The Climb

Chapter 1: …Like Lightning

Soda's pov

He'd been ill since the day he was born. My son, River Felix Curtis, now 16, has been in and out of the hospital ever since he was born on October 21st of 1863 at 2:36 a.m. His mother, Sandy, left little River with me and my brothers, Darryl and Ponyboy Curtis. Now 16 years later, I sat in the emergency waiting room of the children's hospital and Darry had his arm around me telling me it would be okay. You'd think I'd be used to this by now. Going back and forth to the hospital but it doesn't get any easier for me no matter how many times I go. Despite his mild Cerebral Palsy and both regular and silent securers, River was an athlete like his uncles. He played soccer from the time he was 4 until now, that was his favorite but he did track like Ponyboy at the same age of 13, football like Darry when he was 9. Basketball and Baseball came between the ages of 10 and 12 but soccer was the one thing that never changed. He wants to be either a soccer player when he's older or a child's doctor. He loves kids. Did I mention that I'm a grandfather from him? Yeah, his triplets, Thunder Jeremiah Curtis, Storm Elisha Curtis and Colt Xavier Curtis, are at my feet in their carriers. Their mother was long gone, just like their grandmother. Their daddy was at a soccer game when he passed out from out of no where on the field. Now we were in the emergency room and had been for almost half an hour.

"I need the father of River Felix Curtis." I looked up seeing a man in a white lab coat. I walked over with my brothers and grandkids.

"I'm his father. What's wrong with my son?" I asked him.

"You need to come with me to see his x-rays. River is asleep now." He said to me and started walking off.

I followed him with Darry and Ponyboy.

The next thing I knew I was looking at x-rays of my son's chest. I could see his ribcage and lungs but not his heart and it was a full few of his upper chest. "Where's his heart? I can't see it." I said to the doctor.

"That's because this mass," he pointed to a rather large white spot on the x-ray with his pen. "Is a tumor on your son's heart and it's bigger than his heart, about the size of a tennisball...maybe a wuffleball and a half." Sir, your son has a severe case of heart cancer." He said to me.

My jaw dropped and tears immediately fell from my eyes. I tried everything to keep him okay. To get him better. But now he was fading. The only thing I could do is pray and hope. Nothing more. I broke down in Darry's arms. My only child, my baby boy, my miracle, was dying.

I looked at him. "What can be done to get rid of the caner and tumor?" I asked him.

"Radiation and Chemotherapy along with surgery, but with your son's medical history, he's got a slim chance. Like a one in a million chance. I'd give him six months maybe eight if he's lucky." He said to me and laid his had on my shoulder and left me with my brothers.

I fell to the floor tears streaming down my face as I sobbed with my head in my hands and my grandson, Thunder at my side. I didn't know what to do. I asked God why he did this. Why he wanted to take my baby boy? River was a good kid. He volunteered all the time at the animal shelter and children's hospital for kids who were dying, or he read to kids at the library. He played guitar and did charity gigs for families. He was a good boy and a great father. So why did he have this? I wanted answers that second.

~~~~four months later~~~~

I walked into River's room to walk him up, and I saw my son's hair on his pillow. I knew I would need to shave his head today and that he'd hate it but he knew he needed it. I almost cried but pulled myself together and shook my son's shoulder gently. "River, hey champ it's time to wake up. We've got to go see Dr. Allan today." I said to him. Dr. Allan was his cancer doctor. River at first was in denial that he had the cancer and he acted like he didn't have it until his hair started coming out about a month ago and he'd broke down crying in my arms. We'd moved in with Darry that way I could have help with River, Thunder, Storm and Colt.

"Not now Daddy. I'm trying to have a good dream." River moaned turning over while pulling the covers over his head.

I smiled loving the fact that he still called me Daddy even at the age of sixteen.

"Now come on son. Wake up." I said tickling him.

River laughed and shoved me away but sat up hugging me. I smiled and kissed his head gently brushing my hand over his cheek almost in tears and hugged him back. I'd cried every night since we found out about his cancer and I'm pretty sure I would tonight.

I walked with him out of the room and into the kitchen where Steve and Two-Bit were. You'd think they'd learn to bum around their own houses after all these years but no.

"Hey Uncle Darry, Uncle Steve, Uncle Two-Bit. How are you guys doing today?" River asked them.

Steve smiled at him and hugged him. Steve was River's godfather.

"Good. How are you doing Superkid?" He asked. Superkid was River's nickname for the gang since he'd fought pneumonia as a two year old from falling into the frozen lake when he'd wondered off when I was talking to Ponyboy one winter's day.

Johnny and Dallas walked in then and hugged River.

"I'm okay. A little weak but okay." He said.

I smiled glade that my son was okay.

We ate the pancakes Darry made talking and having a good time. All of us trying to act like River's condition wasn't hear but we all knew that we couldn't run from it.

River didn't eat much and I knew he wouldn't since he said he felt weak. He hardly ever ate anymore. He took care of Thunder, Storm and Colt when he felt up to it and he went to school but I don't think he told his friends of his girlfriend yet.

"Hey champ, did you tell Nathan, Zach or Cheyanne about your cancers?" I asked him.

"No I'm going to tell them today." He said.

I nodded and helped him get ready for school. Then hugged him as he set off and reminded him that I'd be picking him up at 12 to go to the doctor's.

After he left though, I let a few tears fall from my face for 15 minutes until I went to get Storm since he was now awake. Johnny held me knowing how I felt. He'd lost his daughter, Kimberly due to SIDs, Sudden Infant Death syndromes, two years ago and he and his wife, Juliet had split unable to hold onto their marriage because she wanted another child but Johnny wasn't ready so she'd cheated on him and it turned out that the child was the other man's unlike my case with Sandy, so Johnny'd filed for divorce.

~~~~River's pov~~~~

I walked to the bus stop, having to stop a few times to catch my breath. I didn't tell dad I had breathing problems because that would probably give him a heart attack. I could see my best friends Nathan and Zach from where I stood. I gulped wondering what I could tell them about the caner. How I'd know for this long and why I didn't tell them until now.

"Hey River." Nathan said to me. He had brown hair and blue eyes.

"Hey, guys…I need to tell you something." I said to them.

They looked at me waiting.

I closed my eyes and then found my words. "Guys…I have heart cancer. I've known for four months now, I've been in denial the first three but accepted it a month ago after my hair started coming out. I guess I didn't tell you guys yet because I didn't know how to. I'm sorry. The doctor thinks I've only got a few months left." I said to them. "I have a doctor's appointment with my dad today. I'll talk to you guys the news after we find out more about the appointment." I said to them then I realized something. They looked like they were going to cry.

I hugged them tightly tears coming from my eyes. We'd grown up together since pre-k and now after 12 years together we had a chance of being separated by a knife cutting my life in half or even a quarter or an eighth.

I hated cancer. I hated finding out I had cancer. I hated everything about it. Now only to tell Cheyanne…I wasn't good with girls when they cried. But for now I just held onto my best friends for my life. Literally. For now, at that very moment, reality struck like lightning.