Chapter
45
The next day, Elyssa went through more tests, some of which
were uncomfortable, but none as painful as the bone marrow test. Dr. Sanford scheduled a meeting with Elyssa
for late that afternoon to discuss the results and what they meant.
When it came around time for the doctor to arrive, Elyssa
summoned the others to her room. She
wanted them to be there to hear her diagnosis.
As they waited for the doctor’s arrival, Elyssa grew more
and more anxious.
“You okay, sweetie?” AJ asked, from the chair next to
Elyssa’s bed.
“I’m scared,” she admitted, looking at him with wide blue
eyes. “AJ, what if it’s something
horrible?”
“It won’t be,” AJ insisted, shaking his head. “You’ll be fine.”
Elyssa nodded, but she knew she couldn’t accept his words
as the truth. It could be a lot worse
than that, and she knew it.
“You want me to turn on the TV, Lyssa?” Kevin asked.
Elyssa shrugged.
“Sure, go ahead,” she replied.
He nodded and turned on the TV, but none of them really
paid attention to what was on. They sat
in silence, just waiting.
Finally, Dr. Sanford entered the room.
“Hi, everyone,” he greeted.
“Sorry I’m late, but I got caught up with an emergency.”
“That’s okay,” Elyssa replied, sitting up straighter in her
bed. “So, you have the results of the
tests?”
“That’s right,” Dr. Sanford said, sitting down in a chair
at the foot of her bed. “And I have a
diagnosis for you too.”
Elyssa nodded, swallowing hard.
“So, what is it?” AJ asked anxiously.
Dr. Sanford’s expression became very solemn and serious as
he began to speak. “Elyssa, I’m sorry,
but you have acute lymphocytic leukemia.”
Ashalyn was the first one to gasp. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, and
for a moment, she felt light-headed.
Leukemia. One of her best
friends had leukemia. It was nearly
unbelievable, but it was true.
In her bed, Elyssa struggled to hold back her tears as she
realized what her doctor had just told her.
She had leukemia, cancer.
Suddenly, AJ’s arms came around her, pulling her close to
him. Numbly, she wrapped her arms
around him, laying her head lightly against his chest. She could feel his body trembling and
realized he was crying.
That was enough to set her off. No longer able to hold back her tears, she made
no attempt to blink them back, as they filled her eyes and overflowed down her
cheeks.
“How about I give you all some time alone?” Dr. Sanford
suggested, glancing at the others, who sat in shock. “I’ll be back to answer your questions
later.”
Kevin nodded at him, and he left the room.
The attention of the stricken group was turned to AJ and
Elyssa, who sat on the bed, wrapped in each other’s arms, and crying.
Jenna leaned against Nick, her face white once again, tears
rolling slowly down her cheeks.
Howie had his arm around Serena and was comforting her as
she sobbed against his chest, while Brian did the same with Ashalyn.
Kevin watched the weeping couples around him and felt his
own eyes fill with tears. He might not
have been as close to these girls as his bandmates were, but they were all
friends to him, and what had happened to Elyssa was too horrible to
imagine. But it was definitely not
imaginary. It was real.
***