ELLERY
I chewed my bottom lip as we walked through the doors of Sinai Grace Hospital. I tightened the grip on Connor’s hand.
“It’s going to be okay, Elle. I’m here with you,” he sympathetically said.
“I know. I’m just a little nervous.” I pouted.
He put his arm around me and pulled me into him, giving me the only safety I’d known. We stepped into the waiting room of Dr. Murphy’s office as the leggy blonde receptionist told us to take a seat. Not too long after, the leggy blonde called my name and took us back to a small room. She handed me a gown and told me to change into it as she was eyeing my boyfriend up and down, giving him suggestive looks. He turned away so not to face her while looking down at my hands, wondering if I was going to get up and bitch-slap her. She saw the look on my face and exited the room quickly.
Dr. Murphy walked in with three large needles on a silver tray. “Good morning, Ellery. Are you ready for your first set of injections?”
“I guess as much as I’ll ever be,” I nervously answered.
She was flipping through my chart and then looked at me with concerned eyes. “Tell me how you’re feeling right now, at this moment.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’m scared and unsure; that’s how I’m feeling.”
She took hold of my hand. “I know you’re scared, but this will be a walk in the park compared to chemotherapy, I promise. The others who have recently received these injections have not had any side effects.”
“That’s great, Dr. Murphy, but you don’t even know if the injections are working.”
She pursed her lips together as Connor walked over and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’m confident it’s going to work. Have faith, Ellery.”
I managed a small smile as she asked me to lie down on the bed. She looked over to Connor.
“She’s going to need you. I would suggest holding her hands.”
I looked at Dr. Murphy, alarmed. “Why?” I asked.
She heavily sighed. “Ellery, I’m not going to lie to you. These injections are very painful. You are going to feel like someone lit your body on fire, but it’s only temporary, and we need to keep you here under observation for a couple of hours to make sure there aren’t any side effects.”
Connor sat on the side of the bed as I turned on my side to face him. Dr. Murphy called her nurse in and held up the first needle. Connor grabbed my hands as he stared directly in my eyes. “Just look at me, baby, and focus on nothing but me, okay?”
I nodded my head as Dr. Murphy inserted the first needle. I shrieked at its sting as tears swelled in my eyes. It didn’t take long for the fiery pain to start blazing through my body.
“Okay, Ellery, I’m going to give injection number two,” Dr. Murphy said as she pierced my skin with the needle.
I let out a louder cry this time as the burning intensified. I let go of Connor and clutched his shirt with both hands as he moved in closer and wrapped his arms around me. I screamed in his chest as the last needle entered my body.
“Please, Dr. Murphy. Isn’t there anything we can do for her?” Connor desperately asked.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Black. We have to let it run its course, but it’s only temporary. I’ll be back in an hour to see how she’s doing. If you need anything, or she’s having a reaction, you are to push this button immediately.”
He nodded his head as she walked out of the room. My body felt like it was engulfed in flames, and my soul was trying to escape.
“It’s okay, baby. Just hold on to me,” Connor kept saying as he held me, and I shook in his arms. At that point, I didn’t know which was worse, this or chemotherapy.
***
A couple of days had passed, and we mostly stayed in. We cooked together, had lots of sex, and watched movies. When Connor had to do work, I would sit in front of my easel and paint. I smiled at Connor, who was sitting at the table on his laptop, conducting business meetings with his employees. I was happy, and it felt right. For the first time in a long time, I had hope that I would have a future, and this man would be a part of it.
The next morning, I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, so I lay there, and I tried to sleep, but I could hear Connor talking to someone on the phone.
“Yes, Mom, I’m coming and I’m bringing someone with me; she’s very special, and I want you to meet her.”
It was then I realized that next week was Thanksgiving. Connor came walking into the room as I opened my eyes and saw him staring at me. He smiled as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling?” he asked as his finger ran down my jaw line.
“I’m feeling okay. I heard you on the phone.”
“I was talking to my mother. I’m taking you home for Thanksgiving.”
As much as I wanted to meet his family, I was a hot mess of a cancer patient, and I didn’t know how they would react to that.
“Did you tell your mom about me?”
“Of course I did, and she’s looking forward to meeting you. She’s going to love you.”
I licked the bottom of my dry lip. “I meant, did you tell her I have cancer?”
He sat there and looked at me, and I could see the pain in his eyes, which told me he didn’t.
“Why didn’t you tell her, Connor?”
