Chapter 7 beauty in Everything
AN: I am so sorry I didn't update on Tuesday but I was up at my grandmas camper without wifi so you'll get one today and another tomorrow instead. xoxo we meet garnet today.
^Monday December 12th 2016^
On Monday morning Pearl got up for school a little later than normal, she threw on a pair of sweats, a long sleeved shirt and a pair of sneakers before grabbing her backpack and meeting her mother and Ame by the door. The girl had stayed with them all weekend only going home to yell at Rose then come back with a small bag of clothes and a small note of apology from her older sister.
"You're sure you feel well enough to go in today?" Her mother asked, as she took her heavy backpack from her daughters arms unwillingly.
"Mom I feel just the same as I did before we knew, tired maybe, but I don't want to miss anymore school than I need to. And dance! I haven't danced all weekend!" She huffed as she pulled her coat on.
"P.. maybe you should just stay home, I can bring the work back for you." Amethyst offered.
"No. Really guys, I know that once I start the chemo on Saturday I'm gonna start feeling even worse so I wanna go while I still can."
Blanche nodded but made no move to give the bag back as she walked to the car, telling Pearl to lock the door on the way out.
Arriving at school went smoothly, as did most of her classes. The only hiccup really was in math when she just couldn't help but fall asleep for a few minutes.
"Pearl!" Her teacher cried when she found her at the end of class after everyone had left. The young girl shot up quickly.
"Oh I'm go sorry Miss Aquamarine... I just... wow... I'm so sorry..." she stumbled over her words.
The older woman just nodded, with a raised eyebrow. "Don't let it happen again."
Pearl walked to dance in a haze, avoiding people on instinct only. She walked into the changing room and nearly walked into Sky and Jasper as they spoke.
"Wow P, watch ya self" Jasper laughed as she stood and walked away, patting Pearl on the shoulder as she left.
"Hey..." Sky said, patting the bench next to her for Pearl to sit on.
"Mmm, hi" Pearl said, sitting and pulling off her clothes slowly.
"You alright?" Sky asked, honestly she wasn't stupid, she knew what was happening as soon as her mother told her where Pearl had been.
" 'M fine..." Pearl said, she also knew that sky already figured it out. Oh well, one less person for her to tell.
"You want some help?" Sky offered when she saw pearl struggling to pull her leotard up. Pearl just nodded and let her cousin help her. Sky pulled the leotard over pearls sports bra and Pearl put her arms in while Sky tied up her pointe shoes.
They walked into class together, holding hands not for support just out of caring and began the stretches together.
"Alright class, today, we're just going to begin our program selection for the spring season, I know it's early but I want to get it all figured out so we can start the auditions as soon as possible" Blanche started as the class stretched. "Any suggestions?" She asked.
"How about Giselle?" Lapis Lazuli, a fellow dancer offered.
"Or sleeping beauty?" Sky asked.
"Alright, anything else?" Blanche asked the rest of the class, looking at pearl for an option. She gave none.
"Well than, I'll think over those two and make my decision. Let's get started. First position."
They all followed the direction and continued throughout class.
By the end of the class Pearl felt like her leg may actually fall off. She untied her shoes, pulled them off and put them away before she moved to take off her leggings.
"Pearl, can I speak with you?" Her mother asked stepping into the changing room.
"Okay..." Pearl said, following her mother back to her office.
"You could barley keep up in practice today. And it wasn't even a routine..." She said worriedly.
"Mom I'm fine, I want to keep dancing. It makes me happy.. please don't make me stop..." she pleaded, she knew she couldn't keep up, her leg was killing her and her hip hurt too, the joint aching with every move but it didn't matter. Dancing made her happy and not much else did these days, and she knew she would have to stop soon, when the chemo started making her sick, but it hadn't even started yet so she needed to keep going.
"If you're sure..." Blanche said, the silent plead for her daughter not to push herself was evident though not spoken.
"I'm sure, if I have even a small chance at getting an audition for Empire City then I can't just stop." Pearl said.
Blanche just nodded.
