A Family's Fight
Chapter One
Niles's Discovery
Maxwell Sheffield never could really be bothered, and be taken away from his work. All of the kids, Maggie, Brighton, and Grace, were all out of the house. All that remained there was Max, Fran, Niles, Eve, Jonah, and C.C. Niles and C.C.'s daughter, had decided to go and live with relatives in England due to her parents constantly fighting. Eve and Jonah are now 14, and in the seventh grade. Max is in his office one day when he hears the front door open, and someone walk through the living room. He didn't pay the noise any mind, and kept on working. When he hears noise upstairs, he then goes to check it out. He checks all of the rooms and finds no one in the bathrooms, or in Eve or Jonah's room. He is getting ready to head back downstairs when he hears someone coughing in his and Fran's room. He leans in close to the door and listens for anymore movement or noise. When he hears someone cough again, like they are choking, he goes in and discovers his wife in their bathroom.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Max asks, coming in behind her. She just sits there in the floor, with her arms folded on the toilet, and her face burried in her arms.
"No." She says above a whisper. She just goes limp, and he picks her up and takes her back into the bedroom, where he slips her shoes and socks off, and puts her into bed. He then goes downstairs and asks Niles to keep an eye on her while he steps out to go to the store.
"Niles, I need to make a run to the store. I'm not sure what's wrong with Fran, but she came in all quiet like and went up to our room. I went in and found her sick. She's in bed right now. She probably just has the flu, so I'm gonna go pick her up a few things. Will you watch out for her?" Max asks him.
"Of course Sir. Is there anything I should get out for Jonah and Eve when they get home? They'll be here in about twenty minutes or so." Niles replies, while fiddling around in the cabinets, trying to figure out where he hid his cokes. Jonah is always trying to steal cokes from him, and he always has to find new places to hide them.
"Try hiding them in your room. Your spots down here are getting obvious old man. They will probably just want sandwiches. I won't be too long so I'll pick up some turkey lunch meat for them." Max tells him. Max goes onto the store and Niles goes up to check on Fran. He knows that she's in bed, so he just peeps in on her. When she changes position, Niles notices a knot on her neck, even though he's only at the door. He goes back out in the hall, and shakes his head, and says over and over, "No, God no. Don't let that be what I think it is. No, no, no, no." He goes back downstairs to the kitchen, and when Max gets back from the store, he tells him what he seen.
Chapter Two
Doctor Visit
Three days after Fran came home from work after being sent home for sleeping on the job, Max can see she still isn't her same old self. They are all having supper that evening and while Jonah is talking about basketball, Eve keeps texting on her phone. Normally Fran would get onto her for it and tell her to put it away or else, but this time, she just sits there. She's trying to hide the knot on her neck, and when she takes only two bites of her supper and is done, Max asks her about it.
"Niles went in to check on you when you came home work early the other day. He said he seen something on your neck, all the way from where he was standing at the door. Want to tell me about it?" Max says with concern.
"I didn't want to say anything because I don't really know what it is. It feels rubbery, and it hurts. It's red and about two inches in diameter. It's probably nothing. Eve, please put the phone away. What have you been told about using that thing during supper?" Fran replies, then turning her attention to Eve.
"Sarah said she would text me when she got home. She's been having a hard time with her family lately, and she told me about it today in Math class. Otherwise, I would not have it on during supper. I'm sorry Ma." Eve tells her.
"What do you mean she told you about it Math class Eve? Isn't she still in England?" Max asks.
"Yeah she's still there. I had my phone on silent mode, and I told her before she left two months ago, that if she ever needed me, for her to text or call. She texted today instead of calling, cause she knows the school schedule and didn't want to get either one of us in trouble." Eve replies, taking a bite of her mashed potatoes.
"What kind of trouble is she in?" Niles asks, coming out of the kitchen and joining them at the table.
"She said that when she got there, she was made to do everything around the house and property. She said that her uncle never lets her have any fun, and that they have made a slave out of her. She wants to come back home, but she said something is gonna have to be done between the two of you, before she does. She basically said that it was her mom, as to why she left in the first place." Eve tells him.
