bradley
It was Friday, the day of the gala dinner, and Bradley was lying back on his couch. He had the TV on, but wasn’t watching anything in particular – it was just really refreshing to be able to lounge lazily without having to rush to class, or worry about studying.
Today was going to be all about him. The dinner wouldn’t start until 6pm, and he wanted to be well rested. It might prove to be stressful, because of the presence of a certain someone, but it’d be fun nonetheless.
He still had trouble trying not to think of her all the time. He closed his eyes, and pictured the way the late afternoon sun would light up her hair like a halo. She looked like an angel at those times. She was an angel. Maybe… somehow… she could still be his angel.
Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Bradley Harper?”
“Yes, this is he. Who’s calling?”
Bradley’s heart skipped a beat, and he shut off the television. He wasn’t expecting a call from Julia Connor’s office, so he became concerned right away.
“Hi, Jen. Yes, I remember you. How can I help you? What’s going on?”
“I don’t have any details. Really, I don’t. Dr. Connor just told me to tell you to come to the hospital as soon as you can.”
This sounded like his worst nightmare. What could have happened to Emily? He had just seen her a few days ago and she seemed fine. A little worse for wear after chemo, but overall, she seemed ok.
“Is she worse? Is there an emergency?” His thoughts were racing at a mile a minute and nothing worked to make them stop. Not deep breathing. Not imagining waterfalls. Nothing worked to quiet down the panic that was growing in him with each passing heartbeat.
“I really don’t know. She hasn’t been moved to a different department, I can tell you that much,” she said apologetically.
“Alright, I’ll be right there as soon as I can.”
He got off the phone with the receptionist and called his mom. She had received the same mysterious call and was already on her way to the hospital.
No, baby girl, don’t leave us, please, he thought. He couldn’t help but think the worst as he threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater. He was out the door in a flash, nearly forgetting his car keys in the rush to get to his baby sister.
He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, and took every shortcut he could think of. He parked his car and ran through the front doors of the hospital, not caring who was watching or what they were thinking. All he knew was that he had to get to his sister, and fast.
He made it to her room on autopilot. The door was closed and he spotted their mom sitting just next to it. She stood up as he approached and he gave her a big bear hug. He saw the anxiety in her eyes and it nearly broke his heart.
“Did they tell you anything?” he asked her, making her sit back down.
“No, I haven’t seen Dr. Connor yet. She should be here any minute, according to the nurses.”
As if on cue, they heard the clicking of a pair of heels down the hall and turned – it was Julia Connor, and time seemed to pass in slow motion as she approached them. Bradley examined her face for any clues as to why they were called in for the meeting, but her face wore its normal, friendly expression.
“Thanks for coming down here on such short notice. Let’s go in,” she said, opening the door for them. They filed in and one by one, Bradley and his mom embraced Emily and asked how she’d been. Bradley was relieved to see that outwardly she looked the same as usual, if not a little more cheerful.
They turned to Julia, impatient to learn the reason for the call.
“What is it, Dr. Connor? Is everything ok?” he asked in a quiet tone so that Emily wouldn’t hear him.
Julia looked from Bradley to his mom and beamed a bright smile. “Yes! In fact, everything’s perfect! Remember the testing I mentioned to you a few weeks ago?”
Bradley tried to recall their conversation but he was finding it hard to concentrate on anything other than Emily’s current condition. Everything was hazy and he felt like he was in a daze.
“Sure,” he said, not sure at all.
“Well, the results have come back and she’s clear of cancer!”
“What?” he asked, looking at his mom and back at Julia. “She’s better? She’s cured?”
He felt the weight of a million tonnes lift off his shoulders, and his face transformed from worried and anxious to bright and happy, a wide smile spreading across his handsome face.
He looked at his mom, and she was smiling and wiping away small tears of happiness that had dropped from her eyes.
They both hugged Julia in a big group hug, and then turned to Emily, who sat in her hospital bed, propped up by several pillows, holding her pink lovey and smiling sheepishly.
Bradley felt his heart swell for that little girl, of whom he was so protective. She was his sunshine. And finally, she was better. He scooped her up in his arms in a big hug, and kissed her soft little face, holding her close to him. Finally, he could breathe easy, at least when it came to her.
“We should celebrate!” he said, pulling his mom in for yet another hug.
“Don’t you have that gala dinner tonight, dear?” his mom asked.
Bradley felt a pang, but dismissed it quickly. This was more important. “Don’t worry, mom, they won’t miss me, and they’ll understand. I can call them right now so they can change any arrangements that involved me.”
Julia cleared her throat. “Actually, Emily will be needing her rest. I understand you want to celebrate, but she’ll be passing out by 5pm,” she said apologetically. “It’s the medication,” she added. “So, you’d better go to the dinner. Doctor’s orders.” She smiled as she picked her file folder up off the side table.
Bradley looked from his mom to Emily. His mom nodded her head as if agreeing with Julia. He looked back at Julia and smiled. “Alright, if you’re sure. Can we come back first thing in the morning?”
When she left, Bradley and his mom sat at Emily’s bedside, unable to believe the pure happiness they shared. Finally, a weight had been lifted off the whole family.