Thanks to everyone for reading my work, I'm going to wrap this story up in two more chapters then I'm trying to decide if I should continue this story or do something different. Well thanks again, I'll try to write more soon.

Bubba

Ron arose the next morning, it was Sunday and he would be working today, an eight hour day. He was glad Mr. Dotson had increased his hours, he really needed the money. Ron got out of bed and did his morning ritual of breakfast for himself and Rufus and then it was time for some road work.

The coach had given Ron a new route to run, one that had lots of hills, hills was Ron's weakness and in the event he ran the hills wore him to a frazil. If it were not for Lacey everything in Ron's life would be just pancakes and syrup, "Lacey goes in tomorrow, call her tonight or drop by after work?Don't call her from work; she goes to bed pretty early now.Don't call her before I go to work and at lunch. I don't want her thinking I worry too much."

Ron was having a hard go at the run now, "These hills are killing me, my legs are hurting, what it the coach said, "if it hurts make it hurt more"….Easy for him to say…I'll try."

Ron was pounding the pavement pretty hard, he made the turn and was heading home, "Legs are burning, I guess that's good haven't felt this sore since June, Awwwww I should have thought of hills before this, wasn't thinking." Ron was getting closer to home now, he could see that Kim was outside doing something,

"Think I'll say hi" he had an idea and wanted to know if it would be to Kim's liking.

Kim saw Ron running up the street and saw that he was covered in sweat, "Wow, he looks good." She thought to herself.

Ron ran up and started walking, trying to cool down, he finally doubled over try to get air into his lungs, "Hey KP"

Kim nodded, "Hey Ron, looking good there, you got that whole earthy guy that's been running to much look going for you."

Ron laughed, "It's a hard look, but I think I pull it off well."

Kim laughed and nodded, "So what you up to?"

Ron looked up, "Work tonight, weights tomorrow, and work, cross country practice on Tuesday, Wednesday work and weights, Thursday meet against Appleton , busy week."

Kim nodded, "Wow you sure do have your hands full."

Ron nodded and stood up right, "Ahhhhhhhhhh my legs hurt."

Kim laughed, "No pain no gain."

Ron bobbed his head around, "Hey Kim can I ask you a favor?"

Kim nodded, "Ok"

Ron wiped the sweat from him face, "Ahhhhhh…I was wondering if…ummm…maybe you and Monique or some of the cheerleaders can come watch me run on Thursday? Everybody has someone out there to watch them run…Except me, parents working and all…I understand If you guys can't and all…"

Ron let it trail off, "God that sounded pathetic, I shouldn't have asked."

Kim nodded her head, "Well I know I can make it, I'll check with some of the gals."

Ron got a big smile on his face, "Thanks KP…Booyah, I figure for a world class athlete such as myself that I should have at least one fan out there."

Kim shook her head, "Ron you're a nut"

Ron laughed and said thanks and ran back home.

Kim watched him run up the hill, "Shame he did all that work and there's no one to root for him." She thought sadly to herself.

Ron got home and mixed Epsom salts into a hot bath, everyone said it would help take the soreness out of his muscles and Ron was hoping it would work because his muscles were sure sore. Ron slipped into the tube, "Awwwwwwww, yeaaaaaaaaa, that feels great." Ron said out loud for his own amusement.

Ron lay in the tube and rolled his head back and started his mind running through the next few days, "Call Lacey, work, call Lacey, work, sleep, school, weights, work, call Lacey…I'm starting to see a pattern, I am going to be busy for a while. I think I'll email Super Dave and the guys, see how they're doing. Think positive, you can juggle all this. Man this water feels great." Ron was really enjoying a bath.

Ron drug himself out of the bath, "It kinda worked, legs do feel better, time to call Lacey."

Ron got dressed; he was feeling in a retro mood today so the old hockey jersey came out of the closet, "Man, haven't worn this in so long that I look really strange in it."

Ron decided he looked too strange and he wasn't comfortable with the memories it brought back, so back in the closet the shirt went. Ron found something trendier, "Strange I thought I'd wear that jersey forever, now I look weird."

