Not up to Me, Not up to You

Kelly sat in the doctor’s waiting room restlessly flicking through out of date magazines. She glanced up at Brian who seemed to be reading one of the many health warning posters that covered the walls. Noticing that she was watching him, Brian turned his head to face her and smiled, taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Kelly quickly turned her head towards the door where a patient had just emerged and a nurse was now stood looking down at her clipboard.

“Kelly Stone.” The middle aged nurse called out looking around the room through her oval glasses.

“Yes.” Kelly almost yelled as she shot up from her seat, her hand still in Brian’s so he got pulled up as well.

“This way.” She said monotonously as she turned and led the way to down the small corridor to the consultation room.

“Doctor Jacobs will be with you shortly.” She said as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

“You ok?” Brian whispered as they sat down, his hand still firmly entwined with hers. Kelly nodded just as the door opened quietly and a tall, balding man with half-moon glasses walked in.

“Good afternoon, Miss Stone is it?” the doctor asked cheerfully as he made his way around to the other side of his desk and opened up the file that the nurse had left there.

“Right. So what seems to be the problem?” he asked looking up at her over the top of his glasses.

“Well, um, I’ve been vomiting for the past four days. At first we thought it was food poisoning but it doesn’t seem to want to stop.” Kelly began to explain.

“Oh dear. That doesn’t sound too good.” Doctor Jacobs said shaking his head.

“Do you have any other symptoms? Or is it just the vomiting?”. Kelly shook her head.

“No it’s just the vomiting.” She replied.

“Have you been keeping you fluid intake up?” he asked and again Kelly nodded.

“Good, it’s important not to allow yourself to get dehydrated. Ok, so I would like to take a blood sample if that’s alright?” he said getting up from the desk.

“Yeah ok.” Kelly replied nervously. She’d never been the best around needles.

“If you’d like to come and lay down on the treatment table, we’ll take a sample and we should have the results tomorrow morning.” Doctor Jacobs said as he prepared the needle to take the sample. Kelly took a deep breath and walked over and lay on the treatment table, rolling up the sleeve of her shirt as she lay down.

“Do you want your friend to come and hold your hand?” the doctor asked, obviously seeing the look of fear in her face. Kelly nodded frantically and Brian was immediately by her side holding her hand tightly as the doctor sat on the other side taking her blood pressure.

“Not good with blood hey?” Brian whispered. Kelly shook her head.

“The blood I can handle it’s the great big needle he gets it out with that bothers me.” Kelly replied not taking her eyes away from him, breathing deeply.

“You’ll be fine.” He said softly bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing her knuckles. Kelly smiled weakly at him, but the smile quickly turned into a grimace as she felt the needle being pushed into her arm.

“I’ll take you out for ice-cream once we’re done here.” Brian said with a smile as Kelly closed her eyes, trying to block out what was going on.

“You know me so well” Kelly said quietly through gritted teeth, and a forced smile.

“There we go. All done.” The doctor said as Kelly felt him place a band-aid over the tiny spot where he’d taken blood.

“I’m going to try and rush these through so we get them back tomorrow morning.” He said with a smile as he scribbled something on a sticker and placed it on the small vile of her blood.

“So shall I make an appointment?” Kelly asked.

“Ring just after nine tomorrow morning to see if they’re back. If they’re here I’ll book you in for the results.” He replied with a smile.

“Thank you Doctor.” Kelly replied with a smile as she took hold of Brian’s hand and left the room.

“Babe, what if it’s serious?” Kelly asked as she stirred the chocolate sauce into her ice-cream.

“Babe you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Brian said taking her free hand into his.

“But there’s gotta be something wrong with me.” She replied quietly playing with her ice-cream.

“Such as?” Brian asked softly, trying to catch her gaze as she stared into the bowl.

“I don’t know? Cancer or something?” Kelly mumbled.

“Babe, you haven’t got cancer!” Brian said with a small, quiet chuckle.

“But something’s making me vomit all the time.” Kelly replied as tears brimmed her eyes.

“Babe, you’re going to be fine; but if it is something serious then we’ll deal with it when it comes.” Brian said moving around the table so that he was sat next to her. He lifted her chin with his finger so that he could look into her eyes.

“We’ll deal with this together.” He said quietly with a warm smile before leaning in and kissing her softly on the lips.

“It’s going to be ok.” He whispered as she smiled weakly back at him.

“I love you.” she replied placing a kiss on his lips, allowing her lips to linger against his.

“I love you too.” Brian replied before pressing his lips firmly onto hers. His hands slipped up the side of her face as his tongue slipped over hers.

“You little fucking slut!” the sound of a familiar voice caught Kelly’s attention and she quickly pulled away from Brian to find Matt’s mom striding towards them.

“What the fuck?” Brian yelled as the woman he didn’t know stopped in front of them glaring at them.

“Kim, please, I” Kelly stuttered.

“You know her?” Brian asked. Kelly turned to him quickly. “Matt’s mom.” She muttered and Brian’s eyes widened as he nodded his understanding.

“Do you realise how much you hurt my son?” Kim yelled, glaring at Kelly.

“Yes Kim I do. And I’m truly sorry for the way things have-“

“Sorry? He’s heartbroken. He thinks his life has been ruined. And here you are without a care in the world with him.” She sneered glancing and pointing at Brian.

“Kim, believe me. I really am sorry. I still care for Matt, I really do. But I couldn’t marry him, not once Brian had walked through that door. We both would have ended up hurt.” Kelly spoke calmly.

“I’m just so angry. I thought you and Matt would be together forever. I never doubted your love for each other.” Kim replied a little quieter, her anger subsided.

“Kim. I know I’ve already said this, but I really am sorry and I really do still care for Matt.” Kelly began slowly and quietly.

“I never set out to hurt him.” She added in a low whisper.

“I’m sorry Kelly. It’s just been hard these past two weeks, watching my son failing to cope, his heart breaking, hitting the self-destruct button.” Kim said with a weak smile. Kelly stood up from the table and stepped closer to Kim.

“I’m sorry.” Kelly whispered yet again as she placed her arms around Kim.

“I hope this guy is worth it.” Kim said pulling out of the hug and pointing over at Brian. Kelly glanced at him and smiled.

“He is.”

“I hope you’re happy.” Kim replied sincerely.

“I am, and I don’t want to sound cliché but I know that when Matt is ready he’ll meet the right woman for him. Someone better than me.” Kelly said as Kim nodded.

“Take care of her.” Kim said pointing at Brian with another glare. He just nodded silently before she turned and walked back out of the cafe.

“Shit, that woman’s scary.” Brian said quietly as Kelly sat back down.

“Nah, not really. She’s just being a protective mother.” Kelly replied looking at the now melted bowl of ice-cream and pushed it into the centre of the table. She looked up at Brian and smiled, placing her lips lustfully against his.

“Take me home Haner.” She whispered seductively against his lips. Brian didn’t need telling twice. He smiled sexily as he grabbed hold of her hand and guided her quickly back to the car.