Chapter 3:
Disclaimer: Same as the Prologue
The next few weeks just seemed to fly by. Everything in Alaska seemed to be going well so far. Charlie and I went to Maria's-which was awesome, by the way-and the people there were really nice and sweet. We spent some time in the city for a while, looking around to see if we could find some other places to eat at while we were in the city for my treatment.
We had also explored the town. There was a small, quaint little bookstore that I liked to spend a lot of my time in. I liked being able to just take some time to myself and just read the books in the store. I had actually come to know the owner by his name-Jerry-pretty well.
Also-as I was spending time at the bookstore a lot-Charlie agreed that he would apply for the job as a part time policeman. He had met a few of the cops in the city that had sort of taken him under their wing. They showed him around parts of the city and town that they knew for sure were safe and told him about the job-things like the ups and downs. Charlie didn't admit it, but I knew he liked being able to talk with some other cops again.
I, actually, had also made some acquaintances. For example, the owner of Maria's Sylvia-who was actually the Maria's daughter-had already learned my name. She had Kristen were actually pretty good friends and Kristen made sure she was ready for us to show up. She was very patient with me as she went through the items she recommended for my specific need in nutrition and then checked in on us frequently.
Another example was Jerry. Every time I would come into the store, he would look up from the register, computer, book or whatever he was doing and say the word of the day. I'd ask the definition, and he'd give it to me along with an example. We'd talk for a little, and then go back to whatever we were doing whether it was me reading a book he had left out for me or if it was looking for a book to buy and read.
I had enjoyed town so far, and I knew Charlie did. I think we both liked the small change in our lives. Yes, it was because of a bad reason, but the change was nice.
Tomorrow was my appointment for my chemo. I had made sure that I would be ready to go to bed so I could get up and go to the hospital. The one thing I liked about chemo was that I got to rest. The other things I hated about chemo was that you sat, and sat, and sat, and sat forever.
It drove me crazy sometimes with how stuck you could feel. You had to stay in your little chair and just sit there for hours while you got your treatment and that took a long time. Because first you had one bag, then another, then another…it was complicated.
I sighed as I sat down at my piano, letting my fingers randomly pick out a melody to play. The song was pretty, but it wasn't really something I planned on working on.
Downstairs, I could hear Charlie having some time with Sue on the phone. She had called about an hour ago and the two hadn't stopped talking since. I was never going to get tired of saying that it was kind of adorable how they acted around each other.
I was glad Charlie had found someone else. It was clear that he cared for Sue deeply and I knew the affection was returned. They both were practically passing notes to each other during class like little kids asking to be boyfriend and girlfriend with subtle hints and gentle flirts.
I just hoped this would go well for them.
I smiled to myself when I suddenly heard the loud, obnoxious sound of plastic on wood. I turned my head to the side as my phone vibrated on my nightstand. I could barely see Jacob's picture on the screen from where I was seated.
I removed myself from the piano and walked to the nightstand. I snatched my phone up from the nightstand and smiled at Jacob's picture. Well, it was a picture of us with his arm thrown over my shoulders. My arms were around his neck as I kissed his cheek. He made a face of disgust in the other direction away from the camera.
It was by far one of my favorite pictures.
I raised the phone to my ear. "Hell-?"
"What is the difference between 'complement' and 'compliment?'"
I rolled my eyes, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Hello to you too, Jake. I'm doing okay, I guess, thanks for asking. How are you doing?" I said sarcastically.
I heard him snort through the phone. "Hi, Bella. How are you doing?" he asked.
"Do you not listen? I said I was fine. Man, Jake, you are falling way behind. Are you sure that the whole thing about special abilities as a shifter isn't exaggerated?" I teased.
"HA-HA," he snorted.
I smiled. "So, what was it you wanted?"
"What is the difference between 'complement' and 'compliment'?" he asked again.
I raised my brow. "Are you writing a paper to get your GED or something?" I asked. A few months ago, Jake got the idea to get his GED so he wouldn't have dropping out of school hanging over his head. The rest of the Pack had started to get along with the idea and split up times for school and Pack business with each other. It helped them with jobs and it upped their status in the Reserve.
He hummed. "Kind of," he said. "So, what is it?"
I shook my head. "Complement with an 'e' is when things complete each other. Like a shifter and their imprint. Compliment with an 'i' is when it is complimenting you."
"YES!" he shouted. "I knew got that right. I'm always getting stuck on that same freaking thing."
I chuckled. "Are you sure you need your GED?"
"Fuck you."
"Not even in your dreams, Jake."
He gave a small snort. "After that comment, this is going to sound weird, but I've missed you, Bells. It's kind of nice to hear your voice again," he said, his smile shining through the phone.
