Leah
One suitcase, a duffel bag and my school backpack slung over my shoulder, I knocked on my neighbour's door and waved at mom and dad who were leaving for Eugene in my car.
Yes, my car. Because theirs got some technical problems so they can't drive theirs, which leaves me to sort out how I'd go to school from tomorrow.
I tapped my foot on the front porch as I waited patiently for someone to open the door. Andrew, Ethan's dad, greeted me at the door and took my suitcase from my hand as he gestured me to come inside. Such a gentleman.
"Books?" He smiled at me as he pointed at my suitcase exclusive of books.
"I couldn't pick any specific book or genre. So I got all of them. Better safe than sorry." I shrugged and smiled sheepishly at him.
"Well, if you run out of these, you know where my collection is, right?" He chuckled and started walking up the stairs towards the guestroom.
Oh yeah, he has these two, floor to ceiling shelves, spread across each wall, exclusive of his books collection in his study. And the man has got good taste when it comes to literature. I know I won't be disappointed.
"Of course, Andrew." I smiled at him gratefully as he placed my suitcase down on the floor of the guestroom.
"Andrew, did you leave the stove on?" Savannah's voice rang through the house and Mr. Adams's face paled as he started backing out of the room.
I laughed as he rushed downstairs, he'll probably be getting an earful from his wife. I sighed as I looked around the room where I'd be staying for a few days until mom and dad returns from Eugene.
Here's the deal. Mom and dad had returned on Tuesday night when I was dead to the world. The next day when I left for school, my parents were still sleeping because of the exhaustion of the previous days. When I returned from school both of them were sitting at the dining table, working on their laptops.
"Leah, there is something we want to tell you." Came from mom when we were having dinner on Wednesday night. This line can never be good when it comes from your parents. I put my fork down and waited patiently to listen to what they have to say.
"Your mom and I, we are going to Eugene for a few days. I don't know how long we'll be there." Dad said as he picked at the peas. He doesn't like peas. At all.
"Is everything all right there?" I asked as I suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore.
"Your grandma.. She isn't in her best of state." Mom sniffled and wiped away the tear that had managed to escape through her eye and that's when I started to lose it all.
"What do you mean? What happened to her? And why is mom crying? Do you want me to come with you guys? Yeah, that's it. I'm coming with you to Eugene." I said frantically as my mind started conjuring up bad possibilities.
"Leah, honey, you know you can't come with us. You can't miss school for so long." Dad insisted and massaged his temples.
"At least tell me what happened there."
"You remember your uncle Jeremy's phone call and later me being worried about someone's coughing fit in the background?" Mom asked me.
"Yeah, I remember that."
"Recently mom's been getting a few symptoms like cough, fever, shortness of breath." Mom said and I could feel the blood draining from my face.
"Jeremy and Lisa tried to get mom to undergo some tests, but she wouldn't budge. You know how stubborn she is." I nodded and she continued. "On Sunday, after dinner, she complained about pain in her chest and she was immediately rushed to the hospital. She told the doctors about other symptoms as well, so the medics ran some tests on her and she was diagnosed with exudative pleural effusion."
"Pleural effusion? What's that?" I asked them.
"It's an illness in which an unusual amount of fluid gets collected around the lungs which the doctors have to take out more than the amount required to diagnose the cause of this effusion. The cause can be anything, either leaking from other organs, or infection or pulmonary embolism or even lung cancer."
"So what's the cause of pleural effusion? In grandma's lungs, I mean." I folded my hands on top of the table and rested my chin on them, suddenly feeling exhausted with the news break.
"The exact cause isn't known yet. The doctors are going to be performing a procedure called thoracentesis wherein they will take the fluid to test. And because your grandma's case is an exudative one, they'll have to drain out excess fluid."
"When will the procedure be performed?" I asked.
"In the next week. But the doctors still want to run some more tests. Jeremy alone won't be able to get it all done as Lisa needs to give her attention to the kids. So your mom and I will be going to Eugene. We'll be leaving tomorrow after you come from school and will be back by next weekend at the most."
"Oh, okay. If you want, I'll come too." I said but I know it's useless. They'll ask me to stay here.
"No Leah. You stay here."
"Okay. You guys go on and don't worry about the house."
"That's another thing, honey," Dad said and exchanged looks with mom.
Why do I feel that this is going to be something more dreadful than the previous news?
"You can't stay at home." Mom said and glanced at me warily.
I gasped "Mom, you can't make me sleep on the streets."
"How does this girl score perfect A on her grade card?" Mom slapped her forehead as she glanced at dad and he chuckled.
"You'll be staying with Adams's," Dad said and there was a thump followed by a loud screech.
Screech was from mom and thump was from me.
I fell down from my chair.
"Oh my God, Leah, are you okay?" Mom asked me frantically as she rushed to my side to help me get up.
"Could you repeat that?" I asked them.
"You'll stay with the Adams' until we come back. We've talked with them about the same and they are more than happy to have you with them."
"But why can't I stay at home? I was perfectly able to manage on my own when you were away for two days."
"Exactly. It was just for two days. Here we are talking about an entire week. What if you forget to lock the house behind you? What if someone broke into the house? What if-"
"But why Adams's place? Why not the Jenkins or the Hughes?"
"That way you can keep an eye on the house." Mom said in a duh tone.
"You know how Ethan and me being in the same house can be pretty disastrous."
"It won't be that bad, honey." Dad tried to console me.
"That bad? That idiot has been avoiding me since yesterday and you are saying it can't be bad." I huffed and sat down on the chair with my head in my hands.
The street doesn't sound that bad now.
Ethan has been avoiding me since our conversation in his room. Today at school when we passed in the hallway, only a curt nod was all that I got from him. Even during lunch, he busied himself with his phone.
All in all, he was avoiding me like I avoid people while reading a good book.
Oh, but he did wake me up even today with his loud music. Old habits do die hard.
"Leah, please be understanding, sweetie. We care for you and that's why we can't leave you alone in the house." Mom sighed and rubbed her face with her palms, looking tired. Now I feel bad for being such a brat.
"Fine. When are you guys leaving?" I asked as I picked up the empty plates and utensils to place them in the sink.
"Tomorrow, when you return from school." Mom said and put away the leftovers in the fridge and dad and I began working on the dishes.
I don't know why but doing these small things together is making me quite emotional. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I passed the washed dish to dad who smiled at me in return as he patted my head.
Over the years, it had always been the three of us. The close-knit family as my friends called. And we are so used to being around each other that, sitting in the guest room of the Adams's, I can't help but already miss them.
I just hope everything works out well.
******
I am not a medical student so I hope I got all the medical terminologies correct. In case you find anything wrong or any error in this chapter, except for grammar, feel free to point it out and I'll make sure it gets rectified.
My university exams were supposed to get over on the 1st of April but right now I am not even sure whether we'll be graduating this year or not. Am I being dramatic here? Totally!!
Soooo, third upload in a week.
Any thoughts on the chapter? Comment them.
Don't forget to vote.
Stay home, stay safe y'all.
Until next time.