Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ To Lose So Much ❯ To Lose So Much ( Chapter 1 )

Another minute, saturated with tension, passed in the uncomfortably cramped hospital waiting room; though the room's occupants hardly seemed to notice. All who were present waited in complete silence for the same thing: Information. Outside the doors, the hustle and bustle of a normal day on the job, for doctors and nurses, could be heard. Finally, after what had seemed like decades, a young nurse entered the waiting room.

She was petite, yet held herself with an air of strength and determination. Her chestnut hair was cut short, to her shoulders, and shone with brilliance even in the florescent light of the hospital. Her attire consisted of the highly unoriginal and truly monotonous nurse's uniform; a blue short-sleeved overskirt and matching blue pants. The family had become quite accustomed to seeing this uniform over the last year, they had even made an assumption that the light shade of blue was there to calm anxious patients and worried relatives. The unknown nurse's skin was a light shade of olive and appeared as smooth as the skin of a baby. What really captured the entire room's attention, though, was her dazzling smile and soft hazel eyes. While most of her outward appearance seemed to state `I am strong and will prevail', her eyes were filled with pity and sadness.

“You are the family of Madeline Davey, I presume?” The woman's voice was more beautiful and comforting, than any word ever spoken or any song ever sung. The sound of it seemed to fill every inch of space inside the room and every one of its inhabitants. Her voice reminded every member of the anxious family vaguely of silver bells chiming, as a soft breeze moved them. All anyone could do was produce a nod to encourage the woman to continue speaking, while not breaking the silence that had ensued after her last question. “My name is Jasmyne Ayalla. I am sure you are all aware of Mrs. Davey's condition. I am sorry to say that her outlook appears quite grave. She has requested that I bring her granddaughter, Allison I was told, to have a word with her.”

At this, Allison, a teen of sixteen, rose from her seat. The teen was another beauty; tall and thin, with elbow length blonde hair, and fierce, glacier blue eyes. Her skin was fair but, unlike Jasmyne's; it was flawed by many scars from her risky adventures as a young child. At this moment she wore a look of pure apprehension, but quietly followed Jasmyne out of the room. Allison received odd glances and glares from the hospital's older occupants. Her attire was the source of the looks; she wore a pair of tight blue jeans, an Eagle's band t-shirt, original black and white checkered Vans, and thrice pierced ears. The older crowd of people had always treated her this way when they saw the way she dressed complete with her scars, they had always assumed she was a bad kid. What a shock they received when her grandma would brag about her perfect grades, large group of friends who did not dress like her, and love of volleyball. Her grandma… she could not believe what was happening to this woman who had always been there for her, had always been there to talk to and comfort her. It wasn't that she couldn't believe what was happening, it was that she refuse to. Everyone around her did not matter, their glares or glances or whispered words hadn't mattered for many months.

“Here we are Allison.” Jasmyne gave her shoulder a light squeeze and Allison was jolted out of her thoughts. “Your grandmother is inside. Just as a safety precaution I should tell you that there are many wires on the ground. Madeline is attached to a multitude of machines-But she can still talk!” The nurse hastily added as Allison's expression grew fearful. “We've tried bunching the wires together in a few places. They are taped to the floor, but are still somewhat in the way. What I'm trying to say, is watch your step.” She finished with a sympathetic smile and quietly opened the door, so Allison could enter.

“Thank you, Jasmyne.” Allison replied in a whisper. She strode through the door to begin what she was sure to be, the last conversation she would ever have with her grandmother.

Allison entered a dimly lit room, with stark white walls. Wires cluttered the floor, as the nurse Jasmyne had said they would, and it was as though all heat had been sucked from this one room. A polished bedside table held a small reading lamp, a tattered copy of the bible, and a petite frosted glass vase. The vase held a single red rose, which had begun to wilt. Besides the bed and table, two hard wood chairs were the only other form of furniture to occupy the room. The girl moved forward into the grim, frigid alcove. There, lying on the bed surrounded by beeping machines and dripping IVs, was the frail body of her grandmother. She approached the bed and took in the newer, weaker appearance of this once strong and gorgeous woman. What she truly saw was what was left of a happy woman struck down early by an advanced form of lung cancer. Madeline had never smoked, but she had grown up around friends and family who had. The tears that filled Allison's eyes were uncontrollable, unwelcome, but unnoticed as the teen took a deep breath and shakily asked, “Grandma? It's Allison, grandma. Can you hear me?”

The deathly ill woman on the hospital bed stirred a bit.

“Grandma, I'm here. I'm right next to you. The nurse told me that-,” Allison took another deep breath. Then she started again, in a slightly stronger voice, “The nurse told me that you wanted to talk to me.”

Madeline stirred again, and then slowly opened her eyes. Once a bright and joyful blue, Madeline's eyes had dulled and lost their cheerful sparkle. The woman took two ragged, shallow breaths before turning her head to face her granddaughter. A weak smile played across her withered face, causing a ray of her old brilliance to shine through her new visage for but a moment. She took another ragged breath and said, “Allison, look how pretty you are. You're growing up so fast.” Another shallow breath,” How old are you now? Ten? Eleven?”

The teen let out a small chuckle. “No, grandma, I'm sixteen.”

“I know; I just keep hoping one of these days you'll stop growing and go back to that age.” She smiled her weak smile again.” I guess I can only dream.”

“Grandma, was there something you wanted to tell me?”

Madeline took another breath, and Allison winced at the sound of it. Madeline took Allison's hand in her own shaking one. “Yes, yes there was something I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you to never give up, never give in, and to always keep fighting for what you believe. I wanted to tell you how important a good career is, but how much more important it is to be happy with what you do. There were so many things I wanted to tell you; but most importantly, I wanted to tell you how much I love you, and how proud of you I am.”

Tears flowed freely from Allison's eyes as she replied,” I love you too grandma.”

Silence followed, for what seemed like days, as the grandmother and granddaughter waited for what they knew must come. Madeline's eyes closed as her breathing became slower and shallower. Then all at once the heart rate monitor beeped one long note and showed a flat line on its screen. Allison cried harder than she had ever done in her life. She knew though, that her grandma had been happy, and that was the reason she had finally stopped fighting the inevitable.

Allison left the room and what had been her grandmother a few moments before, as doctors and nurses rushed in. She didn't care; all that mattered was that she knew her grandmother had loved her more than anything else right until the end.