That's What It Takes To

Summer went by faster than I expected, it was then the new semester for me to through, I left Braintree and back to my dormitory with Sandy already hanging around the room’s corner with her headset and eyes fixed on her Mac screen. She didn’t realize I was actually on the doorstep and she was just jamming along to whatever she listened to, or maybe whatever she was making. I bumped onto my bed and slightly fell on my butt, which drew an attention for Sandy.

“You don’t know how to knock or chill, do you?” Sandy scoffed as I rolled my eyes and she helped me got up.
“I knocked, you didn’t hear me, so, I went in, and you got busy. Now you do realize that the classes haven’t even started yet, don’t you?” I spat back as the girl with a long brunette hair grinned.

I went to changed my outfit before heading back to Sandy’s corner and realized she was putting together her summer documentary into a video and turned out she had a very splendid summer. The documentary video she showed me explained more than anything how fun her summer was while Sandy looked into my eyes and asked how about mine.

I got myself struck and started wandering around, let a flashback played in my mind, about summer and how fun it was. I spent the whole summer without Nick leaving my side and I couldn’t be more happy about it. Even better, we started talking how if we were going to start our own little family, how it would end up by adopting Suzy.

“So you went to orphanage and fell in love with a girl there who Nick is currently in love too?” Sandy gasped as I nodded. “Now get yourself a wedding ceremony, will you?”

My face turned red as I covered it and let Sandy guessed whatever that is inside my mind, as then I heard my phone ring and Nick was calling, as I answered the phone, his voice was so much concerned than it usually sound and I knew something was not right. Something was beyond wrong.

“What is it, Nick?” I spat to stop all the non senses he was murmuring.
“Where are you now?” He sighed as I told him where I was and the next thing I knew, he was by my dorm’s doorstep.

He didn’t look happy or satisfied, in fact, he looked exactly the opposite. His pair of emerald eyes weren’t as shiny as they usually were. He hugged me tight the moment he saw me and he took me by my hand as we headed to his car. He gave me this silent treatment and we were driving to a hospital near my house, and I knew something must have gone way too wrong.

“Why are you taking me here?” I said in a confused tone, but my eyes were teary enough to drop a tear.
“Let me park my car and we’ll go in together.” Nick said putting his comforting smile on.

As soon as Nick parked, he held my hand tight as he ran toward the emergency unit and I realized my Dad was lying on one of the beds that was there, and I clearly didn’t know what to think. My dad looked really pale but I can still see him breathing.

“Hey old man…” I sobbed as he slightly opened his eyes and smiled.
“Sorry I called Nick instead of you…” He said in the lowest tone I have ever heard him talking.
“What happened, Dad?”

When I wanted to ask him, the doctor, who was actually my dad’s high school friend came to my side. Doctor Farrell was so close with my family and when I saw him, he led me out of my Dad’s sight, which was a bit frightening. His face was beyond worry and I could bet I looked terrified.

“Your dad had been suffering critical lung cancer in the past several years, and I thought we were making progress over this summer during his two full weeks treatment, turned out it was a dull. I am sorry about this, Angela. He begged me to keep this away from you, but it was wrong, and I couldn’t keep it any longer.” Doctor Farrell said as my tears streamed down my face. “I want you to know so you can make the past few months he has left worth for you two.” Added him as he left.

I was crying in silent until I felt two warm loving arms pulled me into a big hug and I couldn’t care less who was hugging me, I just buried my head onto his chest and he started telling me to calm down.

“Doctor Farrell was my dad’s high school football mate, Nick. He used to hang with me and my family the whole time, why couldn’t he save daddy?” I said in between my hiccups and sobbing.
“He may say that your dad only has a few months to live, but I know cancer survival who had suffered these stage, and made it. Perhaps we can do something for him. Classes wont begin until next week, maybe we can stay here for a while, don’t you think?”

I nodded to Nick’s offer as he wiped my tears off my face and I had to act all tough in front of my Dad. It was heart breaking remembering he was still trying to hide his condition from me until we told him we knew about it. And the moment we did, I could saw his tears could no longer be held.