"That's it. Sir, may I have the rest of the night off? I need to speak with C.C. and get to bottom of this. My daughter is not going to be anyone's slave at thirteen years old, or any age for that matter." Niles says, getting up from the table.
"Of course old man. You go and do what you need to do. I'll take care of the clean up tonight." Max tells him. Niles goes ahead to find C.C. and have a talk with her, and Fran starts feeling bad again. She gets up, goes in the living room, and calls her doctor to make an appointment. He schedules her for the very next day. Once she hangs up with him, she returns to the dining room and tells Max that she has an appointment for the knot on her neck, and she's scared to death the whole time.
"Dad, you go and get Ma taken care of for the night. We'll clean up." Eve tells Max, as she starts clearing the table. While Jonah and Eve are cleaning up, and Max is taking care of Fran, Niles is looking for a way to tell C.C. that she is going to shape up or ship out. He is in their room waiting for her to show up, and after twenty minutes of waiting, she finally gets there.
"What's up? You said in you message that it was important. Did something happen with Sarah?" C.C. asks.
"Kind of, yeah. She has been talking to Eve a lot lately, and she told her some things that were going on in England. She said that your brother has done nothing but turn her into a slave ever since she arrived two months ago. Also, she said she wants to come home, but you are the reason she left to begin with. Things are gonna be changing around here, cause I'm not about to have her be treated the way she is." Niles tells her.
"Wow. Have I really been that bad? Niles, I thought she knew that our constant bickering, is what our relationship is built on. Why would she leave all because of me?" C.C. asks.
"Well, it's like this. She knows that she is my little princess. Her and I are buddies, as she says, and when you say things to me like you do, or you get to picking on me for whatever reason, it affects her too. She's the victim here and all I want to do, is bring her home. Can you help me make that happen? If you choose to stop your crap, you can stay around and help me raise our daughter, if you don't straighten up, you're gone. That's it. That's the end Chastity." Niles tells her, and when he uses her actual name, she knows she's in trouble.
"Yes. I want to be here for her too. I can't tell you that it's going to happen overnight, but I will do my best, for her. For you too as well." C.C. replies. Once they get everything talked out, and the kitchen is cleaned up, Niles and C.C. talk about the plans to get Sarah home. Max and Fran are talking about her appointment, and she explains to him how scared she is. He tells her that there's no use in worrying until they know what's going on, or what caused the knot on her neck.
The next morning, Fran and Max are at the doctor's office waiting for him to come in, after the nurse took down all of her information, and got a couple pictures. Every which way that Fran tries to turn her head, it hurts her.
"So Fran, talk to me girl. What's going on?" The doctor asks, coming in and looking over her file.
"I don't know what this knot is on my neck. It feels like rubber, it's red, and it hurts to turn my head any certain way." Fran tells him. He checks her neck and throat, and takes her temperature, then orders lab work on her.
"Hmm. Your lymph nodes are awfully swollen there Fran. That knot is right on them too. Your temp is 102.3, and this knot is at least two and a half three inches big. I'm gonna order lab work on you and set you up for a biopsy on your neck. I'll have the nurse to write up a work excuse for ya. I'll be back in a few minutes." The doctor tells her.
A nurse comes in to get her drawn for her labs and another nurse comes in as well with the doctor. He explains that what he is gonna do is stick a needle in the knot and draw some fluid to send off to be examined and tested.
"I thought I had to do that in a hospital." Fran says, trying to keep from shaking.
"Not always. We can do it right here in the office. We'll know something by the end of this week. They won't have the results until at least Friday." The doctor explains.
"Doctor, in your professional opinion, what do you think this is?" Max asks him.
"Well, I can't really say without the results but, it looks like it could be Hodgkin's Lymphoma. That's why I want to test everything just to make sure. The in office biopsy today will make her really tired, and take a lot out of her. When you get her back home, make sure she gets some rest." The doctor replies, as he starts doing the test. Fran kind of tenses up, and Max is trying to get her to relax.
"Max, that really hurts. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is cancer. He's talking about cancer Max." Fran says, as she almost jumps.
