Hospital waiting rooms were all the same no matter what country. Even in the small Georgia town, where the hospital was up on a mountainy hill.

It was cold.

Smelled like sterilizers.

Silent.

Except for Albert, who was seated beside me flipping through the chapel pamphlets, "I like the looks of this nudist chapel."

I'd given up on even looking at the three month old wrinkled magazines. I had no desire to read brochures on High Blood Pressure, Unwanted Pregnancies, and Celebrex. So I sat beside my brother staring at my watch, then the wall clock, then my watch, then the wall clock.

"Though her father would not be a easy sight……yeah, that's a bad idea. But think of the money you would save on a wedding dress."

Thank God my brother knew me, he knew I was listening as he made comments for the past two hours since we left the house, even though I didn't always answer him.

He drew stares from the assorted women in this room.

Some young pregnant women, others old southern women who belonged in the old south.

Splayed out in the chair beside me, his feet up on the coffee table.

I looked up at the wall clock that rested on purple wallpaper, a dull shade I couldn't name, Diana could. Past the TV which had CNN on. I didn't look at the cheap knock off paintings, or the almost dead plant on the room corners.

Two old women in some stretchy pantsuits and big ass jewelry pointed at the both of us and whispered.

"Have ya asked momma for her old weddin dress?"

I shook my head, "It wouldn't fit Diana."

Albert made a face, "Momma ain't that big!"

I rolled my eyes and looked back down at my watch, "Diana's taller and a little bigger then Momma was when she got married."

Albert seemed confused but dropped it, he dropped the nudist chapel information beside him, next to the Burger King bag, I hadn't eaten my burger. I wasn't hungry. I'd thrown up twice since I got to the hospital.

Nerves, I think, I'd never had them before.

Albert patted my back, then smacked the back of my head. A loving gesture between the two of us. While it drew stares from the two old bats, it told me he was there for me and shit.

"Oh, Hoot, lookie here! You can git married by Elvis! I didn't know he did weddins."

The sound of the door that lead to the offices made us both look up, though a young pregnant girl came out, her mother stood and they left together. Holding hands.

"Why the hell are we on this floor? Your woman ain't pregnant or having menopauses."

"Because she knows the Doc….he can recommend her or whatever. It's the only woman doctor she likes." I told him for what was the tenth I think, I'd lost count.

Albert looked over at me, "You realize that some strange man is groping your woman's fun parts?"

I turned and glared, "Fuck you."

"I love you too bro," Albert smiled, then looked over the Elvis chapel. Quietly he asked, "Has she been gettin her monthly mammograms?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

Again I looked up at the clock.

Albert took a noisy sip from his drink, then offered it to me.

The door opened! A nurse in blue scrubs came out with a clipboard, "Mr. Gibson?" We both stood, she looked between the two of us, "Your friend is asking for you, you can go back now."

Albert gave my arm a nudge, "I'll be right here man."

I nodded thanks to him and then swiftly crossed the waiting room to the blonde nurse who turned and pointed down the hall, "Room 13, close the door

behind you sir."

"Thank you," I told her and then walked down the way she pointed, past medical equipment and a nurse's station, past a wall of what looked like ultrasound pictures.

I quickly went in room 13 and closed the door behind me, Diana looked up from where she was seated on a cold metal exam table, in a paper gown.

The terrified look on her face hit me in the gut, it made me feel sick.

Without a word I walked over to her and hugged her, holding her so close I was afraid I'd hurt her, but she held me back just as tight. She buried her face against my chest and took a very deep breath. Her fingers dug into my shirt and back. I didn't care.

I kissed the top of her head, "What'd the Doc say?"

Her grip became tighter…she spoke against my chest, but I couldn't understand her. I kissed her again and jumped when the door opened. To my complete surprise one of her friends came through the door.

Diana lifted her head and wiped her eyes.

The Doc, a surgeon, was part of the same program Diana was part of that hired nurses and medical professionals for the military. He was an older southern man in his fifties, graying hair and blue eyes, a few pounds on his stomach. He came over and shook my hand, "Nice to see ya again, Hoot, though it woulda nicer under different circumstances."

All I could do was nod.

Diana softly spoke, "Hi Wandle."

Wandle leaned over and kissed her forehead, he was one of few I'd let do that, he then turned to me, "Have a seat in my chair, the table, or right upsida Diana."

I hopped up on the table by Diana as Wandle handed her the chart in his hand, "We'll darlin….I have a opening for'a biopsy t'morrow. If you want I can wheel ya in, or I can send ya down to Lanta for'a big city Doc?"

Diana took my hand, I had no idea what a biopsy was, so I put my other arm around her waist, "What's a biopsy?"

"Minor surgery, a Doc will go in and take a sample or the lump, dependen, and send it away to the lab for testin."

Oh…..

I looked to Diana who asked Wandle, "What would you do?"

"Geta biopsy, but I ain't specialized in this particular area. I can refer you to a friend'a mine who's excellent. She's a cancer specialist and does surgery on her patients. It's where I sent yo mafia princess friend Lily."

Diana nodded, "Ok."

Wandle wrote down something on the chart, then asked, "What'cha doin t'morrow?"

Diana shrugged, he looked to me, "Nothin," I told him.

"Aight. I'll give'er a call. Get dressed and stay here."

Diana nodded as Wandle walked out and closed the door, Diana promptly let out a wail and fell against me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her temple, "It's allright darlin. We'll go to the doc t'morrow and get this takin care of. Aight?"

Diana nodded, crying against my chest.

I kissed her again and stroked her back, "I love you." But she still didn't stop crying, so I kissed her again. Or I would have started too.