His eyes traveled to the window. “I haven’t had the chance, and it’s not something I want to do over the phone, Elle. I think that needs to be done in person.”
“So what you’re saying is that you want me to spring it on her on Thanksgiving? Hi, Black family! I’m Ellery Lane, your son’s girlfriend who has cancer for the second time in her twenty-four years of life and is nothing but a walking cancer disaster.”
He got up from the bed. “Wow, Elle, you really know how to ruin a moment.”
I felt an argument coming on, but I didn’t care. I was angry at him for not telling his mother.
“I will tell her before Thanksgiving; end of discussion.”
His authoritative tone burned my blood. “No, Connor. It’s not the end of the discussion, and don’t you dare take that tone with me!”
He turned away from the window and looked at me. “Are you looking to start an argument?”
“All you have to do is tell me why you didn’t tell her yet.”
His eyes turned dark as he glared at me. I could see anger in them. “You want to know why?! I haven’t been able to do anything because I’m stuck here taking care of you!”
Did I just hear this bastard right? Did he just say he’s stuck here taking care of me? I felt my blood pressure rise as my heart felt like it had been stabbed with a knife. He realized what he said because he turned towards the window again and ran his hands through his hair.
“Stuck? You’re not stuck here, Connor. I didn’t fucking ask you to come here, and I sure as hell didn’t ask you to take care of me.”
He turned towards me. “Baby, I didn’t mean it like that.”
The only thoughts running through my insane mind were that he felt trapped. “Get out of here!” I screamed as I picked up a glass and threw it at him. He ducked and shook his head.
“Fine, if that’s what you want!”
He turned just like that and walked out, and I flinched when I heard the apartment door slam shut. My phone quickly signaled a text message from Mason. “Everything okay? We just saw Connor storm out.”
My fingers typed frantically. “I’m fine; we’ll talk tomorrow.”
I dialed Peyton and let out a sigh of relief when she answered, “Hi, Elle.”
I couldn’t even get the words hello out first. “Connor and I got into an argument, and he stormed out.” I started to cry.
She asked what we argued about, and I told her the stuck comment he made. I was appalled how quickly she proceeded to yell at me.
“You know I love you, Elle, but I’m telling you this for your own good. You need to get your head out of your ass and start thinking about someone else! I know you’re sick, and I’m sorry for that; in fact, I hate that I’m not there with you, but you need to step out of your ‘oh pity me’ self, and think about what Connor’s going through. You think it’s easy for him to watch the only woman he’s ever loved go through cancer? He needs to vent too, you know. You’re not the only one who gets to scream and be pissed off at the world!”
I couldn’t speak. I was frozen with the reality that Peyton was right.
“Elle, are you still there?”
I sighed. “Yes, and thank you. As always, you’re right.” I could feel her smile over the phone.
“You’re welcome, and that’s what best friends are for. Now cut that man some slack and think about his feelings.”
I hung up and climbed out of bed. I walked over to the shattered glass, sat on my knees, and started picking up the pieces. How could I not realize Connor’s feelings? How could I not stop wallowing in my own pity for just a minute and see how hard this was for him? I sat there, staring at the pieces of glass as he walked up behind me and took my hand.
“Stop! You’re going to cut yourself,” he whispered.
I took in a deep breath and slowly turned my head so that I was looking at him. “I’m sorry, I just…”
He took my face in his hands. “I know, baby, and it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not, Connor. I know this is hard for you, and I’m so sorry.” His soft lips brushed against mine.
“It’s okay, baby. I didn’t mean what I said. It came out wrong.”
I melted into his arms as he wrapped them around me.
“I know you didn’t, and I overreacted.”
He kissed the top my head. I looked up at him with pleading eyes and a pouty mouth.
“Where did you go?”
He smiled at my lips and lightly nipped them. “I bought you something.”
He stood and helped me up. He walked to the dresser and handed me a brown bag. I smiled excitedly as I opened the bag and peeked inside. I looked up at him and his big smile as he took my hand and led me to the bed. I dumped the brown bag in the middle and stared at the pile of chocolate that looked up at me.
“I figured this would make you feel better,” he said with caution.
“You are amazing and absolutely perfect! I love you,” I said as I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him on top of me. “I know something else that will make me feel better.” I smiled as he hovered over me.
He bit his bottom lip. “Are you sure you’re up for it?” I lifted my head and kissed him passionately. That was the only sign he needed.