"There's a good hospital in Cedar Rapids….One doctor there is a very good friend of mine…." Dr. Clark told the couple. "He knows some about the disease….He'll be able to help you a lot more than I can."

"We understand…" Frances said quietly.

"I'm just a small town, country doctor…." He sighed. "This would be the first time I've really dealt with this type of cancer…I really wish I could help…"

"Dr. Clark, don't beat yourself over this…." She said, taking his hand. "We…"

"We'll go to Cedar Rapids…It's not a problem." Fred said firmly. Frances looked up at him worriedly. They didn't have a lot of money to travel on, much less to pay for countless hospital visits. She had taken a little job at a battery factory, but since she had contracted the cancer, she had grown too sick to work on a regular basis…..and Fred's job didn't bring in a whole lot of money either. Fred comfortingly wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, turning his face to her and whispered, "Don't worry…."

"I'll be back with the address and directions…." He said, walking out of the room a moment.

Frances looked up at her husband. "How can you tell me not to worry?"

"I don't want you to worry…..I'll take care of this."

"Fred, I am worried!..." She spoke, clearly. With determination to let him know what she was thinking, how she was feeling…"I'm worried about this. The miles we need to travel…..all the hospital visits…" She breathed a little deeper than she had been, knowing the tears would come. "The money we need to take care of all this. The cancer! I'm nervous….I'm scared. I'm terrified!"

"Just calm down…." He said soothingly and wrapped her up in his arms.

"I'm scared…." Frances started crying onto his chest. "Lord knows how sick I am.…..I'm afraid I'm dying!" She stood there and sobbed while he held her as close as he could. And he cried too.

"Then don't be afraid…." He managed to tell her. "And I don't want you to talk like that."

"We need to realize it! It could happen. I could die from this!...I don't want it to happen. I'd rather not die! I don't want to leave you all!" She cried awhile...and stopped and took a deep breath. "And I'm not afraid of dying….I'm just afraid…that I don't know if I am or not."

"I know….I know, sweetheart." Fred whispered, tears filling his handsome grayish-blue eyes. "I know….. I'm scared too….but I'm here…..We're together! And we can fight this cancer….together." His rough voice stressed the word. " I'll be with you through everything….." He looked into her eyes and still had tears in his eyes, as did she. "Everything…." He whispered, kissing her lips softly, and moved to the rest of her face and her forehead and then he held her again. Frances melted into his arms and closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck and shoulder, wishing he would never let go of her. She heard footsteps coming across the room towards them and she felt Fred take one of his arms off of her back for a moment.

"Thanks Doc." He whispered and grabbed the little sheet of paper and stuck it in his back pocket. "We appreciate it….." Fred whispered. Frances slowly lifted her head up, though not letting go of him and nodded her head in agreement with him. "Thank you…." She whispered.

"You're both welcome….." Dr. Clark said and cleared his throat. "Please keep me updated on your health….if you will."

"We will…." Frances said quietly, and seriously. "And…would you and your wife please join us for supper sometime?"

"Of course…..when you're feeling up to it." Dr. Clark answered her. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a patient I need to call on….." He said solemnly, and headed out the door to his horse and buggy.

Fred wrapped his arms around his wife again and heard her whisper "I love you…"

"I love you, too." He whispered, smoothing his hand over her deep reddish brown hair. "Now, let's get on home…."

"Yes,….we need to start packing for our trip." She said softly. "When are you thinking of heading out?"

"You rest….I'll pack." Fred whispered. "I was thinking in the next few days…Does that sound alright?"

"Yes….but what about your job? You can't put that on hold." Frances looked up at him and they started walking out the door and to their buckboard.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it…." He said, lifting her up to the seat and climbed up beside her.

(

It was Friday night and Helen was in her dorm room getting ready for her date with Clay. She wasn't excited about it….but she knew he was and she figured this would give her a little practice with dating. She promised herself to be kind to him, as she didn't want him, or any other man thinking she was rude and snobbish….She sat there at her desk and looked in a mirror and put a little face powder on her roundish, baby-like face, some rouge on her cheeks and a little bit of lip color that she decided to buy with her own money. She finished it off with combing her brown eyebrows so they were neat. Her brown shoulder-length hair was down, but pinned back with little combs she had bought. Helen was dressed in a short dark blue suit jacket with a long skirt that matched that color. And she finished tying a little blue ribbon underneath her collar, sort of like a tie, but she liked it since it looked pretty and feminine. Helen heard a knock on her dorm room door and went and answered it. There, of course stood Clay, presenting her with a single red rose.

"Oh…wow…" She gasped. "Clay…."

"I….I hope you like it." He grinned a little.

"Thank you…." She said. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she took the rose from him. And after all, this was a date with him….looks like he knew how to start it off well. She went with him to a nice little restaurant, where they talked, mostly about school…..which Helen wanted to clear her mind of for a while…..She didn't think the date was going well…since all he talked about was academics, and none that she was interested in, but she was polite as she could be and nodded and tried to listen to him. She even mentioned a little of her plans of becoming a secretary, while Clay rambled on about arithmetic and wanting to be an accountant for a local business of one of his friends. He later brought her back to the college and followed her to her dorm room.

"I think we hit it off tonight. Huh?" Clay grinned at her. " Maybe I could take you out again?"

"I'll let you know…." She nodded and tried to smile a little.

"Goodnight, I guess…."He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. And he made contact….and moved his lips to hers. He released the kiss after a few seconds.

Helen wanted to slap him, but she just flinched a little, and walked into her dorm, and said goodnight before closing the door.

"Of course….he just HAD to kiss me…" Helen muttered. "Well….it was kind of nice…..I guess. Maybe I should be glad. At least some guy likes me." She sat down on her bed and started undressing. "I wish Edward liked me….but that probably won't happen." Helen sighed. "But I can dream!" She grinned. "Oh, can I dream!" Helen sighed, laying down on her back and closed her eyes and smiled at the thought of Edward Walbrun again.

A/N: Frances did in fact work in a battery factory...What she did, I haven't a clue!