"Try to stay as still as you possibly can. Yes, it is cancer, but I want to make sure that you don't have it. I'm just through the skin. I have to go in a little bit farther, and then I'll be done." The doctor says, explaining everything the best he can. Fran is crying and near screaming the whole time, but he finally finishes. He pulls the needle out of her neck, and it felt like to her that it was pulling her skin. He tells her that she is able to head on home, and rest as much as she can and he'll call her when he gets the results back on Friday.
Chapter Three
Where Do We Go From Here?
Friday finally rolls around, and Fran is in bed in her room watching tv when she hears the phone ring downstairs. She goes to see who is calling, figuring it's the doctor's office. She puts her hand on Max's shoulder, letting him know that she wants to talk to them herself. He hands her the phone and stands back and waits for her to get the news.
"Fran, it's Doctor Collins's office. We have the results of your tests. They all came back the same. You have Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We need to get this taken care of, right away. We need you to come in and get admitted for surgery in the morning to get the knot removed. I'm so sorry to give news such as this." The receptionist tells her.
"Okay. I will. I'll be there in a little while. My kids won't be home from school for another two hours. I have to wait for them. I can't talk, here's my husband. Tell him everything." Fran replies, dropping the phone on the couch and bursting into tears. She sits down behind the couch, pulls her knees up to her chest, and just cries and cries. Max gets the phone and hears for himself what all the receptionist told Fran. He thanks them for calling and goes to Fran. He gets in the floor with her, holding everything in, and holding her tight to him.
"Baby, we have to go to the hospital now. I'll call your mother and tell her what's going on so she can come over and wait for the kids. We have to go now." Max tells her.
"I never thought in a million years that this could happen Max." Fran says, starting to cry again.
"I know that you're afraid, and I am too. We're gonna do this together. Come here." Max tells her as he picks her up and lays her on the couch, while he gets some things rounded up for her, for the time she's in the hospital. He knows that hospitals have shampoo and such, but he gets all of her bath stuff, along with some comfortable pajamas, house shoes, flip flop sandles, and some of her favorite shirts. He's looking for her favorite pair of blue jeans when Niles comes in to help him.
"Sir? Max, Fran told me what's going on. Let me help get her stuff rounded up. What are you looking for?" Niles asks, walking over to him. Max takes one look at his most trusted, best friend and the tears just pour. Niles put his hand on Max's shoulder, and Max just turns to Niles and cries on his shoulder.
"I can't lose her old man. She's my whole world. This could kill her. I can't find her favorite pair of blue jeans. You know? The ones that has rips and small holes all over both legs of them. I have to find those for her." Max tells him. Niles nods his head and says he understands. He goes over to the closet, moves some stuff around, and finally finds them close to the back of the closet. He hands them to Max and then they both go downstairs, and Niles calls Sylvia and Morty, while Max gets Fran to the hospital. Sylvia usually would go frantic, but she knows to stay strong for her daughter and grandkids.
The next afternoon, Fran is waking up from surgery, and she looks around and notices that she has all kinds of IV's and wires hooked up to her. She looks above her bed and sees a unit of blood hanging there, plus a chemo bag. She feels her neck and the knot is gone. She starts thinking that it's over, until her doctor walks in and tells her otherwise. While the doctor is talking to her, Max comes back with the kids. Sylvia is on her way back from her house. She had to go and pick up a few things.
"We caught it just in time, but it's not over yet. You're gonna have to go through stem cell harvesting, and transplanting. You're probably looking at a couple of years of fighting. There is good news though." The doctor tells her.
"What?" Fran weakly answers.
"This kind of cancer, has a very high survival rate. You're gonna be just fine, but it's gonna take some time. I'll let you get some rest, and visit with your family." Doctor Hankins tells her. Her family doctor is Doctor Collins, and the surgeon is Doctor Hankins. Fran lays there, silently praying when Sylvia gets back.
"Hey. How's my brave girl?" Sylvia asks, going to hug her.
"I'm okay Ma. I'm just really tired. Where's the kids? Where's Max?" Fran replies, trying to sit up but she decides to just stay where she is.
"We're right here honey. Are you okay?" Max says, as they all three go over to her.