Ron was beginning to realize how much he had changed over the summer. He stared at himself in the mirror, he wasn't as clownish, "All work and no play makes Ron a dull boy."

Ron looked away from the mirror, "I can't waste time like this, have to call Lacey." Ron went down to the kitchen to make the phone call.

Ron pulled up a chair in front of the phone and stared at it, he was nervous and he couldn't figure out why. He reached out his hand for the phone and pulled it back, "Had last night really happened, did she really tell me she loved me…she did…did she mean it? Probably as much as I meant it….and I meant it."

Ron reached up and grabbed the phone and dialed the number, Lacey's mom answered the phone and Ron talked to her for a bit. She told him that Lacey was really happy last night but was kind of down today about going in the hospital tomorrow.

Ron told her that he was feeling the same and was afraid to call but called anyway.

Lacey's mom told him that she'd get Lacey on the phone. Then Ron heard her voice, "Hi Ron, you doing ok today?"

Ron smiled, "Worried about me." He thought to himself.

"I'm doing pretty good had a run this morning, did a lot of hills, wore my legs out. I was just getting ready to go to work and thought I'd call and see how you are?" Ron said in a cheery voice.

"I'm really tired, paying for last night, I had fun though." Lacey sounded tired.

Ron told Lacey about his schedule for the week and that he'd try to check in with her at the hospital as much as he could. Ron's voice kind of took a more serious note, "Ummm…Lacey, will I be able to visit you in the hospital?"

Lacey was quiet, "I don't know Ron…maybe if things go ok."

Ron closed his eyes and prayed for everything to be ok. "Well I got to go to work now; I'll try to call at lunch. You get some rest, I love you."

Lacey chuckled, "You rest you're the one with the busy schedule…I love you too, Ron, bye."

Ron hung up the phone and stared at it, "This isn't going to be easy." He thought to himself sadly.

Ron's week went by rapidly, his schedule kept him busy and he was glad of it. He had tried to call Lacey a few times in the hospital and her mom would tell him either she was asleep or she was sick. Ron was pretty disheartened; the not knowing was gnawing away at him. Thursday came and was the big bright spot for the week, the weather was nice, sunny and in the 80's a good day for running, Appleton arrived and they had some good runners, it was going to be tough today.

Ron was stretching out, he was looking around and then he spotted Kim, Tara, Bonnie and Monique had shown up and made signs, "GO RON UNSTOPPABLE!"

Ron blushed and enjoyed the attention, the other guys were wondering where their signs were. Ron just shrugged, "Fringe Benefits from being an ex-cheerleader." He told them with a big smile.

Ron stood up and waived, "Ohhhhhhh man, now I gotta do good." He thought to himself.

His event was coming up, and he lined upwith the other runners, the coach was yelling at him, "I want you under 17 minutes today."

Ron nodded and waited for the gun to go off.

Ron started out in the middle of the pack; he learned his lesson the week before. There would be more hills today but Ron was already familiar with the course so he knew where and when to push himself. The course started to turn back towards the Middleton High school track and the runners started to thin out.

Ron started to pick people off, one by one until he caught the lead pack of four. Ron was feeling good and knew he wasn't going to finish fourth today. Once they reached the stadium Ron picked up his pace and broke into the lead group, he was running third to two other Middleton Runners.

Ron wanted to beat the lead runner pretty bad, J.D. Rottler was the one giving him the most trouble about the shoes. Ron ran hard down to the finish he took second but he just couldn't quite reach J.D. They were huffing and puffing after the race and drinking and pouring water all over themselves to cool down.

Ron strolled up the J.D., "Not bad for a $30 pair of shoes." Ron was smiling.

J.D. just shook his head, "Yea if you would have had $200 shoes you'd of won."

Ron laughed and nodded, "I'll get ya next time."

Ron walked over to where Kim and the rest of the group were, he pulled his sweat shirt on so he wouldn't smell too funky.

Ron walked up to the girls and gave the girls big hugs, "I got 2nd, I got 2nd, what did ya think, world class athlete here, I got 2nd."

