on a Saturday.”
I laughed, “Don’t worry, this is way better than what I had planned.”
I had planned to sat at home and watch TV while I wondered about Sam. I dodged a glance at Sam, accidently locking eyes with him, before turning back to the cookies.
“Let’s get started then,” Sam said, standing up, holding another cookie in his hand.
***
Staring at the trays and trays of cookies, I started to feel sick.
“So many cookies,” I groaned. “So full…”
We all lay on the kitchen floor, flour all over ourselves. I’m pretty sure I have a white film covering my whole body. Ethan had accidently picked up a bag of flour and when he opened it the powder flew all around the room. I drew a line down my arm through the film and started to laugh.
“You guys,” I wheezed. “Look at us.”
Cora got up quickly and said, “I’ll be right back, okay?”
We watched her curiously and she came back down with a fancy-looking camera.
“I should have figured,” Ali grumbled. “I look like crap and you want to take another picture?”
Cora rolled her eyes, “Shut up and cooperate.
She set the camera on the counter where there wasn’t any mess (which was really only a small little area on the whole counter). She set something up and then she hurried over.
“Okay, get ready,” she said, sitting down next to us.
I looked over at the camera, blinking a few times.
“Three… two…”
And then an honest smile appeared on my face, and as the camera flashed, the whole room lit up in a giant flash of color. Ali held a spatchula next to my face as she made a silly face, Sam gave the camera a silly shrug of his shoulders, Ethan threw a handful of flour in the air and Cora threw her head back and laughed, hitting it onto the counter.
After the picture we were interrupted.
“Ali, honey?” a voice called from down the hall.
“Yeah, mom?” Ali said, standing up, a small smile still on her face.
“You’re going to have to take me to the hospital again,” she said in a small voice.
Ali’s smile dropped and she hurried out of the room and into the hall, “Are you okay?”
“My lymph nodes are swollen again,” I heard her saying.
“Oh my gosh,” Ali exclaimed.
“It’s okay honey,” Ali’s mom was comforting her.
We all stood up quickly, and I was pretty confused still. Cora already had Ali’s keys in her hand and we all followed her into the other room. Her mom stood there, looking weak, her neck looked swollen and red, and then they helped escort her to the door. They finally reached the car and opened the door, setting her in the driver’s seat.
“I’ll be okay, honey. They’ll probably give me some medication to take because my other one wasn’t helping this time,” I heard Ali’s mom saying to Ali.
We all started for the doors to get in when Cora interrupted us, shaking her head.
“You guys should just go home or something, we’ve got this handled,” she gave us all a meaningful look.
“Are you sure?” Ethan asked.
Cora nodded and shut the back door and Ali ran over to the driver’s side. “Thank you guys for helping with the cookies,” Ali still managed to say.
We were all too surprised and shocked to say anything back.
She hopped into the car and started the car. Ethan, Sam, and I all stood there and watched as she pulled away. I was very confused and concerned for Ali’s mom. As the car disappeared I turned to Sam and Ethan.
“I hope her mom’s okay. I didn’t really catch what happened…” I said, confused.
Ethan shook his head, running a hand through his hair.
“Ali’s mom has Lymphoma. It’s a type of cancer,” he said quietly.
“Oh,” I whispered.
Sam and I stood there, feeling sorry.
“I didn’t know… I mean she never said anything,” I said.
Ethan nodded, “I know, it’s a sensitive subject for her. They just found out in June.”
“Is it really severe?” Sam asked.
Ethan shrugged, “Treatments are pretty affective and statistics show that radiation therapy has a good chance for curing it. She’s going to try it in two weeks.”
We stood there in silence for a little bit longer, thinking this over. Well, at least the statistics are on her side.
This brought thoughts of my mom like a tidal wave over me. My mom had a choice on whether or not she wanted to lose her life. She decided she didn’t want it. Here, Ali’s mom definitely wants it and she doesn’t get a choice. She only gets statistics telling her she probably will survive, but it’s not like it’s for sure.
“We should probably clean up so they don’t have to come home to a messy house,” Sam suggested.
We all agreed and went back inside. I felt weird walking around Ali’s house when she wasn’t even home, but I knew that it was for the best. We washed down all the counters, washed all the dishes, and swept. It took us at least two hours and when we were done they all still weren’t back. Ali’s mom looked pretty bad so I didn’t know what to think. Maybe they wouldn’t be back until really late.