"I'm hurting quite a bit. The doctor said something about harvesting stem cells and transplants and such. I wonder what that means. When can I go home?" Fran tells him.
"Sweetheart that may not be for awhile yet." Sylvia says, just as Val walks in and almost cries at the sight of her best friend. Sylvia sees her before Fran does.
"Oh no you don't. Come with me for a minute." Sylvia scolds, marching over to Val and she takes her out in the hallway.
"I can't handle seeing her like that." Val tells her.
"I know where you're coming from Valerie, I really do. But, you are not going to go in there and let her see you crying. That will make her give up hope. How do you think I'm feeling seeing her laying there like that, and fighting for her life? She's my daughter damn it. If I can stay strong for her, and not cry, then by God, you ain't gonna cry either. She needs us to be strong for her, not weak. Can ya handle that?" Sylvia replies, with one hand on Val's shoulder, and pointing at her with the other hand. Val nods her head yes, but cries anyway. Sylvia grabs her with both hands and pulls her close to hug her. They both have a moment then go back in to see her. Val pulls a big teddy bear out of a bag for her that she got her at the hospital gift shop.
"Oh, how pretty. Light yellow with orange feet. Val, those are my favorite colors." Fran tells her.
"I know they are. That was the last one they had. Look what it says across his belly." Val replies, holding it up for her to read it. The slogan on it says, "Survivor".
"Val honey. I'm not a survivor quite yet. I'm still fighting." Fran says, reaching for her water and Max gets it for her.
"Maybe not, but you will be very soon. I believe that. Do you?" Val replies.
"Yes I do. With all my heart." Fran tells her. A nurse comes in and tells them that they need to head out soon so Fran can get some sleep. Fran names her bear Hodgie, and she gives everyone hugs and kisses, and they all go back home. Sylvia offers to take the kids until Fran gets home, but Max tells her he wants them with him since everything has happened so fast. She says she understands, and they all go their seperate ways.
The next afternoon, Fran is having another pickline put in her arm because the other one collapsed on her. They told her that once they put that in, then they have to do more bloodwork and see where her count is, along with hemoglobin, blood platelets, and then she's gonna start doing the SCT harvesting and transplants, all in one day. Max is right there beside her chair while they are putting everything in. She's crying and gritting her teeth, trying to hold it in.
"Honey if you need to, then cry out." Max tells her.
"It won't do any good. I uh, I'm gonna have to take a small break, please, I just, I need a minute." Fran says, and begging the nurse to stop for a minute or two.
"Sure. We can hold out for a minute." The nurse tells her. Fran puts her free hand across her stomach, and Max is stroking her hair, and holding her hand.
"Are you going to be okay sweetheart?" Max asks. Fran just nods her head, but is so weak from surgery the day before, that she can't even answer him. Fran tells the nurse to go ahead and continue, and what seems like forever, only takes about ten minutes. It was still too much for her to go through, but she did it. Once everything is set, they leave her alone, and Max puts her back in bed where she just lays there not even moving. She's asleep in one a half minutes, when Max's phone rings. It's Niles on the other end calling to see how she's doing.
"They just put in another pickline in her arm because the other one collapsed on her this morning. They also had to put a catheter in her neck to start harvesting stem cells. Her numbers are still quite low, but they said it's gonna take at least two weeks or maybe even three to raise them where she can go home. So, she's gonna be here awhile." Max tells him.
"Damn. How's her fever been running the past couple days?" Niles asks, while writing everything down so he can let everyone else know later on.
"When it was 102.3 when she went to the doctor and got the knot tested, they said they should have put her in the hospital then to get it down. They checked it again just yesterday after her surgery and it was around the high 90's. Then they checked it again just an hour ago and it was first at 100 even, then from there it went up to 101.2, then onto 102.3 and that is where it is now. They're thinking she may have a blood infection somewhere, so they are keeping an eye on her temperature, and have started her on numerous antibiotics for the blood infection." Max says, telling him how fast it climbed within two minutes from the first check that day.
"So she will for sure get to come home within two maybe three weeks then right?" Niles asks.