I smiled. "I've missed you too, Jake. You and the whole Pack," I said.
"They've missed you. Really, I think Paul is a lost puppy."
I laughed. The image of Paul-the by far toughest and strongest vampire hater of the wolf Pack-being a lost puppy was an amusing image. If anything, I would think that Paul would make fun of the others first-maybe Seth?
"That would be a sight to see."
"I could send a video."
"Please do." I moved to have my back lying against my bed. My hair fanned out behind my head as I stared up at my ceiling, letting my legs dangle over the edge of the bed.
"So, how's it going up there? Anything exciting happen yet…Like meeting a dude and banging him?" he asked. "Or did you level up and meet a hot chick for a change and bang her?"
I scowled. "Jacob, don't be such a man," I scolded.
"It's how I'm wired."
"Contain it."
"Okay, okay…So that's a no?"
"I'm hanging up."
"Okay, okay!" he called as I imagined his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, and I won't do it again. Now, did anything actually happen yet? Are you making friends? Is everyone treating you alright?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Dad, everyone is fine," I said. "I don't know about the appointments yet, though. My next therapy is tomorrow, so after this and two more rounds they'll decide if they want to do anything different."
"You have therapy tomorrow?"
"Yeah, at eight," I said. "I kind of wish it would be later, but then again I would be wasting a lot of my day after that."
He snorted in agreement, and then paused. "Shouldn't you be sleeping? You need to get rest for tomorrow."
I shrugged. "I'm in no hurry."
He gave a small sigh, and I could just imagine him rubbing his temples. "Bells, you need your rest. Chemo is not something to be taken lightly, and if it's going to affect you the same way as usual, you need your rest."
I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. I held it for a moment, letting my lungs stay expanded until it started to hurt and slowly let it out as I said, "I'll be alright, Jacob."
"I don't think you will. You need your rest to keep your strength up. You can easily get sick from chemo and cancer combined, and the last thing you need is a cold."
"I know how this works, Jacob," I snapped.
There was an uncomfortable pause on the other side of the phone. The silence that passed between us seemed to grow heavy with my words and I slowly relaxed. I sighed, rubbing my hand on my forehead. "I'm sorry, Jake, you meant well."
"It's okay," he said. "However if you want to make it up to me you will go to bed right now and hang up."
"Seriously?"
"Yes, now I am going to hang up and you are going to go to bed. There is no discussion here, young lady," he said, and I could practically see him cross his arms over his puffed out chest.
I rolled my eyes again, but decided he was probably right. "Alright, Dad," I said. "I'll talk to you later, then?"
"You bet you will. Now get some sleep."
I shook my head with a snort as I pulled the phone away and hung up. I set my phone on my nightstand and looked at the clock on my nightstand. It was almost nine, and if I had to get up early, going to bed right now wouldn't be a horrible idea.
Jake was right, after all…Not that he needed to know.
I gave a small sigh as I got off the bed and went to my dresser. I opened the top drawer and pulled out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I pulled my shirt over my head soon followed by my jeans. I tossed my dirty clothes in the hamper and took the new sleeping clothes into my hand, pulling them on as I walked back to my bed.
I gave a small sigh as I pulled the covers back, leaving a space open for me to slip in. As I got settled, I turned off the lamp and let the soft glow of what remained of the sun to shine in through the bedroom window curtains. I turned over onto my side as my head rested on my pillow.
I took in a breath and closed my eyes.
I groaned as I walked down the stairs to the kitchen with a yawn. I rubbed at the rest of the sleep that remained in my eyes. Charlie was already making breakfast for us in the kitchen. He whistled as he flipped the pancake over on the pan.
I smiled. "Hi, Dad."
He jerked his head over his shoulder to me and smiled. "Hey, Bells. Did you sleep well last night, kiddo?" he asked, poking a pancake without looking at the pan.
I nodded. "Yeah, pretty well, I guess." I jerked my chin forward. "You may want to watch what you're doing."
He looked back at the stove. "Oh!" He quickly pulled the pancake he had almost shoved off back into its place. He nodded triumphantly. "I'm glad to hear it. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the pancakes are almost done…This is a very good day."
I raised my brow at him. "Are you trying to jinx us?"
"No, why?"
"I think you just did."
He shrugged. "Well, if I jinxed us, I jinxed us. I am not going to let a small little jinx get in the way of this day," he said. He flipped the pancakes onto two plates, setting the pan on the opposite burner.
He snatched the plates in his hands and walked towards the counter as I hummed, "We'll see if you say that when you are jinxed." I sat myself in front of one of the plates that had my V8 with it.
