 | ShatterStorm Productions
|
| ShatterStorm Productions
|
Title: Perfect Stranger
Author: Elizabeth
Email: bethiewhyte@yahoo.ca
I am awakened by a sudden sound of continued chatter outside the door. Before I even wake up more or register what's going on the door has opened and I hear a voice, “Oh this must be the new girlfriend.” And suddenly I'm being pulled up in a hug. Just as fast I am let go of and I stagger back to see an older version of Alex standing in front of me. I only have about a second to realize how much they look like each other, except Jill is a little bigger and has longer hair. She is now bending over Alex hugging her and telling her it's going to be okay. I feel extremely out of place until I hear Alex say “Where's Susan?”
I smile, “I'm right here, Honey.” I step up and Alex takes my hand. “I want you to meet my sister Jill. She's going to save me” I smile at this as well, but it's a bit more of a worried smile. I know Alex has a very rare blood type and finding the bone marrow match might be harder than they think. I don't say this. They need hope right now and I'm going to let them cling onto this one until the labs come back. For that matter the labs haven't even been taken yet. I look around. “Where's your daughter Jill?”
“She's outside with my husband. They wouldn't let her in. She's a little upset about it but I think she understands.” I look at Alex and see she looks upset about this. The brain starts to scheme. “Hey Alex I have to go for a minute. I'm going to give you some time with your sister. I promise I won't be long I just want to get a coffee.” Alex looks like she wants to kill me for leaving again, but she nods and I give her a hug before leaving.
I make my way up to the surgery floor and go straight to Romano's office. I knock and he says “Enter!” I walk in and he looks up and sees me. “Ah, Susan. How's the girlfriend? I have to admit I'm a little disappointed in you. I thought you'd stay on our side. But none the less I like you better than Kerry so I'll cut you some slack.”
“Well that's good to know,” I say in a sarcastic tone, “I need another favor.”
“Oh here we go. I do one good thing for you and now you want everything. Okay what is it? Time off?”
“No nothing like that. Alex's niece is here. She's seven and she wants to visit her aunt but they won't let her in.” Romano sighs. He stares at me for a minute. “Okay lets go.” He leads me back to Oncology and finds the little girl with her father. Kristin also looks just like her mother and aunt except she has very curly hair. Romano explains to her father who he is and leads them into a room. He explains to Kristin that she must get washed in here then put a pair of scrubs on so she can see her aunt. She does this and then he gives her a mask and a pair of surgical gloves. He also gives her one of those little hat things for her hair, this one with snowmen on it. He then leads her out of the room and says to me, “I'll leave her in your capable hands Dr. Louis.”
I bend down to child height and say, “Hi Kristin, I'm Susan Louis. You can call me Susan. I'm a friend of your aunts. I know how much you want to see her so I did this for you. But it's very important that you leave this stuff on while you're in there. Do you understand?” Nod. “Do you have any questions?” Another nod. She speaks for the first time, “Are you Aunt Alex's girlfriend?”
I'm not expecting that. When I don't answer right away Kristin goes on, “Because if you are I just want you to know I like you already because you're letting me see my favorite person in the world.” I smile at this. “Yes I am her girlfriend.”
I take Kristin's hand and bring her into the room after once again explaining to her how important it is for her to be quiet. We walk in and everyone turns around. The nurse is there taking Jill's blood. Alex looks over to see this little surgeon walking in and smiles the first real smile I have seen since I dragged her to the hospital. “Kris! Come and see your aunt!” Kristin, who was shy at first, now runs over and throws her arms around her aunt. Alex hugs her and then looks up at me, “Thank you Sweetie. Come over here and help me?” I go over and lift Kristin to the bed, then sit down on the chair with them.
Kristin says to Alex, “Guess what? Susan is your girlfriend and she said it!” I am confused at this, but Alex smiles. She gives me a “tell you later” look and says, “Well I'm glad Kris. Do you like Susan?”
“Yes I like her a lot!”
“Good because she is going to need your help. She has to work still so you'll need to help take care of me and you'll also have to make sure she takes care of herself.”
“Susan do you really need my help for all of that?”
“Yes I do. And I know you will be able to help me too.”
Kristin smiles at this and we spend most of the day together, even after the rest of them go to eat. They invited me but I didn't want to leave this. It was too perfect. However, soon they came back to collect Kristin, provoking a very unhappy seven year old. “But I don't wanna go. I want to stay here with Aunt Alex and Susan.”
“Well you can't sweetie.” Says Jill, “You have to get some sleep. Besides, Susan is coming with us.”
This catches my attention. “Uh…no I'm not.”
“Oh yes you are. I'm taking you out tonight for some pampering. You look like shit if you don't mind me saying. We're going to get you all set up.”
I relent and after giving Alex a kiss goodbye follow the rest out. I stop at the window to watch her. She looks like she is in pain. She is getting her evening chemo after all. I stop and look at the chart before I leave.
v The labs are back.
Jill isn't a match.
