They made an appointment with Dr Jenkins ( John's doctor) in New York. The whole family were going but Gordon(19) and Alan(16) had no idea why. John was scared, very scared. He didn't want to have to go though all that pain again. The morning of his appointment he was staring out of the window of his family's penthouse apartment wondering what would happen if his doctor told him he'd relapsed. The only thing he knew for certitude would happen if he had relapsed the IR would be shut down until he recovered. His brothers kept staring at him from across the dinning table it was starting to annoy him.
"Are you okay Johnny?" Gordon asked.
"Yeah why do you ask?" John said.
"Alan and I were wondering if you were okay cause we heard you talking to dad about Dr Jenkins and we started to wonder if you were okay." he said.
"I have a check up that's all." John said.
"I thought you have check ups in October." Alan said.
"So, what is everyone doing to day?" Scott asked.
"I'm going to the visit a friend of mine at Juilliard." Virgil said.
"Alan and I are going to the Apple store cause Alan broke his I-Pod." Gordon said.
"Gordon! It was an accident dad. I dropped it in the pool." Alan said.
"It's okay Alan just get a new one." He said handing his youngest son his credit card. Jeff was to worried to care. "John we have to go." He said getting up and grabbing his coat. John followed.
"Where are they going?" Alan asked.
"It doesn't matter Alan, not yet anyway." Scott said. None of them thought it was the right idea to tell Gordon and Alan until the were sure.
John stood outside the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, he was afraid to go in. His father stood next to him, he could tell his father was terrified. Around 10 minutes he was sitting in Dr Jenkins office scared out of his mind. Dr Jenkins came in he looked as worried as Jeff did.
"I wish we were meeting again under better circumstances. So John what seems to be the problem?" Dr Jenkins said. John explained the events of the last few days and Dr Jenkins sent him for tests. Around a hour later he was sitting back in Dr Jenkins office, his hands were shaking and he was terrified. Dr Jenkins was came in and he didn't look happy.
"I'm sorry." he said. John placed his head in his hands. He knew what was coming.
"It back, isn't it?" John muttered.
"Yes, it's in the early stages, very early stages. The fact that your brother noticed the early symptoms quickly did a lot of good. We want to start you on Chemotherapy in 2 weeks, at first we want to do a 6 month cycle with 2 treatments a month." Dr Jenkins said.
"Okay." John said his voice broken and hollow.
A few hours later John was sitting on the couch in their New York apartment he was reeling from what he'd just been told. Gordon and Alan came though the door laughing, their laughter died as soon as they saw the look on John's face.
"You okay Johnny?" Gordon asked. John shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Alan asked, John didn't answer.
"John?" Gordon said.
"It's back." He whispered.
"What's back?" Alan said. Gordon thought for a second then his eyes widened.
"Oh shit. How bad is it?" he asked sitting beside John.
"It's still in the early stages." John said,
"When do you start treatment?" he asked.
"2 weeks." he said. Alan finally understood what was going on, he sat down next to him and lay his head on John's shoulder. He was scared of losing John, he could barely remember the last time John was ill (only being 7) but he knew how much John had gone though. John rubbed his younger brothers shoulders, he needed them there. The door opened and Virgil and Scott entered. See the look on their brothers faces they knew.
"It's back isn't it?" Scott said.
"Yeah." John said. Scott and Virgil walked over to them and pulled them into a group hug. John placed his head on Scott's shoulder, he needed the comfort his elder brother gave to him. Scott say this and rubbed his younger brother's back trying to calm the fears that were building. Once they released each other John sat back down and wrapped his arms around a pillow. He was scared about what could happen. Around 20 minutes later the boys were watching some movie when their father came home.
"Hello boys." he said placing his briefcase down. Jeff went and sat on the armrest next to John. "You okay son?" he asked. John didn't answer he just moved so his head was against his leg. Jeff ran his fingers though John's hair. It was going to be alright, he hopes.