Chapter 6
Kristen Taylor had heard through the grapevine that Emma had broken up with Max Pine, and she was surprised. She wasn't surprised that Emma had broken up with Max. Knowing Emma's condition made that understandable for Kristen. She wasn't even surprised that she heard the news through the grapevine rather than from Emma herself. Emma and Kristen always kept their own business to themselves.
No, what surprised Kristen was that a few days later, Emma's best friend, Raquel Samaniego had come up to Kristen and asked her what was going on. Considering that Kristen ran in an entirely different social circle, and had never really talked to Raquel before, was surprise in itself. But that meant that if Raquel was pumping Kristen, who didn't know much about Emma's personal life, for information, Raquel didn't know anything either. Emma was obviously keeping silent to everyone.
That really wasn't healthy, in Kristen's opinion, but then again, Emma was unhealthy in general and it wasn't Kristen's business. Whatever Emma wanted to do with the rest of her life was her own prerogative, and Kristen would just deal with her own life.
But Kristen got another surprise that afternoon.
"Kristen Taylor!" a voice called from behind her as she walked out of school on Monday.
Kristen turned around to see Emma's ex-boyfriend, Max Pine. She eyed him quizzically.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, and he led her out of the school building and a bit away. As soon as it was private, he turned to her.
"Kristen, I need to know . . ."
"I don't know anything about Emma," she interrupted, "I have no information; I don't know why she broke up with you. You're wasting your time."
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing's wrong with her," Kristen smoothly lied, a bit shaken up by Max's question. There was something about him that just unnerved her sometimes. She shook her head and turned to walk away.
"I know she's dying."
Kristen whirled back around to look at him, eyes wide. How on earth did he know that?
"She told me that much," he amended, "and I know she didn't mean to; that she promised not to tell anyone. Please, what exactly is wrong with her?"
Kristen relaxed. Of course Emma had let it slip. With as unstable as she was, that didn't surprise Kristen in the least. "How did you know I knew then?" she asked.
"I was hoping. Then your body language gave it away that you did know something. Kristen, please, what's wrong with her?"
Kristen considered his question. "Well, Emma promised she wouldn't tell anyone, but I didn't so I guess it's okay if I tell you. She has cancer. Pancreatic cancer. I don't know much else except that it's spread."
Max closed his eyes. "Damn. She really is dying, then."
"Apparently sometime this summer," Kristen added.
Max ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "Thank you Kristen. You've helped at lot."
As he quickly walked away, Kristen shook her head. He was bizarre, that Max Pine. He obviously cared for Emma more than anything, but he still was one bizarre character.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max slammed the door of his house, glad that both his parents were out working. He needed time to himself to ponder what Emma's stepsister had told him.
Max had always found medicine and the like to be incredibly fascinating. He was obsessed with medical shows and wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. He never could have enough knowledge.
However, for the first time, he was beginning to think there was such a thing as too much knowledge. Because his medical background gave him a clear understanding of the gravity of Emma's condition. He knew that pancreatic cancer was one of the most deadly kinds of cancer and that once it had spread, it was basically hopeless.
When Emma had let known that she was dying, he had been hoping that it was an exaggeration. That it was something bad, but something curable. That she just FELT like she was dying, and wanted Max away when she was going through treatments. But deep down, he knew that wasn't true. Once she had said that, he had known without a doubt that she was right. He had felt that something was off in Emma, something was there that was causing her pain. As long as she could brush it off, he found that he could too. But now . . .
Emma was dying, without a doubt Emma was dying, and he was forced to face facts.
He loved her. He wasn't supposed to, but he did, more than anything else. No matter what anyone would say or do, it didn't change that fact. She was his soulmate, and there was nothing more he wanted to do than spend eternity with her.
But then this cancer came along, as a painful reminder that there was no way they could be together. Besides, it wasn't allowed, whether or not she was healthy. So perhaps this came at the right time. If he had no choice about Emma leaving, he wouldn't have to let go of this forbidden romance himself. He wouldn't dig himself in too deep . . .
Scratch that, he was in too deep already.
So he was left with Emma dying, and nothing he could do. Except . . .
There was something, but it was just as illegal as their relationship in the first place. Plus, it was something he had never wanted to share with Emma, at least at this time. Emma had an innocent, naïve view of the world, as much as she would deny it, and he hadn't wanted to ruin that for her, at least for a couple of more years.
But, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Emma needed to know all her options, that was that. He would go find her that night, and give her the facts. If she didn't believe him, hated him, or just didn't want what he had to offer, then that was her choice. But he couldn't just sit around, when there was something that could possibly help her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Emma looked at the letter in her hands in puzzlement. In less than a week, this was the second letter she had received from the One Last Wish Foundation. This was from the Richard Holloway who had signed her check and it was an invitation to spend the summer at some place called 'Jenny House' in North Carolina.
This was getting ridiculous. At first she'd thought it was weird that these people knew about her. But now that she was looking at this second letter, she was thinking it less and less. Because obviously they knew next to nothing about her. Firstly, they gave her an obscenely large amount of money that she had nothing to do with. Now they were inviting her to stay someplace for the summer. Didn't they know she wasn't going to be around the whole summer? So why would she want to go away?
These people needed to get their heads screwed on better, Emma decided.
She gave a little laugh just as Mark and Kristen were walking into the room. Kristen gave her a weird look, but went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pop rather than saying anything. Stephanie, who was sitting at the table going through the rest of the mail, looked up at Emma's laugh.
"Something funny, Emma?" Mark asked, coming over and looking over her shoulder. Emma tried to snatch her newest letter away, but it was too late, Mark had already seen it.
"You've been invited to a camp in North Carolina for the summer?" he asked, "That's wonderful! You'll have quite an experience, I'm sure."
"I'm not going," Emma informed him, "I can't go away this summer. It's a mistake."
"Why not?" Mark was looking at the letter again, "What is this One Last Wish Foundation mentioned in this invitation?"
Sometimes Emma wondered that too. "As far as I can gather," she said slowly, "it's an organization that donates money to terminally ill kids."
Mark frowned, his brows furrowing. "You're right. A mistake has been made. You're healthy as a horse."
Stephanie seemed somewhat oblivious to everything, but at Mark's words she laughed.
"That's so silly!" she laughed, her dark eyes sparkling, "Emma, sick? That could never happen! Of course she's healthy!"
Kristen, who had been sitting peacefully by this time, smacked her hand down on the table and stood up in one fell swoop. "Stephanie, stop it," she said forcefully, "Emma's got enough hanging over her head, she doesn't need to deal with anymore. Would you please act like a grown-up for once?"
Mark looked appalled. "Kristen Marie! That was uncalled for!"
"Mark," Stephanie said, "Whatever is going on is between Kristen and myself. I can handle it." She turned to Kristen. "I'm not sure I understand what you're insinuating."
"I mean this secrecy. It's giving me enough of a headache; I'm sure it's much worse for Emma. So would you please snap out of your funk and act like a mother?"
"Secrecy? We don't keep secrets in this house . . ."
"Stephanie, I know Emma's dying. You can just . . . stop, okay?" Kristen was shaking her head. Mark was looking from Kristen to Stephanie to Emma incredulously, "I know what she's got and I know how bad it is. Just because you're having a major case of denial doesn't mean we have to hide it from the rest of the world. I want things in the open."
"I do too," Emma said quietly.
"Let me get this straight. You're . . . dying?" Mark asked Emma, "What on earth's wrong with you?"
She nodded. "I have cancer." Somehow, it felt good to say those words without having to worry about breaking a promise. It was like a sense of relief had washed over her.
"Stephanie, you didn't tell me about this? Why isn't she in the hospital, getting treated? Why is she at home?" Mark seemed genuinely concerned and angry.
"It's spread. There's nothing anyone can do," Emma said, "Mark, don't blame her. I understand where she's coming from."
"Then this letter, it's for real?"
Emma nodded. "When I was in the hospital, I also received a check from them."
Mark had finally sat down, shaking his head. "I just don't believe this. Emma, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say."
Emma had tears streaming down her face. It seemed like she was crying an over amount lately. "You don't need to say anything," she said, "I think I've dealt with things. I'm going to die this summer and I have no other choice. I've HAD to deal. Just . . . not everybody has to know, people at school or whatnot, but I would prefer if Sean and Michael had some idea of what was going on. If there's a way to break it gently, please do. Right now, I think I need to rest. I'm going to take a nap."