He hummed as he tilted his head to the side. "Good point. Now eat your food." He slapped a large slab of butter on top as the lake of syrup followed soon after.
I shook my head at Charlie as I picked up the fork set out for me with a smile. I cut into the pancake and shoveled a large piece into my mouth. I chewed it quickly before I swallowed and asked, "Are you going to sit with me the whole time or go out with your friends?"
Charlie turned to give me a look. "What on Earth would make you think I would leave you there alone?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes. Oh, boy, here we go. I turned to look at him. "Dad, I will literally be sitting in a chair the whole time."
"And I will be keeping you company."
"I have books for that along with Candy Crush or Temple Run."
"You may need to leave suddenly."
"I will only really need to pee."
He huffed. "I know you aren't that crazy about your old man hanging around and stuff, but I am still your old man and my say counts more than yours. So I am going, and that is that." He smirked at himself triumphantly as I gaped at him.
"You did not just pull that card."
"Oh, I did, Bella, I did."
I settled myself in the chair as the nurse pressed the needle of the IV into my port. My port was located on my left shoulder, just under my clavicle and above my left breast. I rolled my head back as she looked at me nervously with my action. "You okay, hon?" she asked.
I nodded and gave a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "I'm just a little tired of my dad watching me like I'm about to explode."
We both turned to Charlie who-indeed-was leaning forward as close as he could get with his elbows on his knees as he watched us intently. He gave a small smile and raised his hands up in surrender. "What? I'm just sitting here," he said.
"Uh-huh sure."
The nurse-Audrey I think was her name-chuckled at us. "You two are almost like children around each other," she said with a smile.
"We get that a lot," Charlie said.
"At least he does. I don't."
She chuckled again as she finished with the port. "Okay," she said, straightening. "I'll just set the timer here and you're all set to start." She went to the monitor that I was hooked up to and pressed a few buttons to set it for thirty minutes before she pressed start.
"And there we go."
I nodded to her. "Thank you."
She smiled. "Sure, hon. If you two need anything, just call me over."
We both nodded as she walked off to go help another patient that just came in. Charlie watched her for a second, taking in a deep breath before he let it out with a huff. "So," he said, turning his head over to me. He raised his hand. "Want to thumb wrestle?"
"Are you serious right now?"
"Um, yeah…?"
I shrugged. "Why not?" I took his hand and started the chant. "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb-war…"
"Crap," I muttered as my character fell through a gap in the trail that I had accidently over looked. The screen of my high score and what I got popped up as it showed a picture of falling from a cliff with my character as it said, "Missed it by that much".
"Miss again?" Charlie asked.
I nodded, looking up from the screen of my phone to the man sitting next to me. "Yes," I replied sullenly.
"How much did you get?"
"About one million," I said. (Yes, that was how much I played Temple Run.) "What about you?"
He smirked. "Still going."
"Screw you."
He chuckled before his face suddenly turned panicked. "Shit, no," he growled. He jerked his thumb viciously and then he groaned, rolling his head back. "Dang, I was so close."
"What'd you get?"
"Six thousand."
I raised my brow at him and then smirked. "You restarted, didn't you?" I asked knowingly.
"…Maybe…"
I whooped. "Victory!" I did a small fist-pump in the air.
He huffed. "Whatever," he grumbled. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and stood up. "I'm gonna make a trip to the little boys room, Bella. Don't miss me for too long."
"Alright, Dad."
He turned and walked towards the exit. I still hadn't told Charlie that the bathroom in here was for him to use also and not just the cancer patients. But what he didn't know wouldn't kill him. Besides, it would give me some alone time.
I smiled to myself as I got just a smidge more comfortable in my spot. As I adjusted myself, however, I noticed someone walk in just as Charlie walked out. I looked up and saw it was the old man that I had seen before; the one that had opened the door for us.
I watched as he walked up to my nurse and smiled at her. "Hello, Audrey, how are you this morning?" he asked politely.
She smiled at him. "Hello, Frank, I'm good. How are you?"
He shrugged as he gave a small grin. "Well, I got blood in my veins, my heart is pumping and air is in my lungs so I'm alright," he said. "Except for this." He slapped the fat on his stomach and I couldn't help my chuckle as Audrey shook her head and laughed.
She patted his shoulder. "I'm sure it isn't too bad." A monitor beeped and she turned her head. "I'll talk to you later, Frank."
He nodded. "Sure thing," he said with a smile.
Audrey smiled and walked off to help a patient. Frank looked around the room, seeing who was in here when he saw me. A smile drew across his lips and he pointed at me with a small smirk.