I looked at the clock, which read 12:00.
Oh no.
I hurried over to the living room coffee table and grabbed my cell phone. I had three missed calls, all from dad. He’s left me a voice mail and a text, probably asking where I was in panic.
I quickly picked it up and dialed him back.
“Quinn?” he asked me, annoyed.
“Sorry, dad,” I said.
“You did it again!” he roared. “Isn’t this is the third time I haven’t known where you went? And you haven’t bothered to answer your phone to tell me you’re okay? I’ve tried calling you since seven! I’ve been wondering where you were for the past five hours! It’s late and dark outside and I didn’t know where you went!”
“I know, dad. I’m sorry,” I mumbled.
“Where are you?” he snapped.
“At my friend, Ali’s house.”
“I don’t even know where that is, or where you are. I have plenty reason to be worried.”
“I know. You do.”
“And you didn’t even think twice about me wondering where you went, huh?”
“I forgot.”
“You forgot.”
“Yes.”
He was silent for a little bit and seemed to calm down.
“Just come home,” he sighed.
“Alright.”
“And don’t take your time. Get your ass over here,” he said and then hung up.
I collapsed on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. I’m so freaking stupid. I don’t want to make dad worry, but that seems to be all I’m making him do lately.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked.
I turned to see both Sam and Ethan standing in between the kitchen and living room.
“I’m fine, my dad was just worried. I forgot to tell him where I was going…”
Ethan laughed, “Oh. I don’t tell my parents where I’m going ever and they never seem to give a crap. Of course, my parents kind of suck. All they ever do is go out and party. I think my sisters and I have too much freedom sometimes.”
Sam looked at me concerned and I pretended to look the other way.
“I can take you guys home if you want…” I said.
“That would be wonderful,” Ethan said, walking over to me.
I stood up, pulling my keys out of my pocket. Ethan snatched them out of my hand and walked out the door and to my car. Sam and I locked up the house and joined him outside.
I opened my driver’s side door and stared at Ethan sitting behind the wheel.
“Only I ever will drive my car,” I said, crossing my arms.
“Pleaseee,” he whined.
“Get out,” I said.
He slid out of the seat, shaking his head, “So selfish.”
I dropped Sam off at his house first since we were already going past his neighborhood. “Thanks Quinn, I’ll see you later,” he said.
It all seemed too polite as I answered an generic ‘you’re welcome’ back to him. Ethan slid out of the back seat and joined me up front in the passenger’s seat before I pulled out.
“Soooo,” Ethan started when we were back on the road and I braced myself for whatever he was going to say. “When are you and Sam gonna hook up?”
I giggled slightly; I couldn’t help it, before turning serious again. “We don’t like each other like that…” I said.
“Riiiightttt…” Ethan said.
“We don’t.”
“That’s exactly why you guys flirt all the time.”
“No we don’t.”
He raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t say anything, just shrugged. “You can tell yourself that, Quinn.”
I felt a blush rising up my neck and to my cheeks.
“What about you and Tessa?” I shot back before this went too far.
He paused. “What about her?”
“You like her, it’s obvious, boy.”
“She has a boyfriend.”
“Who’s a complete jerk that nobody really likes.”
He shrugged, “We don’t like each other like that.”
“Righttttt,” I said, using his words against him.
He laughed, “You’re a funny one, Quinn.”
“All you have to do is make a move. Caleb is obviously not good enough for her. Of course, you would be.”
“We’re best friends.”
“That should be more.”
“This is my house,” he said, interrupting me.
I accidently passed it a little bit and had to back up to pull up his driveway. He got out of the car and stuck his head back in to say something to me.
“Believe me, Quinn, just go for him.”
“Maybe you should just go for Tessa then.”
He looked up at the sky.
“Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
I nodded quickly.
“I decided I’m going to. But I’m waiting until the time is right.”
“That’s adorable,” I said.
“Then you should do the same.”
Before I could reply to that, he shut the door and walked up his driveway. Before opening the door he waved to me and I sat there, stunned. I shook my head. Ethan’s just being silly, that’s it. Sam and I together… pshh that’s crazy!