((Authors note: here is chapter 2))
Immortality my darling,
Oh I plead for an answer:
Emily could feel the blood leave her face as she felt the golf ball sized and firm lump in Alison's breast.
,,Alison get your coat."
Alison blinked and looked confused at Emily before getting on her feet and putting her coat on.
Emily zipped Alison's coat all the way up to her chin and wrapped a woolen scarf around her neck.
,,Get in the car. We are going to the doctor's."
,,But I…"
,,And we are sure as hell not discussing this. Get in the car, Ali."
Alison obeyed silently, and Emily watched her from the window as she got in the car. She waited until she heard the car door slam behind Alison before she turned away from the window and grabbed unto the edge of the bed.
"This is not happening," she thought to herself. "This can't be happening! Alison is not sick! Maybe it's just a lump of fat or something benign. It has to be."
She took some deep, calming breaths trying to slow her heartbeat down before joining Alison in the car.
They drove to the doctor in complete silence. None of them really felt the urge to say anything. For what could they say? It was impossible to start a conversation right now.
Suddenly Emily felt Alison's hand grabbing her own. Alison's hand was ice cold, and it was shaking.
Emily quickly raised Alison's hand to her lips and kissed it without saying anything. Alison wriggled her hand out of Emily's grasp and rested it on her knee instead, and Emily knew very well what this was about: when Alison was nervous she wanted to be as close as possible to Emily.
Emily couldn't help but speed a little as they drove to the doctor's, and she greedily awaited Alison's usual scowl and lecture about traffic security and terrified pedestrians, but it never came. Alison just sat there in complete silence.
Once arriving at the doctor's, Emily quickly explained the situation to the secretary who nodded and told them that the doctor would be there soon.
For the next ten minutes none of them said anything. They just sat in the waiting room holding hands, lacing their fingers.
Finally the doctor arrived; he glanced at the two women over his glasses and said:
,,Please come right this way, miss DiLaurentis and miss Fields."
Both women rose from their seats and followed the doctor into his consultation room.
,,Now, what can I help you with, miss DiLaurentis?"
,,There is a…. There is a lump in my left breast," said Alison and the doctor immediately frowned and rose from his chair.
,,When did you first feel the lump?"
,,Today. 20 minutes ago."
,,I see, do you mind if I have a feel?"
,,No of course not," said Alison and pulled her shirt up, allowing the doctor to feel the lump. She tightened her grip on Emily's hand as the doctor touched the lump in her breast.
Emily squeezed back, and stroked her wrist consolingly.
,,Yes, I can definitely feel the lump. Does it hurt when I touch it?"
,,Yes," Alison whispered.
,,How did you find out it was there?"
,,I hit myself with a broom." Said Alison and tried to crack a smile at the absurd sentence.
,,I see. Well, I want to take a biopsy of the lump and check it. We need to know whether this is something malignant or something benign."
,,Of course."
,,Alright I'll find a nurse and we'll get started."
,,Wait, you're going to take a biopsy right now?"
,,Yes. I see no reason to wait. The sooner we find out what we're dealing with the better."
,,You're right," Emily interrupted. ,,Thank you, dr. Valiér."
,,The nurse will call you out soon." Said Dr. Valiér and left the room.
Silence filled the room again. Alison and Emily looked at each other.
,,If Dr. Valiér wants to do a biopsy right now, it must be because it's something serious, Emily."
,,We don't know anything about that. He just want to check that's all." Said Emily firmly through gritted teeth.
Alison nodded, and Emily could hear her inhale sharply.
Soon a nurse popped her head in and made Alison follow her.
,,I'm sorry, miss Fields, but you can't be present while the doctor perform the biopsy. Only doctors and nurses."
,,I want to be with Alison," said Emily immediately.
,,It's alright Em. I'll be fine, and it'll be over soon."
,,Are you sure?"
,,Yes."
,,Okay. I'll be right outside waiting for you," said Emily and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Alison smiled bravely at her.