He was still huffing and puffing. The girls were telling him that he looked spankin' , Tara told hie looked sexy in those running shorts and got the evil green eye from Kim.

Ron laughed, "I don't know about sexy, but I'm glad you guys came, I really miss being with you guys. I just had to do this."

They patted him on the back and told him they missed the Mad Dog howl, and Ron gave them a big howl.

Then Tara flirted with Ron a little bit more, Ron enjoyed the attention.

Then Ron looked over to the scorers table, "I'll be right back, gotta find out how we finished and then the awards."

Ron put his hands on his hips and walked off. Kim watched him go, Monique put an arm on her, "Don't hurt her just yet." She whispered.

Kim was smiling through clinched teeth, "noooooooo not just yet." She whispered back with her head bobbing from side to side.

Ron came back and showed the girls his medal and his nifty t-shirt, "World class athlete getting a medal, check it out." Ron was enjoying his moment in the sun, he didn't win but he was relishing everyone's coming to see him.

He pitched Tara his t-shirt, which just tweaked Kim a little higher on the anger scale. Then he did something that took Kim by complete surprise, he took off his medal the first medal he'd ever won and gave it to her. "Thanks for getting everyone here." Ron said nodding his head.

Kim looked at Ron and shook her head, "No…no, Ron, you worked so hard for this."

Ron smiled, "Awwwwww, I'll get more."

Kim took the medal, it wasn't anything overly impressive, a cheap plastic shiny silver colored medal on a red, white and blue ribbon, but Kim knew how much effort Ron had put in to get it. She wanted to hug him, but knew that she couldn't, not now, with things the way they were with Lacey.

Kim put the medal in her pocket, "Thanks Ron"

Ron nodded, "Yea well, I liked having an audience."

Bonnie was kind of looking annoyed with Ron, "Well I was here too."

Ron turned and gave Bonnie a big smile, "How about a big hug for my little Bon Bon."

Ron walked over and gave Bonnie a big bear hug. Everyone laughed and Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Get off me Mad Dog."

Kim smiled, "I wonder why Bonnie is being so nice to Ron?" She thought to herself.

It was Monique's turn to ask what everyone wanted to ask but was afraid to, "Ron have you heard any more on Lacey."

Ron still had his smile but closed his eyes and shook his head, "No, I call everyday and she's either asleep or too sick to talk…I wish I could talk to her." He said in a far away voice.

Monique nodded, "Well everyone here knows about what's going on, Kim filled everyone in. We just want you to know that we're here for you Ron."

Ron's eyes were tearing up and he looked away and wiped at them, nodded his head and started rubbing the back of his neck, "Ummm…Thanks guys…It's tough…not knowing is the worst…I…hope to hear something soon…you know…I'm glad you guys are there…for me…thanks."

Ron was looking down at the ground and kicked a small rock. It was time to leave and all the girls gave Ron a big hug, Tara gave Ron too big a hug for Kim's liking. Monique looked at Kim, "Kim…not now."

Kim nodded, "Ohhhhhhh her day will come, Monique." She whispered back to her friend.

Ron's friend J.D Rottler watched the whole thing, "Stoppable, how you get all those girls hanging on you?"

Ron turned and smiled, "It's the badical $30 shoes, J.D." and then he walked away.

J.D. just watched him go, "No Way" he thought to himself.

Ron arrived for work on Saturday he was anxious to talk to Mr. Dotson and see if he heard anything. He came in a half hour early, found Mr. Dotson and they went back to his office, "I was wondering if you heard anything new, I haven't been able to talk to Lacey."

Mr. Dotson put his hands on his hips, "Ron, I think you better sit down."

The tone froze Ron and he took a seat. Mr. Dotson looked out the window of his office towards the dock, "It's not really going very well, she's either getting large doses of Chemo or doped up on pain medicine…she's lucid sometimes, most of the time she's out of it…she talks about you a lot…"

Ron was still trying to gather it all in, "So is she getting better?"

Mr. Dotson shook his head, "They're giving her a steroid to try and pump her stamina….but no it's not going well, it's tearing my sister up…Lacey's not going to be with use too much longer Ron."

