Page 15 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

When we’d left the hospital yesterday, I’d been numb. The ride home had been some of the hardest minutes of my life, listening to Mom sob while Dad tried to comfort her. But instead of breaking, I’d pulled away. Shored up my defenses. And when they’d asked if I wanted them to tell Aaron, I’d told them I didn’t want to tell him at all.

“Sweetheart?” A knock at the door followed, and Mom poked her head inside. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay.”

“Sofia.” She came inside. “You don’t have to do that. You don’t have to put on a brave face around me.”

“I… I don’t know what to feel.”

Perching on the edge of the bed, she took my hand in hers. “Aaron stopped by?” I nodded. “You know, I don’t like it, sweetheart. Keeping this from him. He has a right to know.” She gave me a disapproving look.

“I’m not ready, Mom. We don’t know… what it means yet.” I choked over the ball of emotion lodged in my throat. “Once we have more information, I’ll tell him.”

“Okay.” She squeezed my hand. “It’s a lot to digest, I understand that. I still can’t—” Clapping a hand over her mouth she caught the sob there.

“Mom, please…” I couldn’t do it again. See her break. See the tears streak down her cheeks.

“It’s so unfair, sweetheart. You don’t deserve this. You don’t…”

“No one deserves this, Mom.” I gave her the best smile I could muster, but it felt hollow. Empty and weak.

She dried her tears and took a deep breath. “Well, whatever the results show, I want you to know we’ll fight this thing head on, baby. You’re young and healthy, and you can beat this. I know you can.”

“Hey.” Dad appeared in the door wearing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “How are my two favorite girls?”

“Dad,” I choked on the word.

“What? A man can’t check in on his girls now?” He came over and sat on the other side of my bed. “How are you feeling?”

“A little sore but okay. Don’t you have to get to work?”

“I figured I’d take the day off and hang with my girl.”

“No, Dad. You don’t need—”

But he was already swinging his legs onto the end and lying back against the headboard. “Hmm, this is nice. Comfy.”

“Oh my God, Mom, tell him.” I looked to her for support, but she was wiping more tears from her eyes.

“I wish I could stay too.”

“No. No way. I need you both to stop.”

“Sofia—”

“No, Mom, I can’t do this. I can’t have you both acting like I’m—” The words got stuck in my throat as pain lanced through me.

“Shh, sweetheart.” Dad wrapped me in his arms. “I got you, Sofia. I got you.”

Mom snuggled me from behind, the two of them sandwiching me, hugging the life out of me while I tried my hardest not to break.

“We love you, sweetheart, and we’re going to get through this.”

“I love you too, Mom, Dad,” I murmured, my bottom lip wobbling. Refusing to let them see me cry, I buried my face in Dad’s chest, letting the two of them cocoon me. Wrap me up in their love and comfort.

It was going to be a few days until Dr. Peters got the results of my bone marrow tests.

Until I knew what lay ahead.

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