"Mr. Hudson, I think you already know what the results are going to be," the doctor said warily, holding the clipboard so tightly her dark knuckles were turning white. Her voice was soothing, the kind of velvety tone that was pleasing to an uneasy mind.
"I know," Finn replied in a soft breath. He had known about his lung cancer diagnosis for long enough, he was prepared for this result.
"You know you're already in that small percentage who developed the cancer without a smoking history," she continued. "So you know how unlikely it is that you're in that small percentage who live full lives."
Finn didn't want to hear any more. "How long," he choked after a minute of ringing silence.
"I can't be sure, at this point," Dr. Nouri admitted. "Most likely less than a year. It could be months, or it could be weeks." She allowed him several minutes to try to absorb what he was hearing, but when he stayed quiet still, she consoled him as well as she could, then ushered him out.
When he had finished booking a follow-up appointment at the front desk, Finn left the clinic without another word. His world had never been right-side-up, but now here it was being completely flipped on its head.
He took the long way home, hoping his mind could sort through this mess before he got there. He strolled through Central Park, looping around the zoo and crossing Bow bridge and finding the biggest crowd to be stuck behind- anything but dealing with his life. At home, there would be phone calls and medicines; his family's tears mingling with his own over the miles between them.
At one point on his detour through the park, he began to think of all the cancer movies he'd seen, mostly in school or for sappy girlfriends. Every main character made a bucket list. Sure, there were a ton of things he wanted to do before he died, but a part of him would rather stray from the norm. In the end, he decided on one goal before his impending demise: To find the girl of his dreams.
He was completely aware that this, besides jumping out of an airplane, was the most stereotypical last wish there was. However, he'd spent his other 24 years with naïve and dependent girls, and all he wanted was someone who he could really talk and relate to. It was cheesy, but this was what he wanted in his short life, and he wouldn't let his heart stop beating till it had fluttered for a woman.
"Are you ready, Finny?" Susan called from outside his apartment door. Susan had been his kindly neighbour since the day he moved to New York. She was in her eighties, and acted like the stereotypical grandma to him, always coming up with pet names and rubbing dirt off his face with her spit. He had never connected too deeply with his coworkers, and considered her his best friend- that's when you know your life is downhill.
"Just a minute, Sue," he hollered back. He smirked at her reply of how she hated to be called that. He tightened and straightened his navy tie before opening the door. "Oh, you know I love being Finny."
Ignoring his comment, Sue pattered down the stairwell and out the side exit of the building. Finn trailed behind, shocked at how quickly the old woman could move. Her dress, a long floral number that might've been a hit in the 60's, swished in his path, and he danced awkwardly to avoid stepping on it. At the edge of the sidewalk, he stuck his arm out into the air to hail a cab. His tuxedo jacket was unfit for the summer weather, and he was already boiling beneath it. The musty air of the cab did little to help, crushing his hopes of a little air conditioning.
This was their routine- every Sunday, the two of them would pick a show to see. He wasn't exactly one for theatre, but Susan adored it. In her day, she had been the coach for a glee club that took the national championship trophy every year, and even performed in some small shows herself. Between that and her rich husband who had passed away in his thirties, she had plenty of money to spare. Instead of living the high life, she had decided to live low key, and spend the cash on her love for Broadway. When Finn came along, it encouraged her even more, attempting to put the theatrical spirit into him.
"What's the show today?" Finn asked curiously.
"It's a classic, called West Side Story." She smiled eagerly at him, her eyes bugging out of her head. "I think you'll enjoy it too, Finny, there are knives and gangs."
Finn nodded along. They conversed over the show and Susan's pregnant niece as the taxi maneuvered itself through the city traffic. When they arrived at the theatre, Finn grabbed a program and found their seats, this time only rows away from the stage. He flipped through the program absentmindedly before folding it up and shoving it into his pant pocket.
The lights dimmed and the show started, He overall thought it was a pretty awesome story, and the Maria girl was sort of hot, in a Megan Fox kind of way. At the curtain call, Susan stood up right away to clap as usual, Finn joining unwillingly. As the ensemble bowed, a giddy brunette on stage left met his gaze as she laughed and smiled at the applause. She had the aura of a star. While their eyes only caught each other for a couple seconds, he felt frozen in time. It was like seeing a reincarnation of an angel on a grilled cheese sandwich. His stomach flipped when he noticed the corner of her mouth somehow curving up even more before she glanced away.