Ron shook his head, he couldn't believe it, she only went in on Monday. Mr. Dotson put his hand on Ron's shoulder, "Ron it may be a week, it may be a month, but it's pretty much cut and dried now. I'll see if there's a time when she's alert enough to see you…ok."

Ron nodded, "I'd appreciate that, I wish…" Ron closed his eyes, he couldn't finish the thought, "I wish I could see her one more time." Ron got up to go to work as numb as he was, he could still work, and he needed to work.

Ron continued to stick to his schedule, he ran in a meet at Allenton, and finished third, Middleton won again and was first in the conference. Ron missed his audience and Ron was getting hungry for a win he was getting closer but still hadn't pulled on out yet.

When payday came Ron finally was able to buy a pair of the $200 running shoes. He ran in them and didn't notice any difference other than they made his feet smell bad. Then the day that Ron had dreaded had finally arrived.

Ron arrived for work on Sunday and was immediately called into Mr. Dotson's office, "Ron I've taken you off the schedule for the week, you need to call this number and go to the Lowerton Cancer Hospital right now, do you understand?"

Ron turned took the paper with the number and the directions, and turned and left the office without saying a word. His mind was in panic, "No, no, no this isn't happening." He told himself.

Ron made it to his car and found his cell phone, he dialed the number, and Lacey's mom answered and told him to hold on.

Then he heard a soft voice on the other end of the phone, "Hi Ron, how are you."

Ron smiled, "I'm doing ok….how are you doing?"

Ron was afraid he knew already. "Ohhhh dieing, Can you come and see me."

Ron was shocked at the words, "Yea, yea…I'm on my way now." He told her.

"Ron…can you bring me a bottle of root beer, I'm thirsty for root beer." Lacey asked him in a tired voice.

Ron wiped tears from his eyes and sniffled, "Yea, I'll bring you a bottle."

Lacey's mom was back on the phone and made sure that Ron know where he was going, Ron thought he did but he'd call if he got lost.

Then Ron ended the call to go buy a bottle of root beer.

Ron made his way to the hospital, a million things running threw his head, "What am I going to say to her, will she be awake when I get there, what is happening?"

Ron drove into the parking lot; the place was packed so Ron found a spot in the back of the lot. He was in hurry and forgot the root beer, remembered, went back to the car and retrieved the bottle. Ron made it to the double doors and went inside.

The hospital was depressing, gray walls and the place smelled of antiseptic and illness, it was not a place Ron wanted t be. "Maybe the gray is more cheerful in the morning…No probably not." He thought to himself.

Ron reached the elevator, the door opened, old brown panel walls that tried but didn't quite capture a natural wood look. He hit the third floor button and the doors started to slowly close.

Ron could feel a lump in his throat he was scared, he had no idea of what Lacey had been going through for the past three weeks. "Had it been three weeks or two?" Ron couldn't remember.

The doors started to slowly open, Ron looked down at the paper and saw the room number, then he stepped out of the elevator and started to walk down the hall. His legs were shaking so badly he could hardly stand it. Then he got to the room, "This is it…324" Ron swallowed hard and he knocked.

Lacey's mom and dad answered the door, and told Ron to go in; they were going to leave him alone with Lacey so they could talk. Ron nodded, "So we can say our goodbye's you mean?" he thought to himself sadly.

Ron took a deep breath and walked into the room. What greeted Ron was a sight he'd never forget as long as he lived, Lacey was in the bed and the bed was in an upright position, there were machines and tubes hooked into machines and they were running into her.

She looked really thin; she may have only weighed 90lbs before now she looked less than half of that. The brown hair that Ron had nuzzled his face in at Quarry Lake was gone, they had a towel wrapped around her head to try and hide it, but Ron could tell.

Ron made it into the room, "Hey Girleeeeee, got your root beer." He said holding up the bottle.

Lacey smiled and patted the side of the bed, "Come here and sit down, I want some of that root beer."

Ron complied with the request, he took a seat next to her and opened the root beer and handed it to her "So…how's things going…today." Ron said awkwardly, he didn't have a clue as to what to say.

