Things to do in Salem When You're Dead
Chapter Ten
"Unnnnhh" I groan as I slowly open my eyes. I blink away the haze in my mind and find Nancy's face hovering inches above my own. "AAAAH!" I scream, startled. She ignores me as she begins to yell excitedly.
"Craig! Craig! She's awake! Chloe's awake!"
"nancy.stop yelling..hurts my head." I moan softly. Even the slightest noise is amplified a thousand times to my sensitive ears. I try to sit up, but my body is a lead weight. "What happened?"
Nancy turns to me, her eyes a mixture of relief and concern. "You passed out at the dance, sweetie. We brought you here to the hospital. You've been out now for a couple of hours. You had us all worried." She flashes a small smile at me.
"I fainted at the dance?" Great. Color me mortified. There's nothing quite like passing out in a public forum. Wait. Blurred images play in my mind. I danced with Brady, we kissed, there was the 'unpleasantness' with a sh*t- faced Phillip, and oh yes, I passed out. And then.
"I remember." I say quietly as the memories become clearer. "I was talking to Isabella." But that can't be right, can it?
"She's right outside. I dare say she's anxious to see you." Nancy says as Craig enters the room, charts in hand. He smiles at me and kisses my temple as only a dad can do.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he asks while he checks my vital signs.
"Better than before. I can't believe I fainted at the dance. I'm so embarrassed." I groan in mock horror. "Wait, you said that Isabella is outside?" I ask as my mind finally catches up to my ears.
"Yes, Belle and all your friends, well except Phillip. We sent him home to sober up." Good, I can NOT deal with him right now.
"Can I see them?" Especially Brady. I want to reassure him, let him know that I'm not going anywhere.
"In a few minutes, sweetie. First though, I wanted to let you know that we've decided to start your chemotherapy treatments tonight, as soon as possible."
"O-okay." My nervous stomach begins to twist in anxious knots. I knew that chemotherapy was inevitable, but now that it's actually here I'm terrified. It just kinda makes the whole 'I've got Cancer' thing real.
Craig squeezes my trembling hand. "It's going to be okay, Chloe. You're going to get through this." I smile back and place my life in his capable hands. "I'm going to get everything prepared. I'll send your friends in, okay?"
He hugs me tightly. "Thanks, Craig." He smiles back and leaves.
Nancy tenderly squeezes my hand also. "He's right, Chloe. You are going to get better. I promise." I swallow my laugh. I'm afraid that's beyond your power to promise, Nancy.
Belle timidly peeks her head in through the curtains. "Hey, Chloe. Can we come in?" She and Shawn sedately enter the room, followed by a stone-faced Brady. I know that this must be so hard on him.
Nancy turns to go. "I'm going to help Craig. I'll be back in a few minutes, sweetie."
Belle looks at me awkwardly; her blue eyes filled with unshed tears. "Um, Chloe, we know. Uh, Brady told us."
"I know. It's okay. I was going to tell you eventually anyway. Don't look at me like that, Belle. I'm going to be okay." She nods, but the tears spill from her eyes despite her attempt to be brave. I pull her closely to me while she sobs in my ear. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. So sorry."
"Don't be. It's not your fault. This is just one of those things we can't control." My, don't I sound wise and mature suddenly. Can you say façade?
Belle sniffs and wipes her eyes. She flashes me a bright Belle Black smile. "So, how can we help?" she states with her trademark optimism.
I chuckle. Belle always did know how to make me laugh. "Just be here for me." I look at my friends and my heart swells with an emotion that I can't even describe. Gratitude, pride, love. My own eyes well with shimmering tears.
Craig interrupts to tell us that it's time for my treatment. Shawn and Belle hug me one more time and then wave goodbye as they leave the room. Brady turns to Craig. "Dr. Wesley, can I have just one more minute with Chloe?" Craig nods once and then leaves.
Brady comes forward to me and cups my face in his hands. At his tender touch, my façade quickly crumbles. "I'm so scared, Brady."
He kisses the top of my head lightly. "I know. I am too. Just remember, that when you get out of treatment, I'll be here waiting. I'm here for you Chloe. You aren't alone. We will get through this together."
I collapse crying into his strong arms. He hugs me tightly to him. I hear his erratic heartbeat in his chest and I know that he is as terrified as I. Craig comes back for me. Brady smiles at me and kisses my lips softly.
"I love you, Chloe."
"I love you too, Brady." As Craig wheels me into the operating room, I turn to look at Brady one last time. To the end of my days, I will always remember that sad look of pained anguish on his face. I want to comfort him and promise him that it will be okay.
