Chapter
6
Two
weeks had gone by and Mariah had lost all of her hair. The first week, she just
cried herself to sleep, not only because she lost her hair, but because
everything was happening again to her. She felt like nothing was fair in this
world. That is until she met Brian. He made her laugh and forget about all the
troubles in her world.
Today
was no different. Brian had come over and ate lunch with her in her room. They
laughed and joked as usual. Then Brian became silent for a moment.
"Brian,
what's wrong?"
Brian
hesitated for a moment. Then said, "Well, I've been meaning to tell you
for the past two days. I'm--"
Mariah's
face clouded over with worry. "You're not...having a...surgery, are
you?"
"Oh
no! Nothing like that! I'm fine. The doctor's told me I'm pretty healthy now.
So--"
"So
what?" asked Mariah, with much confusion.
"I'm--they're
letting me out of the hospital. I get to go home tomorrow." Brian watched
Mariah's face.
"Brian!
That's great!" exclaimed Mariah. "Why didn't you tell me
earlier?"
"Well,
I was afraid that you'd be upset. I mean we are good friends now, well, that's
what I consider us as. And I didn't want you to be upset. That's all."
Mariah
smiled and said, "Brian, thanks for being concerned for me, and I do
consider us really good friends too, but you deserve to get outta here. You've
been in here too long, and I'm happy that you healthy enough to get out of this
hospital."
Brian
just smiled. He couldn't believe what an understanding friend Mariah was. Next
to his best friend Nick, Mariah was his next best friend.
They
talked some more and then Mariah had to leave to take her chemo. Brian sat in
her room and waited for her return. He always did. Whenever she returned, she'd
be really sick and throw up every 5 minutes for about an hour. That happened
twice a day. Through all that, Brian stayed by her side. Mariah couldn't be
more grateful. She owed him so much.
When
Mariah returned from her chemotherapy, she was so sick, she couldn't even sit
up. The only time she could sit up was to throw up over the side of her bed.
Then she would fall asleep. Brian held her hand through it. He couldn't stand
to see her in such pain. He hadn't known her long, but it felt like a long
time. He knew he would miss her incredibly when he left the hospital the next day.
Mariah
was suppose to get better during the next hour or so, but she didn't. She
didn't even wake up for dinner. The doctors started to worry about her. Brian
worried even more. That night, Brian stayed in her room beside her bed holding
her hand. He couldn't fall asleep.
Morning
came, and there was still no difference. The doctor said that she had fallen
into a small coma, and that it didn't look too good. "Brian?"
Brian
looked up and saw his best friends.
"Hey
guys," said Brian without much enthusiasm.
"Gee,
we're happy to see you too," said AJ McLean. The guy next to him, named
Kevin Richardson, elbowed him and gave AJ a look.
"Could
you be a little more sensitive, you moron?" whispered Kevin to AJ.
AJ
just looked at Kevin sheepishly. "Sorry, I was only joking."
Brian
heard all this but didn't turn around.
"Hey,
Bri," said Kevin. "I know this isn't a good time, but we've got to
go. Everyone's waiting."
Brian
sat there silently, then said, "You guys can go get my things. They're
already packed. I'll be there in a second."
AJ
and Kevin just nodded, then left.
"Well,
Mariah, I've got to go, but I'll come back as often as I can to check up on
you. That may not be for a while, with that tour and everything, but I won't forget
you, I promise, I never will. Please get better." Brian got up, turned and
left, trying hard not to look back. He knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to
leave. He felt like he was deserting her when she needed him the most.
When
he met up with his friends at the car, they tried to cheer him up. They told
him what's been going on with the group and that he'd gotten a lot of mail from
fans. It cheered him up a little, but his mind was still on Mariah.
As
the car left the parking lot, Brian looked back, and one silent tear fell.
***