"We just have to wait and see what her levels read between now and then. Tell the kids, all of them, that we love them. I'll call again later. I'm gonna try to get some sleep while she's sleeping, and hopefully we'll know something soon about the blood infection and all." Max replies. Niles tells him that Fran has everyone's love with her, and they are all praying for her, and Max. Max goes to find a place to get some sleep for awhile, and just wait to see what the next few days bring for them.
The next morning, Fran is up before Max is. She walks over to him and taps him on the shoulder.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Max asks her.
"I just thought I might go for a small walk around the hospital before I start the harvesting for the transplant." Fran tells him. She goes and slips her sandles on, and gets ready to head out for her walk when the nurse comes in to get started.
"Guess I should have went walking earlier huh?" Fran asks the nurse. She already knows the answer, so she just sits follows her nurse down the hall, to a room with a few big reclining chairs. They get her started, and once again just like before, it hurts her when they get started.
"Don't worry honey. I know this hurts but, it's all worth it in the end." A man sitting in the chair next to her says.
"What's your name?" Fran asks him.
"Jack. Jack Elkins. Who are you?" The man says, holding his hand out to her.
"Fran. Fran Sheffield. I'm new at this. Like, really new. Just about a week or so into it." Fran tells him.
"Ah, I see. I've been doing this for about two years now. The doctors say I'm about there. I've got only four more rounds of chemo treatments, then after that, see this catheter line in my neck? It leaves tomorrow. I've done been through the proton replacement therapy, the stem cell transplant, I've had about three blood transfusions. Got any kids?" Jack replies, as they get Fran all hooked up and they accidently bump her arm where the pickline is at. She just cringes in pain, and Jack reaches over and puts his hand on her shoulder.
"I have five kids in total. The three oldest ones, are my husbands from a previous marriage, but they're mine just the same." Fran tells him.
"Of course. That's the way it should be. I got three. John's the oldest, then Jennifer, and my youngest, Jamie." Jack replies.
"Then after the three oldest, Maggie, Brighton, and Grace, my husband and I, have the twins. Their names are Jonah and Eve. Jack, how does a person get used to this?" Fran says, laying back in the chair, and trying to relax a little bit.
"It never gets any easier. The only thing you got to remember is, keep you head cause nothing lasts forever. Cancer can't do nothing to you, and it can't do nothing to me. While you're here, I'll be your cancer ally. How's that sound?" Jack tells her, and for the first time in almost a week, she smiles.
"Sounds great. My husband has a lot to do at home, so I know he is gonna have to go back to the house sometime or other. It's so nice to meet you, and have someone who really truly knows what I'm going through. Thank You Jack." Fran says, going to sleep, with the back of her free hand, laying on top of Jack's knee. He just smiles and puts her hand across her stomach and tells her, "It's my pleasure Fran. It's my pleasure."
Chapter Four
A Good Surprise
Fran has just gotten word that her numbers are coming up finally, and one afternoon while all the patients on the cancer floor of the hospital, are visiting each other's rooms, the nurse comes in and sees Fran in an actual set of clothes. She's wearing a black thin long sleeve shirt and her blue jeans and flip flops.
"Hey, how ya doing today?" The nurse asks her.
"Not to bad. I'm actually starting to feel somewhat better. I mean, I'm still drained. My husband met Jack last week, and he just loves his sence of humor. He said he really appreciates the way that Jack has taken care of me here. I'm just getting ready to go and play some cards with him. Whatcha got for me there?" Fran, who has lost most of her hair by now, says as she is looking for her cell phone.
"I just have your number chart here. It looks like some numbers are a little low. The protons are good, the stem cell transplant last week took effect, and your blood count is still a little low. We are probably gonna see about giving you another unit of blood later today. For now, you go and see Jack. He's going home tomorrow." The nurse explains to her. Fran goes and talks with Jack for awhile, and she explains that she is afraid of being there without him.
"What am I gonna do without you being here? I'm gonna miss you. You have made this whole experience so much easier to deal with." Fran tells him.