But such promises are beyond my power to make.
Chapter Ten
"Unnnnhh" I groan as I slowly open my eyes. I blink away the haze in my mind and find Nancy's face hovering inches above my own. "AAAAH!" I scream, startled. She ignores me as she begins to yell excitedly.
"Craig! Craig! She's awake! Chloe's awake!"
"nancy.stop yelling..hurts my head." I moan softly. Even the slightest noise is amplified a thousand times to my sensitive ears. I try to sit up, but my body is a lead weight. "What happened?"
Nancy turns to me, her eyes a mixture of relief and concern. "You passed out at the dance, sweetie. We brought you here to the hospital. You've been out now for a couple of hours. You had us all worried." She flashes a small smile at me.
"I fainted at the dance?" Great. Color me mortified. There's nothing quite like passing out in a public forum. Wait. Blurred images play in my mind. I danced with Brady, we kissed, there was the 'unpleasantness' with a sh*t- faced Phillip, and oh yes, I passed out. And then.
"I remember." I say quietly as the memories become clearer. "I was talking to Isabella." But that can't be right, can it?
"She's right outside. I dare say she's anxious to see you." Nancy says as Craig enters the room, charts in hand. He smiles at me and kisses my temple as only a dad can do.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he asks while he checks my vital signs.
"Better than before. I can't believe I fainted at the dance. I'm so embarrassed." I groan in mock horror. "Wait, you said that Isabella is outside?" I ask as my mind finally catches up to my ears.
"Yes, Belle and all your friends, well except Phillip. We sent him home to sober up." Good, I can NOT deal with him right now.
"Can I see them?" Especially Brady. I want to reassure him, let him know that I'm not going anywhere.
"In a few minutes, sweetie. First though, I wanted to let you know that we've decided to start your chemotherapy treatments tonight, as soon as possible."
"O-okay." My nervous stomach begins to twist in anxious knots. I knew that chemotherapy was inevitable, but now that it's actually here I'm terrified. It just kinda makes the whole 'I've got Cancer' thing real.
Craig squeezes my trembling hand. "It's going to be okay, Chloe. You're going to get through this." I smile back and place my life in his capable hands. "I'm going to get everything prepared. I'll send your friends in, okay?"
He hugs me tightly. "Thanks, Craig." He smiles back and leaves.
Nancy tenderly squeezes my hand also. "He's right, Chloe. You are going to get better. I promise." I swallow my laugh. I'm afraid that's beyond your power to promise, Nancy.
Belle timidly peeks her head in through the curtains. "Hey, Chloe. Can we come in?" She and Shawn sedately enter the room, followed by a stone-faced Brady. I know that this must be so hard on him.
Nancy turns to go. "I'm going to help Craig. I'll be back in a few minutes, sweetie."
Belle looks at me awkwardly; her blue eyes filled with unshed tears. "Um, Chloe, we know. Uh, Brady told us."
"I know. It's okay. I was going to tell you eventually anyway. Don't look at me like that, Belle. I'm going to be okay." She nods, but the tears spill from her eyes despite her attempt to be brave. I pull her closely to me while she sobs in my ear. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. So sorry."
"Don't be. It's not your fault. This is just one of those things we can't control." My, don't I sound wise and mature suddenly. Can you say façade?
Belle sniffs and wipes her eyes. She flashes me a bright Belle Black smile. "So, how can we help?" she states with her trademark optimism.
I chuckle. Belle always did know how to make me laugh. "Just be here for me." I look at my friends and my heart swells with an emotion that I can't even describe. Gratitude, pride, love. My own eyes well with shimmering tears.
Craig interrupts to tell us that it's time for my treatment. Shawn and Belle hug me one more time and then wave goodbye as they leave the room. Brady turns to Craig. "Dr. Wesley, can I have just one more minute with Chloe?" Craig nods once and then leaves.
Brady comes forward to me and cups my face in his hands. At his tender touch, my façade quickly crumbles. "I'm so scared, Brady."
He kisses the top of my head lightly. "I know. I am too. Just remember, that when you get out of treatment, I'll be here waiting. I'm here for you Chloe. You aren't alone. We will get through this together."
I collapse crying into his strong arms. He hugs me tightly to him. I hear his erratic heartbeat in his chest and I know that he is as terrified as I. Craig comes back for me. Brady smiles at me and kisses my lips softly.
"I love you, Chloe."
"I love you too, Brady." As Craig wheels me into the operating room, I turn to look at Brady one last time. To the end of my days, I will always remember that sad look of pained anguish on his face. I want to comfort him and promise him that it will be okay.
But such promises are beyond my power to make.