When We Stand Together

The last four days have passed slowly and painfully, your concern for Jeremy reaching new heights, as has Valerie's. Her plan to threaten her doctor to open Jeremy's file hadn't gone as planned and that had left a bad taste in her mouth. You knew he wouldn't have broken confidentiality, but there was part of you that hoped he would.

You let out a giggle at the sight of Jeremy's chin dropping onto his chest, his glasses sliding down his nose and the book he had started reading thumps to the floor. Getting up, you carefully pick up the book and remove the glasses, setting them down on the coffee table. He snaps awake and looks around, realising that he had dosed off again.

"You fell asleep again" You say.

It confused him how he would be sitting there one minute and be asleep the next, so always told him if he had fallen asleep and hadn't fainted.
He rubs his stomach and yawns. It didn't matter how much sleep he had, he was always dog tired.

"Your mom is making your favourite" You say "Honey and lemon chicken"

"I thought something smelled good"

"It does smell amazing" You agree."I may have to steal the recipe"

"That won't be a problem" He chuckles."She loves seeing you"

"Your mom was there for me a lot of the time when we were growing up. She's like the mom I should have had"

"Don't say that, mama" Jeremy replies, an exaggerated sadness in his voice."Incest is illegal you know. Not to mention fucking weird"

"I mean it, Jer" You say, sitting on the arm of his chair.

He leans his head against you and you run your fingers through his hair.

"I love your mom like I should love my own mom"

"I'm really happy that you two still get on after all these years. She's a pretty amazing woman" He replies.

"She definitely is. I'm going to give her a hand. Behave" You say, getting up and making your way to the kitchen.

"Behave? What could I possibly get up to?" He asks, laughing.

"I don't know. That's why I'm reminding you to behave, Renner. Remember, I know you"

"Go wash some dishes or something" Jeremy teases and the sound of his laughter follows you into the kitchen.

Valerie is basting the chicken and the smell in the sitting room had been amazing, but in the same room it goes straight to your knees.

You suddenly feel starving.

Valerie's shoulders shake slightly and you know she isn't crying over the onions.

"Val, what's wrong?" You ask gently, rubbing her back."What's the matter?"

"Just ignore me" She says dabbing her eyes with some kitchen paper."I'm just being a silly old fool. I'm just so worried about Jeremy, that's all"

You know how she feels. You've been worrying about him since he got sick and admitted into hospital.

"You aren't being silly at all. I feel exactly the same"

"I just wish I could do something other than slave over a stove. That damned Dr Penny wouldn't tell me a damn thing!" Valerie blurts out.

"We'll talk to him" You say"We'll gang up on him, alright?"

She nods and dries her eyes. You don't know what she is going through because you will never have a child to fuss over. Thinking about it, your own emotions start to cloud your thinking.

Both of you walk into the sitting room and instantly he knows something is up.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asks, glancing nervously between you.

"Your mom and I think you should get a second opinion" You say.

"I don't need one"

"Jeremy, you aren't even taking antibiotics" Valerie says."Those were painkillers in the box. I think you should go and see Dr Penny"

"I don't need to see Dr Penny" Jeremy says dryly"And I don't appreciate either of you going through my stuff"

"We didn't go through your stuff. We were trying to find out if this bacteria infection could be treated with a course of different antibiotics" You counter.

Jeremy let's out a deep sigh and stands up, rubbing his face with his hands.

"I appreciate your concern, but I don't need to see another doctor"

"That doctor at the hospital didn't even label your medication properly" Valerie argues."I've made you an appoint to go see Dr Penny tomorrow. Maybe he'll be able to give you a better treatment"

"Goddamn it, Ma!" Jeremy snaps"I don't need to see Dr Penny or any other doctor!"

You mentally take a step back from the situation. Never have you seen Jeremy lose his temper so quickly and certainly not with his mom. He didn't even do that as a teenager.

"And how do you expect to get better?" Valerie snaps back quickly.

Her own temper is starting to fray.

"The bacterial infection could spread to the rest of your stomach" She continues."Just go see Dr Penny. I'll go in with you if you want me to"

"There's no point" Jeremy replies quietly.

"What do you mean there isn't any point?" You ask.

You can feel tears stinging your eyes, but you hold them back.

"There just isn't" he mumbles and sits on the edge of the sofa, cradling his head in his hands.

"Of course there's a damned point" Valerie raises her voice."Bacterial infections can be nasty"

"It's not a fucking bacterial infection" Jeremy yells and both of you freeze.

He rubs his hands over his head and sighs.

"Jeremy, what do you mean?" You ask, sinking to your knees in front of him."Baby?"

He looks up to you, his eyes wet and threatening to overflow with tears.

"It's not a bacterial infection"

"Then what is it?" Valerie asks, perching on the edge of the sofa."Jeremy, tell us what's going on"

"It's colon cancer. Grade three"

"Oh my god" Valerie stutters and cries into her hands.

Dread grips you. Fear accumulates in your chest and your head pounds. You don't know what to say. All your thoughts are spiralling out of control in a whirlpool of emotional. You feel sick.

Jeremy wipes his tears away and stares at the floor, his throat trying to work down that visible lump of emotion.

"Why didn't you tell us?" You ask in a barely audible whisper."Why didn't you tell us you were so sick?"

You don't realise that you are crying, almost as hysterically as Valerie.

"I...didn't want to worry you"

"Worry us?" Valerie snaps, still crying "Didn't you think we would notice something was seriously wrong with the treatment?"

Jeremy sadly shakes his head and you see something working into his eyes.

"Jer?" You touch his knee and he gets up.

"I'm not getting treatment. I've made my decision and that's it"

You and Valerie follow him into the hallway as he pulls on his coat.

"Where are you going?" You cry"Jeremy, we need to talk about this"

"There's nothing to talk about. It's done"