"Ya know what? I'm glad I met you. People need each other in certain situations. God had us to cross paths for a reason, and if I can make someone's journey, easier to travel, then that means I'm doing something right." Jack replies, and he can see that Fran is getting ready to cry.
"You better keep in contact with me Jack Elkins." Fran says. He laughs before answering.
"You know it. I need your contact information first." Jack tells her, and it makes her laugh. They exchange contact information, and then Fran lets him get stuff together cause she has to go have another blood transfusion.
When Fran only has one more day left in the hospital, she hears someone say that a young girl has came into the hospital needing surgery for their appendix. She says a prayer for her, and gets some rest not knowing that the young girl that was brought in, was Eve. Max didn't want to tell her because he didn't want her to worry with everything she's been through.
That night, it's around 10:00 and Eve has been wanting to go up to the cancer floor and see her mom. The more she thinks about it, the more determined she is to go. She slowly gets out of bed, climbs into a nearby wheelchair, and makes sure the hallway is clear of any nurses that would not like her going anywhere. She wheels herself to the elevator, and once she gets off of the elevator, she starts looking for her mom's room.
"Ma? Ma, are you awake?" Eve whispers, as she wheels herself up to her mom's bed.
"Eve! What are you doing here? Why are you in a wheelchair, and in a hospital gown?" Fran asks, sitting up.
"The young girl that was brought in today for surgery for her appendix, was me. Daddy didn't want to tell you that way you wouldn't worry about me, cause you got enough to worry about right now with getting better, and coming home soon." Eve replies, slowly getting up out of the chair and sitting on the bed by her mom. Fran helps her, and she can see that Eve is still hooked up to an IV and that she just picked up the IV bag off of it's post, and carried it in her lap. Fran gets out of bed and sets Eve's IV bag, on her post, and they both lay there sleeping. Fran gets her phone and texts Max and tells him the next time something is going on with any of the kids, for him to let her know no matter what is going on with her. He texts back and keeps appologizing for not telling her. The nurse comes in to check on some things, and catches Eve laying there with her mom. She goes to let the front desk know why no one could find her and didn't know where she was at.
The next morning, Fran's nurse comes in, and even though Eve is still asleep, Fran's sitting there in the bed with her arm around Eve, and just waving at the nurse.
"She was determined to come and see you last night wasn't she?" The nurse asks.
"She sure was. So, what's up? Am I going home today?" Fran replies, as Eve wakes up.
"You're free to go. We have to remove your pickline and catheter first though. Why don't you get dressed and we'll get her back to her own room, so her doctor can come and talk to her." The nurse tells her.
"He can come and see me in here. I'm not leaving." Eve says, trying to sit up but she's sore from surgery.
"I'll let him know when he comes in today. He should be here in about twenty minutes." The nurse says, heading back out. Fran gets dressed, and starts rounding her stuff up, and Eve stays right where she is at. Fran gets her phone back out and calls Max.
"Hey, what are your numbers today?" Max asks, answering and seeing Fran's number show up.
"Everything is up where they need to be. Hey, when you come today to visit, do you have an extra bag?" Fran replies.
"Do you have more stuff to send home with me? I have a pretty good sized one in the closet." Max tells her.
"I'm talking about a bag for me and my stuff, like my clothes and such. Max, I'm coming home today." Fran says, starting to get excited, and Eve's doctor comes early to talk to her. While he is talking to her, and telling her she can go home, Max is also getting excited.
"You're coming home? Oh that's great. It's about time. I'll let Jonah and Niles know that I'm on my way to get you. What about Eve? Have they said anything about her yet?" Max says, almost jumping up down in place.
"Yes. Her doctor came in and told her she is coming home today too. So, I don't know. Bring my mom and dad too. They can help with getting everything together. Have you talked to the other kids yet?" Fran replies, as the nurse tells her they are ready to get everything taken out.
"I've called them, and they told me to let them know when you are coming home." Max tells her.
"Okay. Hey, they are ready to take these things out so I need to go. I'll see you when you get here." Fran says, sitting back down in the chair that's in her room. They both get off of the phone and the nurse talks Fran through everything.
