Part 14- Higher Stakes
Emma walked in.
"You wanted to talk to me?" she questioned nervously.
"Yes. I want your opinion on something." Snake sounded serious & to-the-point, almost un-emotional.
He continued when she was silent, "About this surgery Em," he started to tear up, "You are very important to me & I know how much this is going to effect you."
"What about mom?" Emma wondered if he had even asked her mother.
"We've spoken about it many times & all she ever seems to say is that it's my choice & now I want your opinion."
"I really hope you're not going to ask for Jack's opinion in all this!" Emma joked, attempting to lighten the mood.
She regretted it when he laughed a little, ending with an exasperated cough. Then he coughed again, but this time on purpose, to regain as much composure as he could muster up.
"Seriously Emma, I need to know what you think."
"I think…"
Even as she spoke she could see the hope in his eyes, the courageousness, the pride, but never fear. At least not for himself anyways, she had never seen in his eyes a fear for his OWN life, only the lives of others & it amazed her! And she knew that he would want to do that surgery to have some chance, if even a small one, to stay with them. So even though she knew it would be a lie she said:
"Well I don't really know what you should do…but I know what I would do."
"What would that be?" he asked curiously.
"I would take the chance, do the surgery, there's still a risk but there's also a CHANCE!" she lied. She knew she would never brave enough to do that.
"That's exactly what I was thinking." He said quietly as he smiled weakly. "Now could you go get your mother & everyone?"
She nodded & left the room to get the others.