,,Just follow me, miss DiLaurentis. The sooner we'll get started, the sooner it will be over. It should only take ten minutes or so."
Emily was pointed to a chair and the nurse urged her to have a cup of coffee while she waited. But Emily couldn't drink anything.
,,Besides, she only drinks Americano," said Alison and smiled teasingly at Emily before leaving with the nurse.
So began the longest ten minutes in Emily's entire life. The waiting was absolutely horrible. She could hear the clock ticking. She tried to read a magazine, but the letters danced before her eyes, she couldn't concentrate, and chewed nervously at her bottom lip. The voices of other patients filled her ears, and she wished they would shut up. How can they just chat on while this is happening? She asked herself and took some deep breaths.
Finally the door opened and Alison was wheeled out in a wheelchair. Emily got up so fast that she could feel the oxygen leave her head, and she had to lean against the wall because she was so dizzy.
,,Are you alright miss?" the nurse asked concerned.
,,Yes I'm fine." Said Emily and tried to steady herself.
,,What did I tell you about getting up so fast?" Alison scolded.
,,I know, I know, I'm sorry. How did it go?"
,,Quite well. We took a sample of the lump, and now we are going to analyze it."
,,How long will it take for you find out what it is?"
,,Well, we've already send the sample to the lab, so by tomorrow we have the result."
,,And then you will call us immediately?" said Emily and helped Alison out of the wheelchair.
,,Yes, but we will give you the message here, in our consultant room."
,,Okay. Ready to leave Alison?"
,,More than ready," said Alison.
They said their goodbyes and thanked the nurse.
Emily phoned the school from the car, calling in sick tomorrow. It was Alexandre who answered the phone, and he promised to take her class tomorrow. He wished for Alison to get better soon, and Emily thanked him and hung up.
They drove home in complete silence, it was only when they returned to the apartment and sat next to each other in the sofa with a cup of coffee, Alison finally said:
,,What if I'm sick? Like really sick?"
,,We don't know whether you're sick or not, Ali."
,,I know, but what if I am?"
,,Then we will get through it." Said Emily firmly.
,,Will you still love me if I get bald?"
,,Hair is not everything, Ali."
,,What if I lose a breast? Will you still love me then?"
,,Good god Ali! What sort of person do you think I am?! I will love you no matter what. Despite you going bald or losing a breast! Do you really think that's what matter the most?!"
,,Now I've upset you."
,,Yes you have."
,,I'm sorry. I'm just frightened Emily."
Emily snuggled closer to Alison and wrapper her arms around her, pulling her closer so her head rested on her heart. ,,I know you are."
For the rest of the day the both tried to act as normal as possible. They couldn't just stop functioning. They needed to do ordinary stuff like eating and watching television, and grading papers.
But Emily couldn't help feeling relieved when it was time to go to bed. Alison fell asleep immediately, and to her own surprise, Emily did too.
The next morning they were waked up by the sound of the telephone. Emily pulled herself out of the covers, tripping over her own feet in her rush to answer the phone.
,,Hello? Hi Dr. Valiér. Yes. Okay, we will be there in ten minutes or so."
She quickly hung up and rushed into the bedroom, pulling some random clothes for herself and Alison out of the closet.
,,Alison get dressed, we have to be in the hospital in ten minutes!" she shook her girlfriend awake and Alison soon got the message, and tumbled out of the bed and got dressed.
Ten minutes after their hasty departure the couple arrived at doctors. The nurse greeted them at the door.
,,Follow me, Dr. Valiér is waiting for you." She guided them back to Dr. Valier's consultant room, and he asked them to take a seat.
,,We got the test result back, miss DiLaurentis."
,,And?" said Emily as Alison's hand found her way into hers.
The doctor sighed and rubbed his forehead. ,,I wish there was an easy way to say this. I'm terribly sorry to tell you this, Alison, but you have breast cancer…."
To Be Continued…
((What do you think? More? Or is it too much?))
