Chapter 4: Finding Hope

Silence filled the room as worry and concern was written on Dr. Meade's face. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Nobody said a word while the news still took hold and refused to let go. Leukemia? Why such a terrible disease? Why not something that can be cured? Why not just the chicken pocks? Every child got those. In fact Ella and Wade got them early, even younger then Bonnie.

Yes, every child got those, but leukemia? Not every child got that. Not every child had to go to the hospital all the time or go through terrible things. Not every family had to be put on hold, but why the Butler's? Why did they have to be tested this way, and with their youngest and only daughter? Soon the air was sucked from the room.

"How can this be? Our daughter has never been sick a day in her life." Rhett yelled as knocked everything off of the nearby bed tray. Feeling his face go red Rhett just wanted to go one on one with the doctor, then it occurred to him his little Bonnie Blue had never seen her daddy mad before.

Scarlett buried her lovely face in her hands as the tears began to fall. Her poor child. What had they done for Bonnie to deserve such a fate like this? Bonnie was going to die and there was nothing they could do about it. Seeing his wife crying Rhett tried to comfort her in any way possible. Wrapping his arms around his crying wife he knew this was the best thing for her right now.

Meanwhile Bonnie just saw on the bed clueless on what was wrong with her. Why was her mother crying? Why was her daddy mad? What was going on! What was this leukemia they talked about? It sounded like some kind of flu or something. "What is leukemia?" Bonnie soon found herself asking in her child voice. "Mother why are you crying, Daddy, why are you mad?"

It had never occurred to the Butler's that they had never told their daughter about such illnesses, but why should they? Their daughter was perfect in every way, in their eyes anyway. In their eyes their daughter was perfect, well as perfect as a child could get. She was always a good child never wanting for more then what she had. Yes a toy here an ice cream cone here, but that was alright she was a child and children liked those things. But this didn't make Bonnie or Rhett and Scarlett bad people. They were just trying to raise their daughter well.

"Mother, Daddy," Bonnie spoke yet again. There couldn't possibly be something wrong with her. The doctor, Katie and Butler's just looked at one another. How were they going to tell a little four year old what was wrong with her? It wasn't like she was a teenager and they could just tell her she was dying and that they would try and do something for her. She didn't understand such a thing. But they would try the best they could and try not to scare her in the process.

"Bonnie, there are two kinds of blood cells, white and red." Dr. Meade began as he tried to choose his words carefully and wisely. Bonnie nodded her head. Of course she knew the colors red and white. What child didn't? Bonnie also knew the rest of the colors blue, green, yellow and purple. See it was easy. "The white ones are no longer good so the red cells are working twice as hard. After a while there are more white ones then red."

Bonnie was still lost. Her little mind couldn't wrap around what was wrong with her. Why did Bailey know what was wrong with her, but Bonnie was clueless about what she had? Bonnie turned towards her mother ignoring the doctor and asked again. "Mother, why are you crying?" her mind just didn't know what was being said.

"You're sick baby girl, but the doctors are going to make you better." Scarlett said dabbing her wet, tear stained eyes. Which by now were red and puffy?

So what she had wasn't like a cut or like bruise. "So…that means it's not like a cut or bruise or just a cold?" Bonnie asked cocking her head to one side.

The Butler's just shook their head no at Bonnie. "No it's not like that baby girl." Scarlett said agreeing with Bonnie. If only everything was wrong. If only this were a nightmare and they would all soon wake up from it to find Bonnie asleep in her own bed dreaming of sweet things.

"Rhett, Scarlett, I need to speak to you out in the hall." Dr. Meade spoke as those last words spilled from Scarlett's lips.

"I'll stay and look after her for you." Katie said as her voice had changed. Why had Katie's voice changed from happy to somewhat sad? Bonnie wondered.

Following the doctor they told Bonnie they would be right outside the door. "How can this happen?" Rhett yelled once the door was shut.

"Mr. Butler, I'm sorry to have to have told you and your wife this, but it's true." Dr. Meade tried to calm them down the best he could. "What Bonnie has only 1 in 3 children with cancer has. The leukemia that Bonnie has is what is called: Acute Myeloid Leukemia. It develops in the blood and can spread throughout the body. How this has happened I can tell you I have no idea."

Feeling as if all hope was lost Scarlett finally spoke up. "Is there a cure?" they had to know this. Even if Scarlett wasn't a good mother she still needed to know the answer. What in the world was wrong with her? It was almost as if she really cared or something. Could that be the case? Shaking it from her mind Scarlett decided she would think about it tomorrow.

"Yes, chemotherapy has to take place. The last resort would be a bone morrow transplant." At hearing those words the Butler's began to get very worried. Bonnie wasn't used to so much pain and agony and being alone. "Chances of her being cured is great." This lifted some worry off of the Butler's shoulders. But soon it would seem as if all hell had broken loose. "But the chances of it coming back, is very great."

A/N: I got a break before my finals get under way. I know it's a short chapter, but the next one should be longer...I hope lol. I will see if I can come up with another chapter before I'm taken over by finals. Review please!