I raised my brow at him as I tilted my head. It wasn't in confusion-well, not completely-but it was slightly playful too. Kind like a physical, What?
He walked over and said, "I know you." He stopped in front of me. "You're that gal I held the door open for along with her old man." He crossed his arms across his chest triumphantly.
I smiled. "I believe so, sir," I said. I held my hand out to him in offering. "Bella Swan. Who are you?"
He took it, making my cold hand feel warm in his warm one. "The name's Frank. Frank Simmons," he said. He gave my hand a firm shake before he dropped it. He looked at the seat next to my chair Charlie hadn't been sitting in. "This seat taken?"
I waved my hand. "Go on ahead."
He nodded and sat down. He rested his hands on his knees as he looked at me. He hummed, tapping his chin with his fore finger. "Let me guess…You're a twenty-one year old girl who wanted to go to Paris to paint, huh?"
I laughed and shook my head. "No, actually I'm a twenty year old girl who has no idea what she wants to do," I said with a smile.
He cursed. "I knew I was getting rusty."
I smiled. "Probably just an age thing, I'm sure."
He shrugged. "Maybe," he agreed. He looked at me. "So, what have you got?" His tone wasn't a tender, gentle kind of thing, but more forward and yet considerate. He was clearly someone that had dealt with this kind of thing numerous times and knew that tip-toeing around the topic wasn't the best option.
"Ovarian, stage three," I said.
He nodded. "How long have you had it?"
I scratched the back of my neck. "Well, that's debatable."
"Oh?"
I nodded. "I was first diagnosed when I was seven. It was stage two, but they were able to get it under control after a while and I was cancer free. I didn't show any sign of it for a while, and I had the occasional check-up over the years. Then, when I was eighteen, they found it again, this time worse. It was borderline stage four and they rushed me into chemo as fast as they could. It's been in more controlled now, but they moved me up here to see if they could do anything else for me."
He nodded. "I see. Which doctor do you have?"
"Ford."
He smiled. "He's a good doctor, that man. He took care of my wife when she was sick," he said.
"He did?"
He nodded. "Yep, she had cancer in her uterus. It was stage four when we found it, and no one thought she would make it very long, but she surprised us. With his help, the cancer shrank considerably and it allowed us a few more months with her before she passed."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
He shook his head. "Don't be, girly, she's in a good place now and she was ready when she left. Nothing better than that for her," he said with a smile.
I nodded, giving him a soft smile before I looked around. "So, why do you come around here?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I just visit with the people-give them someone to talk to. I generally talk to people who are here alone, but sometimes I talk to people in groups. It's kind of nice, getting to know people," he said.
I nodded. "It would be a nice thing."
He smiled at me. "It is-both for myself and for others." He looked around the room, smiling to himself slightly. He then cleared his throat and turned back to me, "So, what do you like to do, Bella?"
"Like hobbies?"
"Sure."
"Well, I like to play the piano. It calms me, and I really enjoy expressing myself in a way I can't verbally. I also like to read, though. I'm a complete bookworm and I can't tell you how many times I've read Wuthering Heights," I said with a smile.
He chuckled. "Is that so? I'm a guitar man myself and I enjoy the books as well," he agreed. "Have you seen of the bookstores in town?"
I nodded. "I live between the city and the town Denali. I go down and visit their bookstore a lot," I said.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"I don't think I've heard of a bookstore down in Denali," he said. "Maybe I'll try to find it when I go down there next time."
"I could show you," I said excitedly. "It's a pretty good place, and some of the books are used so that does a lot of good for the environment too."
He hummed when we heard, "Oh, hello, sir." We turned our attention to Charlie as he came back from the bathroom. He sat in the chair next to me.
Frank nodded. "Hello, sir. How are you today?"
"I'm doing fine, yourself?"
He shrugged. "Getting old, but besides that I'm fine."
Charlie gave a small smile and held out his hand. "The name's Charlie. I'm Bella's father," he said.
Frank took it. "Frank Simmons. I was just pitching a small conversation with Bella here," he said. He gave his hand a firm shake before he glanced at me and leaned forward. "I believe that my charms might have been going a little too high."
Charlie laughed at that and dropped his hand. "Well, I would agree with that if you mentioned anything about books."
"I did."
"Then I would say they did."
I snorted. "Oh, be quiet."
Frank sat and talked with us for quite a while after that. He was actually a very funny man and was sixty-nine. He looked very good for his age and he was definitely someone I had made a new friend in. He actually came to eat with Charlie and I after we were done.
Frank promised to show us around the city in this great restaurant he knew and we exchanged numbers with him to help us keep in touch. As we drove home from my chemo, I had a feeling that things in Alaska were going to start looking up.
