All You Need Is Love

I watched Temperance pace back and forth as she listened to the doctor on the other end of the phone. The call we had been waiting for had finally came, and the look on my wife's face told me it wasn't too good. Kara was currently over at Mikey's, Alicia liked to come over all the time and steal her, but now, knowing that something could be wrong, I wanted her home.

"Yes, we'll be in tomorrow morning, thank you." Temp closed her phone and looked at me, immediately bursting into tears. my stomach churned as I stood up and took her into my arms.
"They found a tumor Gerard..." she sobbed into my chest. I felt my words get stuck in my throat as tried to speak.
"A tumor..." I mumbled.
"They want her in tomorrow morning for more testing. They want to see if they can remove it and if it's cancer..." she held onto me tighter.
I sighed and kissed her head as I felt tears sing my eyes. "Everything will be fine sugar. She's our miracle baby, she's strong."

Temperance held onto me tighter as sobs shook through her whole body. I let tears fall down as I kissed the top of her head and swayed with her back and forth.
"We're going to get through this..." I kept repeating as I started to choke up.

My baby girl. The one thing I cared the most about in this world, could be dying right in front of our eyes. I promised from the moment she was born, and I held the little bundle of my new pride in joy, I would protect her from everything and anything , and this wasn't something I couldn't stop.

My thoughts were interrupted by the front door swinging open and two feet pounding against the wood floor. I felt something crash into the back of Temp and a giggle.
"I'm home mommy!" Kara squealed as Temp let go of me and picked Kara up.
"I see that baby girl."
"Why are you crying?" Temp quickly wiped her tears away and set Kara back down.
"It's nothing sweetheart, why don't you go play for a bit, mommy and daddy need to talk to your aunt and uncle."

Mikey looked at me with a concerned look as I dried my eyes. Kara ran into her play room and soon was banging on the keys of her piano. I motioned for Alicia and Mikey to sit down and me and Temp joined them.
"What's up?" Mikey asked as he leaned forward.
"We got a call from the doctor Mikes..." I mumbled as I felt more tears sting my eyes.
"Shit...." I heard Alicia mumbled under her breath.
"Yeah..?" I saw Mikey's face lower when he spoke.
"She has a tumor on her brain. We have to take her first thing in the morning for testing..." Temp was speaking barley above a whisper and she stared down at her hands.
"We'll be there, what time?" Alicia looked over at Temp as she spoke.
"No, it's just some testing...."
"Gee you just told me that my niece, whom I see everyday and care about dearly, has a fucking tumor on her brain. You aren't going to tell me no I can't come. Now what time are you leaving?"
"Eight..." I mumbled and sat back, closing my eyes.
"Thank you. Now we will see you tomorrow." He stated and stood up.

I was a bit taken back at how demanding my kid brother was at the moment. He never once had spoke to me like that.

They left soon after that and Kara came running into the living room with a paper in her hand. She jumped in my lap and showed me the paper.
"She what I did daddy?" I looked at the paper and saw drawings, mostly scribbles, but I could make out a few people.
"I knew you and mommy were upset so I wanted to draw you a happy picture, there's me, and you and mommy, and then Uncle Mikey, and Aunt Alicia. See we're all happy." She gave me a big smile and I smiled right back at her.

Temp walked up behind her and picked her up. She looked at me with sad eyes, and sat down next to me with Kara on her lap.
"You hungry?" she asked her and she brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Yessssss." she replied as she flailed her arms in the air. I laughed and held the picture in my hands tighter.
"Come help me make dinner, mommy has to talk to you about what we are doing tomorrow." I felt a lump in my throat as I watched Kara's face lite up, like she was expecting something fun.

I watched as my wife carried my daughter into the kitchen to help make dinner. I looked down at my daughters art and let out a sob. She saw the world throw rose colored glasses. She ever drew Mikey's cats in the picture, it was something so simple, but so innocent.

I stood up and made my way to my art room. I ripped off a piece of tape and hung up her drawing next to all the others I had by her. I had my own Art Museum all done by my daughter. I thought about getting a plaque to hang up outside saying all art done by Kara Jane Way, but it would be a bit too much.

I sat down and took my thoughts to a piece of paper, just drawing whatever my hand decided too. I needed this, it was my own personal therapy. Feeling the pencil drag across the paper with each line, curve, circle, everything I drew was clearing my mind piece by piece. Making everything disappeared as I focused on what my imagination made up with each passing second. I was in my own little world, I was so lost in their I didn't realize how much time went by until there was a knock.

My head snapped up too see Temperance standing in the door way with w weak smile playing on her lips.
"Kara wants to say goodnight Gerard." She said as she walked over to me, placing her arms around my neck, looking over me too see my drawing.
"What time is it?"
"Almost ten, she had a lot of questions." I looked up at her and pecked her lips.
"Well get threw this Temp." I whispered as I looked at her.
She just smiled in response, but her eyes were still sad. "I'm going to bed darling."

I nodded and stood up, following her out of the room. I turned the opposite direction and made my way to Kara's room. I opened the door and saw her sitting on her bed, playing with her stuffed dog.
"Hey princess." I laid down next to her on her bed and put my arm around her.
"Mommy says I have to go back to the doctors tomorrow." I sighed.
"That you do darling."
"Whats wrong with me?" She looked at me with a worried look. I felt my heart breaking into a million pieces.
"we don't know yet sugar, we're going to get you tested to see if your sick."
"like a cold?" I smiled at her.
"It's a lot worse than a cold." I scooted down with her so we were laying on our backs. She looked at, her eyes were swimming with curiosity.
"What is it then?"

I bit the side of my mouth trying to figure out how I could explain to my little girl what cancer was. Her eyes stared a whole into me as she waited for me to explain it too her.
"Well, this kind of sickness is sorta like a scary thing."
"Like a scarecrow scary?" she said with a smile.
"Yeah, like a scarecrow scary Kara." I chuckled lightly. "And if we don't take you to the doctors this scarecrow in your body could hurt you."
'So I'm scarecrow sick?"
"Well we have to find out tomorrow, but you could have the scarecrow sickness."

I watched as she twisted her mouth, soaking in what I just said. I kissed her on her forehead.
"You'll protect me from the scarecrow right daddy?" my eyes instantly teared up and I held her close.
"Of course, you're my sidekick baby girl, I'll protect you from the scarecrow."

I kissed her and hugged her more, and left so she could sleep. I made my way to our bedroom and walked in, taking my shirt off. Temperance was already fast asleep. I pulled myself close to her and pulled her into my body, burying my face into the back of her neck.