PART TWO

It was a few days later and she was home back in Hackensack. She and her sister had caught up and she'd slowly told her sister of her condition. Jenna said she be there to comfort her if anything happened and she truly appreciated that. But that day she had an appointment with Dr. Hudson and she was overwhelmed. Would she have to do dialysis straight away or would she be fine for some time yet.

"Miss Lee?" a nurse called out in the waiting room.

She'd been there for less than a few minutes and slowly went to the nurse and into the back of the office. She was scared.

"Dr. Hudson will be right with you." The woman said and left her in her seat.

She sighed, she had to keep calm.

"Alayna?" a voice said and she raised her head to greet her doctor.

"Hello Dr. Hudosn."

"I have the test results. Your heart is failing. I see that you may have a month to two months before you need to start treatment. I advise you to get things straighten away and move into the Treatment Center as soon as you can."

Her heart plummeted. She would have to leave her job.

"There is no other way?" she asked.

"Sadly, no."

She nodded, "Thank you Dr. Hudson. I shall see you in a few weeks."

"Take care Alayna." He said as she closed the door behind her and began to cry.

She wiped her face and headed for her car. She sat behind the wheel and pulled out the piece of paper. She dialed the number and listened as it rang.

"Hello?" a voice said.

"Hi, is Gerard there?" she asked.

"This is he."

"I don't know if you remember me or not, but you gave me your cell number and email back at the Wachovia Arena. I was -" She paused, "I wasn't certain if you wanted me to call or not."

"I remember. You gave me your umbrella."

"Yes."

"How are you? You sound upset."

She sighed, "I got bad news today. I've known about it for some time but it seems bad for me."

"You want to talk?"

"Yes, I had no idea who else to talk to. I know we don't know one another, but I..." she stopped, "It's killing me Gerard. My heart. I have heart failure."

There was silence for a brief moment, "When can you be in Allentown?"

"A few hours. I'm in Hackensack now. I would have to go home and grab a bag and such."

"Come here. I'll make sure you get through. We'll talk more once you arrive."

"Thank you Gerard. Thank you so much."

"You are quite welcome." He said and they hung up.

She sighed. She would see him again. So she left the parking lot and made her way home to Maple Lane and pulled up into the driveway of her home. Her parents were gone for the weekend and she had the house to herself except now she was leaving too. She pulled her cell out and called Derek, her boss.

"Yeah?" he answered and she laughed.

"Hi Derek, its Alayna. I need to put my two week notice in effective now. Hopefully Hannah can take my shifts."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm getting worse." She said, she'd told him her problems some time ago along with Hannah.

"So you're quitting?"

"I have to. I go into dialysis and it may take some time for me to get a heart, there is a waiting list. I could be out for over a year."

"But you will still have a job here Alayna. I didn't fire you when you explained your situation and I don't plan on doing it now. Take some time for yourself and relax."

"I am. I'm going to Allentown."

"You are?" he sounded surprised.

"I'm meeting up with a friend."

"Sounds serious."

"We just met but I like to know them better."

"Alright. If you need me, you know where I am."

"Thanx Derek, you're the best."

"And you're my best friend." He said and hung up.

She made her way into the house and upstairs to her room. She made a mental note on what she needed to take, except she didn't know how long she'd be gone. She packed for a week. After making sure she had all she needed and brought it downstairs, she wrote a quick note to her parents and placed it on the mirror next to the front door. She would be back, she just needed to spend as much time she could having fun before entering the treatment center.

Three Hours Later

She arrived in Allentown just past 5pm and parked at the Arena where the band would be playing. She strolled up to the doors and was stopped by security. She knew this would happen. "I'm Alayna."

The security guard looked her over, "Your name is not on this list young lady."

She sighed, "I'll come back. I need to make a call."

"Fine by me." He said and went back to what he was doing.

She pulled her cell out and dialed Gerard's number; it was answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Gerard?"

"No, who is this?"

"I'm a friend of Gerard's; I gave him an umbrella at the Wachovia Arena."

The voice was silent and another could be heard. The phone made a funny sound and a new voice came on the line. "Hello?"

"Hey Gerard."

"Hey, where are you? I forgot to ask your name since I was in a rush to get to practice so security won't let you in."

"It's Alayna Lee."

"Good. I'll call security and let them know. See you in a few." He said and hung up.

She smiled and places the phone back in her purse. The same security guard came over, "Sorry about the miscommunication. But come with me, the band is waiting for you."

"Thank you." She said politely.

They entered the Arena and he led her downstairs to a large sitting area. She saw Gerard and he ran to her and engulfed her into an embrace. "You made it."

"Yeah." She said faintly, "But boy is it hot out."

He laughed, "First rain, now heat. How does that sound?"

She shook her head, "Exhausting."

They took a seat on the couch and she was re-introduced. Frank grinned insanely and she wondered what was going through his head.

"How was your trip?" Gerard asked.

"Tiresome."

"You look it." He said, "You need anything."

"I'm fine." She said, "Just things are getting to me."

"I know and I want us all to talk about it. We call it group therapy and it works. I thought if you talked about it to more than just me, you could handle it better."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, "What he is saying is that I have heart failure." She paused and moistened her dry lips, "I have to be in dialysis no more than in two months."

Ray and Bob looked stunned, "And what does that mean for you?" Ray asked.

"My life gets put on hold. For how long, I don't know."

Gerard took her hand, "Are you scared."

"OH yes, I am. I am so fucking scared that it freaks me out."

The room went silent, she continued, "All my life I had no worries, no illnesses then one day my life is turned upside down and now I may not be able to do much because I'll be too sick to do it." She cried.

Gerard held her in his arms and rubbed her back. They would make sure her next two months were full of happiness and excitement, he wasn't about to let her go.

The first month had passed and Alayna and Gerard were inseparable. They had gone back to Hackensack so that she could rest more and each day Gerard visited her when her parents were out. She had kept him a secret this long; she needed to do it for a little while longer.

"How are you feeling?" he asked four weeks after she met them in Allentown.

"I'm getting worse Gerard. I feel so sick all the time."

"Maybe we should take you to the center?" he asked.

"I don't want to leave you." She whispered.

"I will always be with you." He said and kissed her on the forehead before leaving. "I'll be back to see you soon."

"Gerard." She said after him, "I plan on being at the center next week."

He nodded, "I'll meet you there than."

She fell back onto the couch and closed her eyes. Soon she would be sicker than ever and worried that she would lose the best thing that walked in her life.

"What's wrong with you?" she heard some time later. Her parents had come home.

"I'm ill mom." She said.

"With what?"

"I have heart failure."

Her mother who naturally was beautiful looked appalled. "You're sick?" she shrieked.

"It's not that serious mom; I am going on dialysis next week and will be at a center. I'll be fine."

"No you will not." Her father said as he marched up to her and dragged her to her feet. "Up to the attic with you." He said.

She panicked, why were they doing this? "Why?"

"Sick children like you must pay the price by God. You disobeyed him and now you must pay."

She'd never before heard him say something like that. She was scared. And as they dragged her up the attic did she realize they meant to keep her there!

"NO!" she cried. "Let me go!" she begged.

They closed the door on her. Every once in awhile they brought her some food, not much but enough and her appetite slowly declined. She felt as if she was dying.

"Why?" she cried one night as she crawled to the one corner and fell asleep, wishing she was more like her best friend Hannah.