"Okay, we need to get this cleaned off before we get the pickline out. I want it to be nice and clean in that spot. Ya doing okay?" The nurse says, cleaning her arm.
"Yeah, it just really stings and that hurts." Fran tells her. The nurse tells her to make a humming sound and it will be out within ten seconds. Fran starts humming and the nurse pulls it out. Eve had no idea just how big that thing was.
"Oh my God. How long is that thing anyway?" Eve asks the nurse, with her eyes still on it.
"About five inches long. Okay, now I'm gonna take the catheter out of your neck and chest. I've got to snip the stitches and everything." The nurse replies, then talking to Fran again.
"Okay. What do I need to do?" Fran asks.
"Just sit there and relax. This won't be to bad, at least not like it was when it went in." The nurse says, starting to snip the stitches, and they are pulling Fran's skin around where the catheter was inserted.
"Yeah, don't remind me. That was the worst ten minutes of my life cause I still awake." Fran replies.
"Okay, the stitches are gone. Now, what I need for you to do is, take in a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds. When I tell you, blow it out hard and fast. That will help get this out. Just push it out with your breath. Ready, and hold it." The nurse tells her. Fran takes in a deep breath and holds it like she was told to do, and then she hears the nurse say, "Blow. Hard and fast Fran." Fran blows her breath out and the nurse just pulls it out like it was nothing. Then, she takes out all of the IV posts, and Fran is so relieved to get all of that out and off of her.
"Oh Thank God. That's so much better. Eve, ya just about ready to go? Your dad's going to be here soon." Fran says, sitting back up. Eve tells her that she's ready and then Max shows up with Morty and Sylvia to take them both home. Fran calls Jack to let him know that she's finally going home as well.
Chapter Five
Finally In Remission
After a year of hospital stays, and crying at the sight of her hair being gone due to chemo, Fran is back at the hospital for a routine checkup. She's sitting there with a worried expression on her face, thinking that they are gonna tell her that she's gonna have to stay again. The doctor comes in with her chart, and says he's gonna do some tests on her. Then, she just has to wait like before. She's sitting there with Max and telling him how scared she is, that she's gonna be put back in there.
"Don't worry. You've been doing just fine. You're finally able to eat big meals, walk like normal, and you're doing everything just as you have done before. You've not been sick, and your hair is growing again. You're gonna be okay sweetheart." Max says.
"I'm just really hoping I don't have to be put back in here." Fran tells him.
"Hey, I'm gonna tell like I did before. If you do, then I'll be here. I'm gonna love you through it. I did before, and I'll do it again. Just think on the positive side." Max replies as the doctor finally comes in.
"Well, I have some bad news, and good news. The bad news is, we won't be enjoying your company anytime soon, cause the good news is, you're in remission honey. You can go home and get back to your life." The doctor tells her. She just cries tears of joy and jumps up and throws her arms around his neck.
"Thank You. Thank You so much for everything you have done. If it wasn't for you, and everything that you've done for me, I wouldn't be here right now." Fran tells him. After they get done talking, Fran and Max head out to the car and Fran sees someone from the past.
"Jack! Oh how are you?" Fran asks, running up to him and he just picks her right up and swings her around.
"I'm doing great hon. How are you doing?" Jack replies.
"I'm finally in remission. I get to go home and stay there this time." Fran tells him. He takes off his baseball cap that his daughter had gotten for him, throws it up in the air, and yells "Yee haw!" Max invites him and his family back to the house for a big cookout celebration dinner. He says he accepts the offer and he's gonna go let his wife and kids know.
Back at the house, Fran is trying to help Niles with the preparations on the cookout and he won't let her.
"No. This is your's and Jack's day. You two aren't helping." Niles tells her. There's a knock at the kitchen door, and when Fran answers it, Jack, his wife, and all three kids are standing there. His kids are the ages of fifteen, thirteen, and eleven. Max tells them all to come in and get comfortable, and right away the kids all want to go in the yard.
"You must be Fran. Jack has told me a lot about you. I'm Kayla, Jack's wife." Kayla says, holding her hand out to Fran.