Lacey took a drink of the root beer, "I've been better, this is good stuff." She said holding up the bottle.

Ron smiled and nodded.

"Ron, I'm dieing, I'm off the pain medicine they've been giving me to keep me doped up. I want to be aware of things and to say goodbye to people I love before I go." She told him sadly.

Ron's hands were shaking, "Are you in pain now?"

Lacey nodded, "The large doses I've been getting make it feel like every cell in my body is on fire."

Ron shook his head, "I...I don't know what to say…do, do you know when…umm…."

He couldn't bring himself to say it. Lacey nodded, "Soon"

Ron nodded and started to break down.

Ron slid off the bed and onto his knees and bawled, he could not help himself. Lacey reached over and played with his hair, "Ron its ok, I'm ready to let go now, I need you to be strong for me."

Ron looked up from the bed with eyes full of pain and sorrow, "I don't want you to die Lacey, you filled an emptiness in me, made me feel complete, like I was worth something, kept me from becoming angry and bitter, you accepted me…I don't want to lose that."

Lacey reached out and took his hand, "Ron…look at me."

Ron turned his head up.

"See if any of this makes sense…When boys are little they all think they are great ballplayers or leaders and very few if any are. When girls are little they all think that the parents they live with aren't really theirs and that their parents are really kings and queens and that a knight in shinning armor will come and rescue them…"

Lacey stopped for a moment and took a drink of the root beer. "And very few if any of these girls actually meet a knight in shinning armor. Ron you were my knight in shinning armor, with you I got to ride on a motorcycle and go to a club and go out on dates and go parking…Ron with you I got to live."

Ron looked down at the bed, "I'm n…no knight in shinning armor." He told her with a smile.

Lacey nodded, "You are to me Ron…You'll go on and have other girlfriends and do great things…Just promise me that you'll always remember me."

Ron smiled, "How could I ever forget you." Then he got up off his knees and gave her a soft kiss.

He took her hand and sat down on the edge of the bed again. Lacey was smiling at him, "So a big time player like you must have a girl or two he's looking at for a new girlfriend?"

Ron laughed, "No, I think I'm done for a while…I'm not even ready to think about it."

Lacey smiled, "I was that good, huh."

Ron laughed and sniffled, "Yea"

Lacey shook her head, "You could always try and patch things up with Kim?"

Ron laughed, "I don't think that'll ever happen, were friends and that's fine."

Lacey shook her head, "You still love her a lot, I can tell."

Ron rubbed his face, "Ummmm…I don't know how to explain this but…I loved the Kim I grew up with, the Kim that was my best friend…the Kim before she became all that and started chipping people and stuff. She's not just the same Kim anymore."

Ron told her with a shrug. Lacey looked at him, "She still likes you."

Ron shook his head, "Only because I moved on…I don't know…With Kim there was always this bright glow, a presence about her, I wanted so bad to be part of the glow, to be the one she liked, and I got close and I saw her fire…I reached out and touched it…and the fire was…cold…For someone that fire will be hot, but not for me."

Lacey nodded, "Go out and find another girlfriend Ron, I don't want you to be alone, I want you to do great things."

Ron nodded, "It's gonna be a while Lacey…I just…don't know if I can just…start over again."

Lacey gave Ron a sad look, "Ron…don't quit living because of me."

Ron nodded, "I'll try not to." He told her.

Ron stayed for a while longer and chatted with Lacey, he could tell she was running out of energy. She told him it was getting late and that he'd better go, Ron didn't want to go but he understood, her mom and dad needed to be with her more.

Ron gave Lacey a big hug and a kiss and told her he loved her. Then he backed his way out of the room, he wanted to spend every second with her that he could, "I'll see you tomorrow" he said hopefully and then he was outside the door.

He gave her mom a big hug and tried not to cry, he shook her dads hand they told Ron that they'd call him if anything happened and then Ron shuffled down the hallway to the elevator.

Ron didn't remember walking to his car; the emotions had overwhelmed him so much. Once in his car he called his mom and told her to stay up he needed to talk to her.

