The Wedding Shop

Chapter 15:

I recognised the familiar corridors as I ran along each floor of the hospital. Cindy had told me she was in the same room as the last time she was admitted but I kept getting confused and losing my way. I knew I had found it when I saw Chris sitting on a chair outside.

"Chris, what's wrong?"
"Soph, come. Take a seat."

He tapped gently on the chair next to him wanting me to sit.

"all Cindy told me was that Maggie was sick again and had to go to hospital, only this time it was much more serious."
"Sophia, Maggie's been having chest pains for a long time and the doctors have been trying to find the problem for months. When she got sick again they ran a scan on her and, well, they've found something."
"well, what? What have they found."
I wanted to cry as the thought of Maggie being minutely ill was enough to make me upset.
"Maggie's got cancer Soph. Lung cancer. I'm so sorry."

I got up from my chair and paced around for a while tapping my head. This couldn't be happening. The woman I loved like my second mother couldn't be ill like this.

"no, she can't have cancer. It's not possible! Someone with cancer couldn't jump around all the time and be so happy. No they're wrong!"
I buried my face deep into my hands and shut away the world. I hoped I would soon wake up from this horrible, horrible nightmare.

"Sophia, I'm sorry. None of us knew. It had gotten so worse this time round that they knew there were serious internal problems. Poor Cindy, she's finding it hard to cope."
"but they can cure her, can't they? It can't be that serious."
Chris shook his head with a disappointing frown, "there is no cure. It's too late."
"I have to see her." I got up and looked through the window in the door.
"no, not yet, she's with Cindy now. The doctors don't want her with more than one person at a time."
"I understand."
Chris rubbed my back but I felt numb all over. Maggie, my Maggie was dying and no one in this whole world could help her. I wanted to scream, pray, hope. But there was nothing I could do to make this better.

"how long Chris."
"Soph,"
"how long!" I shouted out. I couldn't believe myself but desperately needed an answer.
"not long at all my love. They can't give her anything to help, only painkillers. They're hoping she'll make it through another month, if that."

I died inside. Not only did the pathetic doctors detect her cancer when it was far too late, after hundreds of opportunities to check her and make sure she was ok, they wouldn't even let me see her. My throat pumped as many lumps developed inside. I had to cry, there was nothing else I could do. I nuzzled into Chris' shoulder and wept and wept for I don't know how long.

I woke up in the same seat only it was Matt's shoulder I was leaning on.

"where, where's your dad?"
"don't worry, he's just gone off to speak to your parents about everything, let them know we may be here a while."
I nodded wanting any comfort I could get. Matt opened his arms to me, but instead I rested my head on his lap and tried to sleep again.

Matt was gently tapping my shoulder to wake me up. The doctor stood next to me and I knew it was my turn to go in. Cindy got up from her chair, eyes red and sore and collapsed into me. I squeezed her far too hard, but I knew she needed me there with her.

"Cindy,"
"I know Sophia, I know."

She left the room so it was just Maggie and I. Maggie smiled at me softly although I could see she was struggling to even move.

"Maggie, my poor poor Maggie."
She reached and took my hand but I think the medicine she was on had made her weak enough so that she couldn't feel the pain but also struggled to move and speak.

"Maggie, I love you so much. I wish this had never happened. That you had never coughed in the first place or had to go to hospital. I wish you could be happy and healthy, like we all want you to be."
"oh me too my darling." she faintly whispered.
"you're gonna be fine. I promise. They've made a mistake!"
"no sweetheart. This is the real thing. I'm sorry."
"but, but!" I stuttered away; I tried to create reasoning for this situation but it was all too much and I couldn't think straight.
"Did you get your results back?" Maggie asked with a grin.
"yes, I got 98 so distinction."
"oh you clever girl, I knew you could do it. Now you go become a famous designer and never look back."
"if I can't have you there Magz, then I can't do it at all."
"Soph, listen. Things may not look good at the moment, everything seems like a big mess and before you knew I was ill I wouldn't blame you for being confused about which path to take. With this on top everything may seem difficult and worrying, but God will chose what's right for you and you will be so happy, ok?"
I kissed her cheek and valued each second I shared with her.

"look, Soph, when I'm gone I need you to look after Cindy, try help her get by. Can you do that for me?"
I tried to stop her from saying these things but all I could do was nod.
"good girl. Now, I think I need to shut my eyes for a bit, do you mind?"
"no not at all."

Maggie rested her head back as I began to cry silently. I was so scared of losing one of the nicest people I had ever met, and desperately tried to wake myself from this disaster.

by vera©