After about another 2 and a half weeks, Rick finally took Lesley home so she could spend time with the kids for as long as she would be able to.
" We're glad you're back Mom... We hope you're feeling alot better..?"
" I'm alright girls... I'm tired but otherwise I'm alright..." Lesley hugged her girls when answering that she was okay in spite that she was already exhausted.
" Welcome home Dr Webber I'm happy that you're well again... Is there anything I could do for you.?" Alice asked
" No Alice I'm alright but thank you for asking and thank you for staying with the kids while I was in the hospital I really do appreciate that..." Lesley answered with a smile
" Oh it was no problem, all that matters is you're alright and you are home where you belong..." Alice replied and attended to her work.
Rick finished setting up in the bedroom so Lesley could be more comfortable and later went to surprise Lesley with something she was looking to have for the first time in months and weeks since she first became sick..
" Rick, you have something up your sleeve... And I know you do because you're smiling at me..."
" Well of course I'm gonna smile... I was able to bring my beautiful little bug home where she belongs... close your eyes.." Rick continued to smile and gave Lesley a kiss
Lesley kept her eyes closed but was intensely curious of what Rick was going on about. " You can open your eyes now darlin."
" R-R-Rick... Oh you shouldn't have gone through this trouble just for me... Where did you get the time to set this up." Lesley almost cried
Rick sat down beside Lesley " It wasn't really that hard and I would do it again if I were to be able to... And I mean that… I'm gonna spend the rest of my life to making sure my special little bug is taken care of." Rick kissed Lesley
Lesley leaned closer to Rick hoping that she was gonna be able to rest easily without always having to wake Rick each time she had a bad time during the night.
~~~
After a couple days home Lesley was able to try to keep a normal routine with her work but not without having difficulty at times with her focus
" Steve, I appreciate that you allowed me to try to get back to a normal routine with the hospital... I know it's not gonna be easy but I am determined to try the best I can."
" Just keep in mind Lesley that you are on a strict schedule because of your health and your situation. I don't want to see you overdo yourself." Steve replied
" I understand Steve and I promise you I'll be alright..."
Lesley proceeded to see Gail for a session again as she still continued to carry alot of guilt from keeping the truth about her medical situation from Rick
" Gail it's ki-killing me that I just can't seem to find a way to tell Rick the real truth..."Lesley got out.
" You said the real truth, what real truth would it be that you are afraid to include Rick?"
" Everything Gail, just everything… He knows that the cancer has come back… but he doesn't have a clue that it spread too far and this time they've stopped treatment all together. With everything he's done for me, how can I treat him like this? How do I tell him I only have up to a small number of weeks to spend with him and the kids." Lesley expressed
" Lesley it's understandable that you would try to keep hiding from what's going on and what lies ahead... You're facing a real dilemma between what you feel could be your final few weeks to keeping that from the man you love most..."
" He continues to ask every day and night if I'm alright... I want to tell him everything... I want him to know that there isn't all the time that we would hope for me to have, I don't want him to go on thinking I have more time then I actually do.." Lesley slightly turned away with shame
" Oh Lesley I'm so sorry... I wish I had the words to help you..." Gail said gently
" There is something that you can do for me Gail... Hold on to these one is for R-Rick.. one for you and Jes-Jessie and then there's one for my girls... I ev-even have something for Monica." Now Lesley started to cry because for the true first time she truly knew that her battle to get better was a battle she wasn't gonna overcome this time
" Anything that you need Lesley I'm gonna be there... Lee and I will be there when you need us to be."
Gail hugged her friend and then walked with her where Jessie was waiting for her to head home to rest while she had a chance... " Uh Gail could you leave these behind the desk... I wanna keep these here for that certain time…?" Lesley requested
" I'm ready Jessie to head home..." Lesley said to Jessie after saying goodnight to Gail for what was gonna be in Lesley's mind, the last time she was gonna probably see Gail.
Jessie took Lesley home so she could get some rest and was surprised to see that Genesis had quite a few people over at the house.
