Chapter 3: News
Nessie's POV
I was breathing a bit better after doing the breathing treatment that Dr. Cullen had recommended. Once I was done there I left. The hospital would call me once they had the results of my x rays. By the time I had finished it was already time for lunch. My stomach growled loudly. So I drove to McDonald's and got myself a cheeseburger, some fries, and a strawberry milksake.
As soon as I'd gotten home I noticed right away that I had a lot more mail than usual. I stopped right in my tracks when I saw the seal on one of the envelopes. I quickly put the food down and ran back out to the mailbox to get the mail. My heart quadrupled in speed when I saw that it was from the college admissions department at Harvard University. I'd also gotten one from Princeton, and Yale University.
My hands were trembling so hard that I couldn't keep the envelope steady. Holy shit. A few short months ago I'd never even thought of goinv to an Ivy league school. Yes I'd always planned on going to college. I loved science. Especially Biology and Chemistry. I'd gotten straight A's since I was in middle school. That included all the AP and Honors courses that I'd taken since I started high school. But I'd never thought about Ivy schools. It was my academic counselor, Mrs. Vargas, who'd told me that I should consider applying to those colleges.
So after a lot of thought and consideration I selected three Ivy league schools. Princeton, Harvard, and Yale. I'd sent in my applications the moment they started accepting applications for next year's fall semester. I hesitated before I finally tore open the letter from Harvard. One word immediately stood out to me. Accepted. I could barely breathe as I read the letter. I'd been accepted into Harvard. I ripped open the letter from Princeton and my heart skipped several beats when I saw accepted once again. All that remained was the letter from Yale. I could hardly believe what I was seeing when the word accepted appeared once again.
I couldn't believe it. I'd gotten in. I'd actually gotten in. I'd gotten into not one but three three three Ivy league schools! I was going to go study science at one of the best schools in the country! There was only one problem. Tuition. Tuition alone was crazy expensive ranging from $50,000 to $60,000 per semester and that didn't include books or on campus living. My aunt and uncle didn't make enough money to cover the expense. There was always scholarships and student loans but I wasn't sure that was going to be enough.
Oh well I'd figure it all out later. My stomach growled loudly once again reminding me that I was hungry. I'd never felt so happy before. Not even the cough attack that came was enough to shake my gloriously happy mood. I was going to celebrate tonight. I was going to celebrate with cigarettes and alcohol. That was mine and my aunt and uncle's idea of a perfect celebration.
As soon as I was done eating I called my aunt and uncle who were on a business trip in Los Angeles, CA until Friday to give them the good news. They sounded just as happy as I felt when they'd congratulated me. According to them I would be the first in our family to be going to an Ivy league college.
My phone rang three hours later. It was the hospital. "May I speak to Renesmee please,"
"That's me," I answered happily.
"Dr. Cullen wants you to speak to you in person regarding your x ray results. Do you think you can come back today?"
"Yes. What time do you need me to come in?"
There was a minute of silence while the nurse looked through her paperwork. "There's an opening at 4pm today. Does that work for you?"
"That works fine for me. I'll be there,"
I was a little nervous. If I just had pneumonia couldn't they just tell me that over the phone? I mean did they need me to come in just to prescribe medication? Unless it wasn't pneumonia. Pneumonia wouldn't last six months.
I tried to push aside the worry that I suddenly felt. This was the happiest day of my life. There was nothing that could ruin that. Whatever was wrong wasn't that big of a deal. I was sure of that. I smiled as I thought of my acceptance letters. I'd work out how to cover the expenses later. Right now nothing could take away from my happiness.
There wasn't a lot of people in the waiting room when I arrived. It wasn't long until I was called back. I waited in another room for a few minutes before Dr. Cullen entered carrying what I assumed were my x ray pictures. My smile faded a little when I saw the grim look on his face.
"Hi Dr. Cullen,"
"Hi Renesmee,"
"Dr. you can just call me Nessie if you want. That's okay with me," my voice sounded cheerful.
"You sound very happy," he said.
"I am," I answered. "A few months ago I started applying for colleges. I got accepted my acceptance letters from Harvard, Yale, and Princeton today. I just have to figure out what college I am going to go to and how I'm going to pay the tuition and living expenses. But isn't that great news?"
Dr. Cullen gave me a sad look that scared me. "Dr. Cullen what's wrong?"
He sighed as he put up my x rays. I didn't know what a normal picture should look like so I'd no idea what to think.
"Renesmee-Nessie. I don't know how to tell you this. Is there anyone here with you? You shouldn't be alone right now with what I'm about to tell you. Are your parents here?"
"I live with my aunt and uncle and there away on business until Friday. What's wrong with doctor?"
He closed his eyes for a few seconds before pointing at something on my x ray. "This right here is a tumor,"
I felt as if the breath had been knocked out of me. "That's the largest tumor you have. You have seven altogether. Some large and some smaller ones,"
No. This could not be happening. No. "Are they cancerous?" I could hardly get the words out.
One word was all that it took to shatter my world. One. "Yes,"
"No. This can't be happening. No," I was scared. Terror filled my body from head to toe.
"Unfortunately it is Nessie,"
"So what happens now?"
"Nessie. There's no easy to say this," his voice cracked with emotion. "But your cancer is in stage IV. It's advanced to the point where there is not much I can do. You can have surgery to remove the tumors and chemotherapy will help but it will only prolong your life a little bit. Maybe an extra six months,"
"What are you saying doctor? Are you saying that I'm going to die?"
"Unfortunately yes. Your cancer is terminal,"
I could no longer hold in the tears. I started crying. I couldn't die. I didn't want to die. I'd just gotten accepted into Ivy league schools. I was going to study science. I was going to have a career, get married, and have children of my own. I had so many plans for my life. I couldn't die.
Ice cold arms hugged me tight. I was oddly comforted by Dr. Cullen's embrace. "How long do I have?"
"My estimate is you have 3-6 months left,"
I started crying harder. "It's because of those damn cigarettes isn't it?" the words had slipped out without me meaning to. Dr. Cullen froze.
"What did you say?" he asked me to repeat. "Do you smoke?"
I didn't answer. "Nessie answer the question. Do you smoke?"
"Yes," I admitted.
"For how long?"
"I can't tell you that,"
"Why not?"
"Because my aunt and uncle will get in trouble,"
"Renesmee how long have you been smoking?"
I sighed. I might as well tell him. He was going to keep asking until I admitted the truth. "When I was seven years old I lost my adoptive parents in a car accident. I went to live with my aunt and uncle. But I was having an extremely hard time adjusting. I kept having nightmares about the accident. My grades were slipping and I just wasn't doing all that well. They thought cigarettes and alcohol would help me mellow out and adjust better-"
"cigarettes and alcohol?!"
Oh shit.
"Yes. I've been smoking and drinking since on a consistent basis since I was seven years old. Please don't report that to law enforcement. My aunt and uncle are the best and they don't deserve to get in trouble," I begged.
He did not say a word. Not a single word.
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