Susan resolved for the hundredth time that morning that she would be strong. Whatever the outcome. She wasn't separated from the love of God. She wasn't quite sure what that meant but it made her feel better. Not quite so alone.
She entered Mark's room. He was sitting on the side of his bed, in his own clothes, fiddling with something in the bag beside him.
"Hey you." She crossed the room and he stood to kiss her. They broke away with smiles that promised more later. "Any news?"
"They said to come up when we were ready."
"Are we ready?" she took his hands.
He hesitated before nodding. She reached up into a comforting embrace before making their way to the doctor's office.
"As you know the surgery went very well." The doctor began optimistically.
Mark and Susan sat on the other side of his desk, holding hands and searching the doctor's face for answers.
"We have all your test results and we have excellent news. As far as we can see we got it all. As for your continuing treatment, that can be done in Chicago, weekly doctors visits for two months, then monthly visits for four, then bi-annual visits for the next couple of years."
Susan turned to him and found his grin as wide as hers. She shut her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. The room seemed to spin a bit. She held her hand over her eyes, controlling her breathing, then looked back to Mark who pulled her up and into a victory embrace which they quickly broke to thank the doctor profusely.
The doctor grinned and walked around his desk. He intended to shake hands but got hugs from both of them. "It's been a pleasure. I wish you both the very best. And if I meet you again I hope its under very different circumstances."
"Right back at you." Mark smiled.
Susan was speechless. Mark pulled her out of the office and they walked to the elevators in silence. When the doors closed she looked up at him and shook her head amazed. She pulled him into a protective embrace, so tight she could barely breath. "I love you so much."
"And forever!" he lifted her off her feet excitedly then returned her to the ground to kiss her exuberantly. They broke apart after the elevator doors opened, much to the amusement of passers-by.
"Lets go home." He took her hand.
"Yeah. I'm glad this is over."
"No kidding."
She smiled and watched him as they walked, kissing his shoulder, then his hand, then his cheek.
He laughed at her adoringly and stopped to face her though they stood in the middle of the street. "Thank you."
She looked at him as if to say 'what for?'
"For everything. I know this past couple of weeks has been hell. But you've been…"
She shook her head, "I've been a mess. I wanted to be strong for you but to be perfectly honest I was pretty close to falling apart."
"You've been there every moment I needed you. I couldn't ask for more. You have no idea how amazing you are do you?"
She shut her eyes, not wanting his flattery. "I was expecting the worst. I've been totally gutless. But at least I managed to hide it from you."
"Don't do that. Don't hide. We're in this together."
"Yeah, but you had enough…"
"No. No, don't." He shook his head. "Don't be who you think I want you to be. I…" he kissed her forehead, "Love…" he trailed kisses down her face, over one eye, "You…" he finally met her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him float her away.
She entered Mark's room. He was sitting on the side of his bed, in his own clothes, fiddling with something in the bag beside him.
"Hey you." She crossed the room and he stood to kiss her. They broke away with smiles that promised more later. "Any news?"
"They said to come up when we were ready."
"Are we ready?" she took his hands.
He hesitated before nodding. She reached up into a comforting embrace before making their way to the doctor's office.
"As you know the surgery went very well." The doctor began optimistically.
Mark and Susan sat on the other side of his desk, holding hands and searching the doctor's face for answers.
"We have all your test results and we have excellent news. As far as we can see we got it all. As for your continuing treatment, that can be done in Chicago, weekly doctors visits for two months, then monthly visits for four, then bi-annual visits for the next couple of years."
Susan turned to him and found his grin as wide as hers. She shut her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. The room seemed to spin a bit. She held her hand over her eyes, controlling her breathing, then looked back to Mark who pulled her up and into a victory embrace which they quickly broke to thank the doctor profusely.
The doctor grinned and walked around his desk. He intended to shake hands but got hugs from both of them. "It's been a pleasure. I wish you both the very best. And if I meet you again I hope its under very different circumstances."
"Right back at you." Mark smiled.
Susan was speechless. Mark pulled her out of the office and they walked to the elevators in silence. When the doors closed she looked up at him and shook her head amazed. She pulled him into a protective embrace, so tight she could barely breath. "I love you so much."
"And forever!" he lifted her off her feet excitedly then returned her to the ground to kiss her exuberantly. They broke apart after the elevator doors opened, much to the amusement of passers-by.
"Lets go home." He took her hand.
"Yeah. I'm glad this is over."
"No kidding."
She smiled and watched him as they walked, kissing his shoulder, then his hand, then his cheek.
He laughed at her adoringly and stopped to face her though they stood in the middle of the street. "Thank you."
She looked at him as if to say 'what for?'
"For everything. I know this past couple of weeks has been hell. But you've been…"
She shook her head, "I've been a mess. I wanted to be strong for you but to be perfectly honest I was pretty close to falling apart."
"You've been there every moment I needed you. I couldn't ask for more. You have no idea how amazing you are do you?"
She shut her eyes, not wanting his flattery. "I was expecting the worst. I've been totally gutless. But at least I managed to hide it from you."
"Don't do that. Don't hide. We're in this together."
"Yeah, but you had enough…"
"No. No, don't." He shook his head. "Don't be who you think I want you to be. I…" he kissed her forehead, "Love…" he trailed kisses down her face, over one eye, "You…" he finally met her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him float her away.