Then Ron broke down and cried, he had never known anyone that was sure to die. With everyone there was always hope, but when he saw Lacey in that bed. He knew with absolute certainty there was no hope, she would die and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

He cried for all that she was and all that she meant to him, he cried for all that there was and all that would never be. Then he collected himself together as best he could and drove home.

When Ron reached home, his mom was on the couch waiting for him, he sat down next to her and started crying again. She stroked his hair and patted him on the back the way she used to do when he was very little. She knew Lacey was near the end, so she would have to hold Ron for now.

Ron finished crying and was exhausted the hospital had completely drained him so he climbed the stairs and went to his room, he patted Rufus on the head and told him the end was near and then he went to bed.

Sleep did not come easily for Ron; he finally dozed off in the wee hours of the morning. He dreamed of her in the night, he was at Quarry Lake , there was morning mist hanging over the lake, the sky was gray and overcast. Lacey was out on the water in a boat, Ron ran into the water but she was too far away. She was smiling and wearing a white dress, she was waiving at him. Then the boat rounded the bend and she was gone.

Ron's eyes opened with the sound of the alarm. He knew in his heart that Lacey had died, he let out a deep breath, "Well her pain is over now…and mine is just beginning." He thought sadly to himself.

Ron got up and did his morning ritual to get ready for school; he scooped up the sleeping naked mole rat and put him in his pocket. He went down the stairs and sat down in a chair right across from the phone. The phone that he knew was going ring with bad news.

The phone rang, it rang once and Ron stared at it, it rang twice and Ron picked up the receiver. It was Lacey's dad, she had died in the night, and they would tell Ron of funeral arrangements later in the day. Ron thanked them for calling and hung up the phone.

His mom gave him a big hug and told him to stay home from school, Ron shook his head, "No, I'll be ok." Then he left for school.

Kim was by her locker chatting with Monique and some of her friends when she seen Ron come threw the door, he looked like a wreck, he looked exhausted. He strolled by her like she was invisible and went straight to his locker.

Kim kept chatting and looking over at Ron. Ron was just standing there in front of the locker. Kim turned and joined back in the conversation, then turned and looked at Ron, he still hadn't opened his locker.

Kim motioned for Monique to follow her down to Ron's locker, she could see he was spinning the dial but wasn't stopping on any of the numbers.

Before they could reach him he dropped his book bag and put his forehead against the locker.

Kim and Monique ran up to him, "Ron what's wrong…Ron."

Ron took a breath and turned and looked at Kim with eyes full of pain and sorrow, "Lacey died last night and now I can't even remember my locker combination, I'm so stupid, I should have stayed home."

Monique picked Ron's book bag up off the floor, and Kim gave her friend a big hug, "Ron…look at me, Ron"

Ron turned his head to look at Kim.

Kim swallowed hard, "Take a deep breath and close your eyes, you have to calm down."

Ron closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, "Ok, I think I got it."

Then Ron tried the locker again and it opened, Monique found what he'd need for the first few classes and got him ready to go. Kim let go of Ron, "Monique has first hour with you Ron, go with her to class…Ok."

Ron nodded and walked off with Monique; Ron looked at Monique, "I don't even know what day it is."

Monique took Ron by the arm, "Its Monday, Ron."

Kim watched Ron and Monique walk down the hall together, "Poor Ron, he's out of it, he was probably up all night."

Kim reached her first class and looked at her schedule to see if there was any time to meet up with Ron to check on how he was doing. Kim squinted her eyes, "She said to not let him fall apart…How do I do that?"

Kim shook her head, "I'm glad I got help because this is a mission that may be too much for me to handle."

Kim frowned, she had never seen a look of just total desolation in her friends eyes before, "I wonder if he looked like that after we broke up…probably, Ron never gives pieces of his heart, he gives the whole thing."

Kim shook her head. There was a fleeting thought a thought to blow it off, "He'll be ok."

Kim became angry with herself, "No he won't be ok, may never be ok again. I won't let you down, not ever again." S

he would try to help her friend through this no matter what happens, she was in it for the long haul.