"Yes I am. He never told me how pretty you are. Your girls look just like you. They are so precious. Please, come in and get comfortable." Fran replies, shaking her hand, then hugging her. C.C. even gets invited to the cookout due to her and Niles still being married. Sarah is now back from England, and her and Eve are as close as ever. C.C. is on her phone talking to her mother about all that Fran has been through, and Eve is close by listening to what is being said.
"I don't get it mom. Yes cancer is a scary thing, but ya know what? When you survive it, and it's gone, great. Live your life and go on. Don't make a big show out of it. Everyone's been kissing her ass, ever since this whole thing started. She has always been pampered for this reason or that. It's pathetic." C.C. tells her mom. They talk for a few minutes, then hang up. C.C. gets ready to go out in the back yard, and she comes face to face with Eve.
"Ya know what's really pathetic Chastity? The simple fact that if it's not you getting all the attention, you think it's not fair. The whole damn world does not revolve around you. My mother has been through more than you can ever begin to imagine, and you have the gull to talk about her like that. Oh my God, have you even got a heart? I may not have any say around here, but I want you out of this house, and out of our lives." Eve demands.
"Ya going to make me little girl?" C.C. says, getting smart and shoving Eve. That only made Eve jump on her and tackle her to the floor. She's punching the shit out of her when C.C. hollers, "Get this crazy kid off of me!" Max, Niles, and Fran, all come running in the living room, and they can see that Eve has really messed C.C.'s face up bad.
"What's going on in here?" Max asks, and Eve is still punching and crying.
"Daddy, she said some terrible things about mom to her mother on the phone. She said when a person has cancer yes it's scary, and when you survive it great, live your life and get over it. Then she said that everyone's been kissing mom's ass ever since this all started." Eve says, with both Max and Niles pulling her off of C.C. and getting her out of the floor.
"Eve wouldn't make something like that up. Is she telling the truth? Answer me C.C. now." Niles tells her. She doesn't deny anything that was said, and the first thing out of Niles's mouth is, "Get your shit out of my bedroom, and get the hell out of this house. I'm filing for a divorce, and believe you me woman, I'll win too." Fran is upset that someone would say that about her or anyone that has been through what she has, but she goes on with the cookout, and Eve has to be cleaned up from all the bloodshed with fighting with C.C.
"I can't believe that you was able to do that. How many hits did she get in?" Max asks.
"I wouldn't let her get any in. She's not going to sit there and disrespect anyone in my family, especially my mother. I'm gonna go clean up and go outside." Eve, who is still all fired up, says before turning to leave. Max stops her, and while hugging her, he says, "I'm so damn proud of you. You handled it wrong, but you had every right to do it." Eve just stands there for a minute, but she finally hugs her dad back, and then goes to clean up. Niles is constantly appologizing to Fran.
"It's not your fault that she's like that. She always has been. Let's go to the yard." Fran tells him.
"That little lady sure thinks the world of you Fran." Niles says, talking about Eve.
"I do her too. Come on. We have a celebration to go to." Fran replies. They all return to the yard and continue with the cookout, and Eve finally gets back to join them. The party goes on until around 8:30 that night, and Fran gets an idea. She's whispering in Jack's ear, and he nods his head in agreement. They run in the house and make up some posters, and get Eve and Jonah in on it, as well as Jack's kids. Then, Maggie, Brighton, and Grace say they want to do it too.
"What's going on?" Max asks.
"You'll see." Jack tells him. Fran points to Eve, and she knows her cue. She puts a cd in the player, and the song "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson starts playing. They have posters of IV stands, and chemo bags, and blood transfusion bags, and different pictures of what they both have been through. Fran and Jack are doing a dance to the song and when it says what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, they are both doing signs and motions to it. Then, they are holding up the posters and dancing with them. After that song, they play "People like us" by Kelly Clarkson, and Jack lets Fran do the jumping and dancing around on that one, since she's smaller than he is, and more limber. Niles, Kayla, Max, and Sylvia and Morty, along with Val, are just crying and laughing, and watching the both of them just have a good time, enjoying life and the newfound friendship that Jack and Fran have found with each other. Both Max and Kayla, are silently thanking God that they beat cancer.
THE END