And with that, Emma went upstairs to her and Kristen's room, crawled into bed, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Kristen Taylor had heard through the grapevine that Emma had broken up with Max Pine, and she was surprised. She wasn't surprised that Emma had broken up with Max. Knowing Emma's condition made that understandable for Kristen. She wasn't even surprised that she heard the news through the grapevine rather than from Emma herself. Emma and Kristen always kept their own business to themselves.
No, what surprised Kristen was that a few days later, Emma's best friend, Raquel Samaniego had come up to Kristen and asked her what was going on. Considering that Kristen ran in an entirely different social circle, and had never really talked to Raquel before, was surprise in itself. But that meant that if Raquel was pumping Kristen, who didn't know much about Emma's personal life, for information, Raquel didn't know anything either. Emma was obviously keeping silent to everyone.
That really wasn't healthy, in Kristen's opinion, but then again, Emma was unhealthy in general and it wasn't Kristen's business. Whatever Emma wanted to do with the rest of her life was her own prerogative, and Kristen would just deal with her own life.
But Kristen got another surprise that afternoon.
"Kristen Taylor!" a voice called from behind her as she walked out of school on Monday.
Kristen turned around to see Emma's ex-boyfriend, Max Pine. She eyed him quizzically.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, and he led her out of the school building and a bit away. As soon as it was private, he turned to her.
"Kristen, I need to know . . ."
"I don't know anything about Emma," she interrupted, "I have no information; I don't know why she broke up with you. You're wasting your time."
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing's wrong with her," Kristen smoothly lied, a bit shaken up by Max's question. There was something about him that just unnerved her sometimes. She shook her head and turned to walk away.
"I know she's dying."
Kristen whirled back around to look at him, eyes wide. How on earth did he know that?
"She told me that much," he amended, "and I know she didn't mean to; that she promised not to tell anyone. Please, what exactly is wrong with her?"
Kristen relaxed. Of course Emma had let it slip. With as unstable as she was, that didn't surprise Kristen in the least. "How did you know I knew then?" she asked.
"I was hoping. Then your body language gave it away that you did know something. Kristen, please, what's wrong with her?"
Kristen considered his question. "Well, Emma promised she wouldn't tell anyone, but I didn't so I guess it's okay if I tell you. She has cancer. Pancreatic cancer. I don't know much else except that it's spread."
Max closed his eyes. "Damn. She really is dying, then."
"Apparently sometime this summer," Kristen added.
Max ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "Thank you Kristen. You've helped at lot."
As he quickly walked away, Kristen shook her head. He was bizarre, that Max Pine. He obviously cared for Emma more than anything, but he still was one bizarre character.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Max slammed the door of his house, glad that both his parents were out working. He needed time to himself to ponder what Emma's stepsister had told him.
Max had always found medicine and the like to be incredibly fascinating. He was obsessed with medical shows and wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. He never could have enough knowledge.
However, for the first time, he was beginning to think there was such a thing as too much knowledge. Because his medical background gave him a clear understanding of the gravity of Emma's condition. He knew that pancreatic cancer was one of the most deadly kinds of cancer and that once it had spread, it was basically hopeless.
When Emma had let known that she was dying, he had been hoping that it was an exaggeration. That it was something bad, but something curable. That she just FELT like she was dying, and wanted Max away when she was going through treatments. But deep down, he knew that wasn't true. Once she had said that, he had known without a doubt that she was right. He had felt that something was off in Emma, something was there that was causing her pain. As long as she could brush it off, he found that he could too. But now . . .
Emma was dying, without a doubt Emma was dying, and he was forced to face facts.
He loved her. He wasn't supposed to, but he did, more than anything else. No matter what anyone would say or do, it didn't change that fact. She was his soulmate, and there was nothing more he wanted to do than spend eternity with her.
But then this cancer came along, as a painful reminder that there was no way they could be together. Besides, it wasn't allowed, whether or not she was healthy. So perhaps this came at the right time. If he had no choice about Emma leaving, he wouldn't have to let go of this forbidden romance himself. He wouldn't dig himself in too deep . . .
Scratch that, he was in too deep already.
So he was left with Emma dying, and nothing he could do. Except . . .
There was something, but it was just as illegal as their relationship in the first place. Plus, it was something he had never wanted to share with Emma, at least at this time. Emma had an innocent, naïve view of the world, as much as she would deny it, and he hadn't wanted to ruin that for her, at least for a couple of more years.
But, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Emma needed to know all her options, that was that. He would go find her that night, and give her the facts. If she didn't believe him, hated him, or just didn't want what he had to offer, then that was her choice. But he couldn't just sit around, when there was something that could possibly help her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Emma looked at the letter in her hands in puzzlement. In less than a week, this was the second letter she had received from the One Last Wish Foundation. This was from the Richard Holloway who had signed her check and it was an invitation to spend the summer at some place called 'Jenny House' in North Carolina.
This was getting ridiculous. At first she'd thought it was weird that these people knew about her. But now that she was looking at this second letter, she was thinking it less and less. Because obviously they knew next to nothing about her. Firstly, they gave her an obscenely large amount of money that she had nothing to do with. Now they were inviting her to stay someplace for the summer. Didn't they know she wasn't going to be around the whole summer? So why would she want to go away?
These people needed to get their heads screwed on better, Emma decided.
She gave a little laugh just as Mark and Kristen were walking into the room. Kristen gave her a weird look, but went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pop rather than saying anything. Stephanie, who was sitting at the table going through the rest of the mail, looked up at Emma's laugh.
"Something funny, Emma?" Mark asked, coming over and looking over her shoulder. Emma tried to snatch her newest letter away, but it was too late, Mark had already seen it.
"You've been invited to a camp in North Carolina for the summer?" he asked, "That's wonderful! You'll have quite an experience, I'm sure."
"I'm not going," Emma informed him, "I can't go away this summer. It's a mistake."
"Why not?" Mark was looking at the letter again, "What is this One Last Wish Foundation mentioned in this invitation?"
Sometimes Emma wondered that too. "As far as I can gather," she said slowly, "it's an organization that donates money to terminally ill kids."
Mark frowned, his brows furrowing. "You're right. A mistake has been made. You're healthy as a horse."
Stephanie seemed somewhat oblivious to everything, but at Mark's words she laughed.
"That's so silly!" she laughed, her dark eyes sparkling, "Emma, sick? That could never happen! Of course she's healthy!"
Kristen, who had been sitting peacefully by this time, smacked her hand down on the table and stood up in one fell swoop. "Stephanie, stop it," she said forcefully, "Emma's got enough hanging over her head, she doesn't need to deal with anymore. Would you please act like a grown-up for once?"
Mark looked appalled. "Kristen Marie! That was uncalled for!"
"Mark," Stephanie said, "Whatever is going on is between Kristen and myself. I can handle it." She turned to Kristen. "I'm not sure I understand what you're insinuating."
"I mean this secrecy. It's giving me enough of a headache; I'm sure it's much worse for Emma. So would you please snap out of your funk and act like a mother?"
"Secrecy? We don't keep secrets in this house . . ."
"Stephanie, I know Emma's dying. You can just . . . stop, okay?" Kristen was shaking her head. Mark was looking from Kristen to Stephanie to Emma incredulously, "I know what she's got and I know how bad it is. Just because you're having a major case of denial doesn't mean we have to hide it from the rest of the world. I want things in the open."
"I do too," Emma said quietly.
"Let me get this straight. You're . . . dying?" Mark asked Emma, "What on earth's wrong with you?"
She nodded. "I have cancer." Somehow, it felt good to say those words without having to worry about breaking a promise. It was like a sense of relief had washed over her.
"Stephanie, you didn't tell me about this? Why isn't she in the hospital, getting treated? Why is she at home?" Mark seemed genuinely concerned and angry.
"It's spread. There's nothing anyone can do," Emma said, "Mark, don't blame her. I understand where she's coming from."
"Then this letter, it's for real?"
Emma nodded. "When I was in the hospital, I also received a check from them."
Mark had finally sat down, shaking his head. "I just don't believe this. Emma, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say."
Emma had tears streaming down her face. It seemed like she was crying an over amount lately. "You don't need to say anything," she said, "I think I've dealt with things. I'm going to die this summer and I have no other choice. I've HAD to deal. Just . . . not everybody has to know, people at school or whatnot, but I would prefer if Sean and Michael had some idea of what was going on. If there's a way to break it gently, please do. Right now, I think I need to rest. I'm going to take a nap."
And with that, Emma went upstairs to her and Kristen's room, crawled into bed, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.