It seemed like a long-shot, but maybe he had already found that girl.
Susan had insisted on buying him a massive scoop of gelato and walking home through Central Park. He didn't really understand, since it would've taken longer than it took him to eat to take the direct way anyways, but he tried to never argue with the elderly woman.
"Enjoy the show?" she asked for the third time.
"Yeah, it was pretty cool."
She barely let him finish repeating his response before cutting in. "I saw that look in yours eyes."
Finn stumbled on his next step on the paved walkway, aghast. "Uh, there was a look in my eye?" he questioned, half knowing what she meant, half completely confused.
"That girl. Rachel Berry, the ensemble girl," she said impatiently.
"How do you know who she is? Did you work with her?"
"Of course not, there's a program for a reason!" Susan chided. Finn thudded his palm against his forehead mentally, not answering. "Do you know her?"
"No," he admitted softly. Without thinking it through, he added, "But I'd like to."
"Well I think you might have a chance," she exclaimed. She held his shoulders firmly with her wrinkled hands.
"Wait, really?" he replied, a dopey grin forming on his face. "Why?"
She twisted him around so he was facing forward on the path instead of her. "Maybe because she's standing right there?"
Sure enough, a petite woman was poised in the middle of Bow Bridge, peeking her head over the side. He watched as she giggled adorably at something in the water he couldn't see from there before Susan shoved him forcefully from behind. Almost falling flat onto the ground, he whipped around to her. "What are you doing?" he said, harsher than intended.
She seemed to be disregarding his tone in her reply. "I think I'm going to head home. I can take that empty bowl for you. Get over there and live your life, for goodness sake." She snatched the plastic gelato cup from his hand and he stared after her as she dropped it in the trash can and strutted away. Then he turned back to the girl.
He composed himself and went over to the bridge as confidently as he could. He placed himself right next to her and positioned his hands on the railing. "What did I miss?" he asked in a trial at being that mysterious stranger in the movies.
The woman's chiming laughter stopped abruptly, leaving her mouth open in shock. Her head darted to see who the man was beside her. "You're..that guy," she murmured. Her voice was barely audible, but sounded just as beautiful as her giggles; as beautiful as she was.
"Yeah, that sounds like me."
She blushed, glancing at her ballet flats and gnawing her bottom lip. This barely lasted ten seconds before she drew herself together and went back to an all-knowing stature. "Well I think I have permission to laugh at whatever I please, thank you very much," she finally told him, turning her gaze back to the water.
"I'll respect that." Finn bowed his head once to her. "Can I ask you your name?"
"I'm shocked you don't already know." She didn't physically make a hmph sound, but something about the way she said it radiated that.
"Actually I do, I just thought I'd ask." Rachel turned her head back to see the smug half-smile painted on his face. He slipped his hands into his pant pockets. From there, he shifted his left fingers, doing his best not to further crumple the program- this one he wanted to keep.
"if you want an autograph, I have pink, black and gold sharpies. Your choice." She began rummaging through her handbag, but he interrupted her.
"No, that's alright. I kind of just wanted to talk to you."
"Funny," she said with a sarcastic laugh that rustled her bangs, "People tend to find me quite annoying, I'm told."
"Weird," Finn replied. "You seem pretty nice to me." Her long lashes fluttered slightly as their eyes met again.
Suddenly she pulled her phone out of her purse. His inner self was squealing in excitement that she might give him her phone number, but what she said disappointed him to the point of it showing on his features. "It's pretty late, I should be home by now. I like to stay on schedule."
"Oh," he muttered, doing his best to hide feeling let down. "Well, maybe we'll meet again sometime.'
"New York is a big city. Don't get your hopes up." She gave him a soft smile as she spun to saunter across the bridge in the opposite direction, leaving him flustered in the middle of Central Park.
A/N: I got inspired by The Fault In Our Stars mostly, and wrote this. I'm not sure if I'll continue but thank you. :)