" Jessie I don't believe it... What is going on here... My front yard is a mess god only knows how the living-room must look"
" I will not be long... I will get to the bottom and see what's going on. Are you gonna be alright for a few minutes?" Jessie replied
" I guess I'll be okay... I would really like to get inside and go lay down. I'm really not feeling good" Lesley replied while trying not feel like she was gonna be vomiting
~~~
Jessie walked in the house and unplugged the stereo system along with the TV
" I want everybody right now to call your parents to pick each and every one of you up... After that I want this living-room spotless... Genesis where are you and you better show yourself!" Jessie shouted
" I'm right here Aunt Jessie... What's the problem.?"
" You have people over and this house is a pigpen and you dare to ask what the problem is... Young lady this is not a club or a place you can just throw a party, this is a house... Now your mother is waiting for me to bring her in so she can try to rest as she is sick and I can't do that yet until I discipline you... Now I want this living-room spotless and then you are to be up in your room until your father gets home... Do I make myself clear?!"
Jessie reprimanded Genesis and went outside to help Lesley to get inside but Lesley was already vomiting outside of the car...
" You're gonna be okay Lesley... Lean on me..." Jessie said while helping Lesley into her chair
" I feel like I'm suf-suffocating.." Lesley replied while trying to control the coughing again.
Jessie helped Lesley get up to get some rest " what was going on down stairs... Who are all of those people?" Lesley asked before Jessie reached for her oxygen mask
" You don't worry about that Rick is going to handle that. Right now I want you to get some rest..." Jessie stated when she made sure Lesley's oxygen was on.
" Jessie what would I do without you... I don't think I could get through it without you with me..." Lesley replied
" Well family is family and you are apart of mine... You get some rest I'll come up to check on you in alittle while I want to go see if Genesis is doing what I told of her and those other kids she has over here..." Jessie lightly held Lesley's hand before she stepped out.
Jessie went downstairs to see if Genesis had done what she ordered her to do.
" What am I doing now? I'm doing what you want..." Genesis barked
" Do not take that kind of tone... You were very wrong to go throwing a party when you know this is not a frat house.. and with your mother as sick as she is with the cancer coming back, you know very well bringing alot of other kids or people here can be very dangerous... You are not a baby anymore you are old enough to know the difference of right and wrong..." Jessie exclaimed
" Why is it every time I want to do something it's wrong... You and Dad bring your friends over, and so does Jesslyn so why can't I?!"
" Young lady you know perfectly well that Jesslyn asks if she can first because she understands the rules right now and if your father and I have a friend or 2 over it is because our friends happen to be other doctors who are fully aware that your mother is very sick and she has to be watched every second or moment that there is why do you think that I am here more than I have been at the hospital... You think I'm here just for sport? No, I am here because your mother needs round the clock care at all times. Because that Genesis… that is what hospice care is." Jessie bit out
" You think I don't know that?... I don't want anything to happen anymore than you do..." Genesis turned around
Now Jessie had Genesis sit on the couch with her. " I know you don't want anything to happen or to go wrong... I also know that you are acting out because you think you're neglected like your mother could care less... Genesis there is nothing more that your mother would want to be doing than to be outta bed to have fun with everybody but right now she's got to get better first again... It's not easy just as it's not fair but what your mother needs is us to be there for when she needs us the most.."
" She's not gonna improve is she?" Genesis asked straight out
" I know where you're going with that question and you don't need to think that way..." Jessie replied
" I know I shouldn't but it's hard to not question sometimes it seems like she's always back in the hospital fighting for her life every time..."
" I know it seems that way but your mother is gonna be okay. Now is your homework done?" Jessie asked
" I did most of it, I was gonna finish it tonight..." Genesis replied
" I think you better finish it now. And after that you get to bed, it's a school night and you are gonna go." Jessie replied.
~~~
Over the next few days Lesley tried to keep up with her appointments but as that time went by she found it to be more difficult to stay focused
" Lesley I want you to go home you're not well and you need to take care of yourself."
Lesley stood up to turn over her morning rounds files " Rick I'm fi-fine, I just need to take it more easily and slow down.." Lesley argued slightly but knew she wasn't gonna be able to finish out the day as she nearly collapsed with Rick standing right there to catch her.
Now Rick stepped in " Alright Lesley that is it I am gonna take you home. You can't go on trying to push yourself when you are this sick…" Rick turned his head slightly to Georgia at the desk. " Georgia sign both Lesley and I out and page Steve for me. I need to see him about Lesley."