^Saturday December 17th^
Today she would receive her first batch of Chemo. They'd decided that in order to try and avoid surgery they would attempt to just kill the cancer. Honestly Pearl did not understand, but she trusted her mother and if her mother thought it a smart plan than she would cooperate. As long as she would be allowed to dance for as long as she felt well enough. They told her that she may start to feel some side effects including, 'but not limited to',
Fatigue, Hair loss, Easy bruising and bleeding, Infection, Anemia, Nausea and vomiting, Appetite changes, Nerve and muscle problems such as numbness, tingling, and pain, Skin and nail changes such as dry skin and color change, Urine and bladder changes and kidney problems, Weight changes, Chemo brain, which can affect concentration and focus, Fertility problems. She was so not ready.
She would be admitted for ten days for the first round of chemo, seven days of chemo, then three days of recovery. After that she can rest at home, until her next round of chemo.
She had a huge bag of cozy clothes, her phone, a charger, and iPad.
"Are you ready to go sweetheart?" Blanche called from the bottom of the stairs.
No, "yes" she said back, holding her bag close to her as she walked downtown the steps.
"Right this way, you're room is 306 If you have anyone you'd like to come visit." The kind nurse told her. She was short, long blond hair falling past her butt with bright blue scrubs.
"I'm Sapphire, and you can ask me for anything anytime you want, I work most day, and this is my ward so I'm always around." She said as she opened the door to her new room.
It was yellow, like a bright blinding yellow and covered in zoo animal stickers.
"Sorry about the kids stuff, you're still seventeen so you go to PEDs..."
Pearl sighed this would be... fun.
"How are we doing today?" Dr M asked as she walked into the room where Pearl was getting comfortable in the bed and Blanche was making the room a bit more homey.
"Nervous" Pearl answered looking at Sapphire as she began hooking up the iv.
"Well we're just going to put you to sleep to put the catheter in." Pearl nodded and watched until she fell asleep.
When she woke up again her mom was pulling the curtains open, Ame was sitting in a chair next to the bed, Rose putting little rose paper flowers all over the walls. Blue was sitting by the window, her blue scarf reflecting a light into Pearls eyes. She winced she looked the other direction, she saw Sky sitting on the windowsill next to her mother as she turned away.
"Oh hello darling" Blue said, first noticing that Pearl what awake.
"Hi aunt blue..." she said softly, sitting up a little.
"How are you feeling my sweet?" Her aunt asked her, grabbing her cane and moving closer to the bed slowly.
"Just tired, I think just from whatever they gave me.." she said, looking around the room again, it was sweet. All the decorations and everyone who came to see her.
"Thank you all for doing this." she said to everyone.
"Well we weren't going to let you stay in some boring room." Ame said, handing Pearl one of the little flowers.
Pearl looked to Rose, but her older girlfriend wouldn't make eye contact with her, she just looked back to pining up one of the roses.
Aunt Blue kissed her on the forehead, "We are all here for you, whenever you need us. You're mother told us that she's going to stay with you tonight, I was thinking we could all take turns, but the staff says since it's a pediatric wing only family can stay. I guess you're stuck with me Sky and your mom."
"Oh I couldn't ask that of you! You wouldn't be able get comfortable on those tiny cots they bring, not with your joints!" Pearl exclaimed, looking at her mother for backup.
"Pearl is right Blue, you shouldn't stay over, it'll only make you hurt. Me and Sky can handle the rotations." Blanche said, a hand on her older sisters shoulder.
"I am more than capable of spending a night with my niece while she's stuck in a hospital room!" Blue exclaimed, but Sky just shook her head, "We will take care of Pearl during the night mom, you can stay with her while we're at school."
Blue sighed but finally agreed.
"How are you feeling Pearl?" Dr M came in a few hours later, when everyone had gone home for a while, her mother to fetch her own overnight bag.
"I feel fine honestly, I'm just waiting for all these symptoms you say are coming." She said, shifting in her baggy t-shirt.
"Yes well, some people feel them sooner than others, you can't really predict these things. You should have some lunch, while you're not nauseous, it's good to keep your strength up." She said, flipping through some charts at the foot of Pearls bed. Then she left the room waving a small goodbye to the tiny girl.
A few minutes of eating the horrible hospital food and Pearl couldn't stomach it anymore, she just wasn't hungry. A stranger walked into her room carrying a large bouquet of paper flowers and handed one to her.
The girl was tall, like, easily six feet, her dark skin flawless. Her curly hair in almost a square shape if not for the pony tale that was pulling it back. Her dark shades covering her eyes.
"Uh thank you...?" Pearl said, leaving the blank for the strangers name.
"I'm Garnet Rockwell, nice to meet you." she said, holding out her hand for Pearl to shake.
