Chapter 9:

Hazel

I lie in my bed, looking up at the stars on my ceiling. It's just past three in the morning, and I just got to bed. You see earlier, even though I was aggressively unhungry, my mother made me eat something, and so I spent the last few hours puking and feeling downright horrible. I guess my mom isn't going to make me eat anymore.
Through the walls, I can hear my mom and dad talking. My mom crying quietly and my father trying to comfort her. But I mean, there isn't really comfort to be found in all this, I don't think you ever recover from losing a child. I know I wouldn't.
Eventually, exhaustion takes over, and I fall into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning I wake up at around noon, take my meds, nibble on some crackers, watch ANTM and attempt to read for a bit. And so continues the infinite routine of dying of cancer.

Isaac

Kate sits next to me, holding an icepack to my shoulder while we watch some random movie that was on TV. Earlier this morning, I missed my footing on my staircase and took a rather hard fall. Kate rushed over to my house freaking out and I assured her I was okay, but she's still hovering over me.
"Are you sure you're okay?" She asks, brushing my hair off my forehead.
"Sweetie, I'm fine." I take her hand and she leans in to kiss me.
"I love you" She says, grasping my hair in her hands. We kiss for a while then she leans her head against my shoulder, and takes my hand.
"I love you too. And I love our son or daughter." She pulls my hand down onto her stomach…I think.
"You know, I really can't imagine being a mom." She says and laughs, as if it's as simple as playing dolls.
"So how did the first doctor's appointment go?" I ask, drawing lazy circles on her bare stomach with my finger.
"It was boring. They basically just ask me a bunch of questions and gave me a bunch of new meds to take." I nod
"Have you thought about names?" I ask her.
"Not really, you?" She says, ruffling my hair.
"Nope, I always thought that naming your baby shouldn't be a planned thing. You should look at them right after they're born, and the first name that comes to mind, becomes they're name." She grasps my fingers
"I like that idea. Just please don't think of a horrible name!" We laugh and put our attention back to the movie.

Hazel's mom

I sit in Dr. Maria's office, waiting for her to come in and talk to me. Last night she called me and told me to come in today without Hazel, so here I am.

"Hello Mrs. Lancaster." She says sitting across the desk from me.
"Good to see you" I say shaking her hand.
"Alright well I'm afraid we have some serious business to talk about today." I swallow, suddenly terrified of what she's going to tell me.
"We got some of the PET scans and MRI's back and there is tumor growth, and spreading." I cover my hand with my mouth, unable to speak.
"I've very very sorry, the Phalanxifor isn't doing its job anymore, and I'm afraid there is just nothing we can do but wait." She sighs and claps her hands in front of her.
"Do you know how long she has?" I manage to ask.
"Well, it's hard to say, but I'd say no more than six months. I'm so sorry." I nod, thank her and then retreat back to the car, the feeling of ultimate defeat in my gut.