Rick got Lesley into the car and went to talk to Steve briefly about Lesley " she just can't do it Steve.. she almost collapsed right in front of me while she was handing a few files to Georgia so I'm gonna get her home right now..."
" You just take care of Lesley Rick. Her health is more important than anything else." Steve replied
Trying to stay awake, Lesley had alot of trouble trying to think of anything else when she started to feel like she was about to be throwing up again.
" Lesley I shouldn't have let you try to work today when I knew you were this sick this morning. Sweetheart I'm so sorry I let it get this far.."
" I'm al-alright… I promise you I'm okay.." Lesley tried again to convince Rick she was okay.
Rick carried Lesley to bed and made sure she took her medication and he unplugged the phone upstairs so she could sleep.. Rick couldn't for the life in him figure out why she had become this sick granted he wasn't blind that she was back on Chemotherapy and also on radiation though thinking about it, he woulda thought that she would be getting better not worse and to learn that it was far from the truth that she wasn't on treatment was to be his worst nightmare.
~~~
Through the following week Jessie stayed with Lesley while Rick had to go back and forth with the hospital and trying to concentrate even as he was trying to figure out how he could help Lesley get better again.
" Lesley, how are you feeling?" Jessie asked
" I'm okay... Jessie I know it's not easy for you and I am sorry I don't want to hurt you more than I have already but I just don't want to spend the time I have left going back and forth with doctors and the hospital. I just want to make the best of the time I have left with the kids, you, and Rick."
" Lesley of course it's not easy because you have been as close as to becoming the daughter I wish I could have back. But I also know that it's harder on you with what you've had to go through… and that is why Lesley I have made peace with this.. and I would rather stay by your side the whole time through." Jessie stopped what she was doing and gave Lesley a hug.
Jessie stepped out for alittle bit as she had to get Lesley's medication and the phone when Rick called to check on Lesley.
" She's alright Rick she's upstairs right now in alittle bit I am gonna give her her medication."
" It kills me Jessie that she has become this bad even with medical help and treatment" Rick spoke up
" Rick I know it's hard but what's important is she has us to help her when she needs it" Jessie replied
" Jessie, could you do me this one favor?" Rick asked while being paged to ICU
" Course I would…" Jessie said easily
" Tell Lesley I love her and I will try to get home as soon as I can." Rick exclaimed
" I'll tell her." Jessie assured Rick and got off the phone.
Shortly after Jessie spoke to Rick, she was about to head upstairs to check on Lesley and give her her medication but had to stop what she was doing when the girls finally got home and Jesslyn was a mess.
" Jesslyn what happened with you?" Jessie asked when she put Lesley's medication down.
" It's nothing Aunt Jessie… I got into a fight with this other kid…"
" A fight? Jesslyn you know better than to go fighting with people, what were you thinking…." Jessie grabbed a wash rag to gently help Jesslyn clean up
" Aunt Jessie I wasn't looking for a fight with anyone…. But when this kid started making comments about my parents, I just lost my cool and control."
" What kind of comments about your parents was this kid saying?" Jessie asked sternly
Jesslyn told Jessie about the whole situation with what the other kids were starting to say.
" I'm proud of you for defending your mother and your father, but Jesslyn I don't want you starting a fight every time people start saying what they think is going on."
"I know and I'm sorry… Is Mom upstairs?" Jesslyn asked
" Yes but she's asleep for right now… why don't you just take an easy and relax."
" Thanks but I think I should start my chores like I always do." Jesslyn replied and stood up to do her chores
" Have you done your homework at all before you got home?" Jessie asked before going upstairs
" Yeah but I'm gonna finish it later after I explain and tell Dad what went on that started this afternoon."
" How about we finish it now and then we can help your mom, maybe have a bath so she could relax when your Dad gets home." Jessie suggested
" I guess I should get it done… of course there's no point because they suspended me and only me."
Jessie went back upstairs to give Lesley her medication and make sure everything was alright, granted that nothing was alright and Jessie knew that, she knew that Lesley wasn't well and she wasn't getting better. Jessie only wished that she could tell Rick it had for 100% sure came back terminal because it's something he should know, but the nurse in her knew better than to do otherwise as she also felt it wasn't her place to tell him and Lesley wanted to be the one to tell him.
