Page 41 of Part of Forever
Lucy and the nurse both nod. “Yeah, I should be fine. My tumor is just pressing a little too hard against my spine so they’re going to go in and remove part of it to help with the pressure.”
“But they can’t take it all?” I ask.
Lucy shakes her head, and my heart drops into my stomach. She’s never going to get the type of news I just got; she might not even get to leave the hospital anytime soon. I was basically just gloating about my good news, and she’s about to have another surgery and even more time in the hospital.
“Hey,” Lucy says, as if reading my mind. “None of that. I’m going to be fine.” Her smile assures me that she will, in fact, be fine. But I don’t know how.
“How?” The word slips out and I can feel my dad’s eyes on me. I don’t know when he came back from signing the release papers, but I know he’s watching and listening. “How can you be okay with it?”
Lucy shakes her head. “That is a conversation for another day. I’ll see you in therapy next week, or the week after if I’m not able to go,” she says brightly.
I guess I’m not getting any answers today. “Of course, I’ll see you then.” Lucy smiles at me and gives a little nod to her nurse, who wheels her back out of the room. Even though I have the all clear, Doctor Barker thinks it is a good idea for me to continue with group therapy for a while.
“She’s a little ray of sunshine, that one,” my nurse says and I jump. I’d forgotten she was even in the room. “She’s fighting a fight that not many people would, and she does it so well.”
My face scrunches up like it does when I’m about to cry, but I’m not sure why I’m feeling all of these emotions. Lucy is a newfriend, but I still don’t know her that well, and yet my heart goes out to her and what she’s fighting. I don’t think I’d be able to do it.
“Should we get you out of here?” Dad asks when the nurse leaves with my signed papers. I have to take it easy, but they expect a full recovery.
“Let’s go home,” I tell him before the nurse comes back to help me out of my hospital gown and into my pajamas.
At home, my bed is comfortable and inviting, and I’m still a little groggy from all of the medication that has been flowing through my body since surgery.
When I open my eyes, I know I’ve been asleep for several hours. It’s dark out now, and Grace is sitting on the floor, painting her nails and talking to Nathan. I blink a few times before realizing that Tucker’s arms are around me, my head on his chest.
I’m comfortable for about half a second, before I notice the pain on my right side—where my incision is—and let out a low groan.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He presses a quick kiss on my forehead before gently untangling himself from me. “I’ll let your dad know you’re awake. I think it’s time for more medicine.” I nod, not trusting myself to speak. My body hurts.
Dad comes in and hands me water and a pill to take. I sit up a little more, feeling more alert; still in pain, but lighter somehow. The tumor is gone.
“How are you feeling?” Grace asks.
“Great,” I say, then laugh. “Okay, well maybe not great. I’m a little sore, but feeling better than I was.” Nathan’s eyes meet mine at the lie. I was feeling perfectly fine before the surgery; what I’m feeling now is definitely worse.
“Good to hear.” She smiles. “Will you be able to go to the dance next week?”
Dad responds before I can. “Her doctor said she could go, but no jumping up and down and she has to take it easy.”
“I’ll make sure she takes it easy, sir,” Tucker says, as if he’s a new guy trying to impress my dad. My dad just smiles at him; I think he was impressed with Tucker a long time ago. Remembering our conversation at the hospital makes me wonder how much Dad knows, or guesses, about our relationship.
“I know you will, son,” Dad says with a nod before heading out of my room.
“I got into the Paris Academy,” I announce, drawing away any attention from my surgery. I don’t want any more questions and I really hope they don’t ask to see my scar.
“What?!” Grace squeals. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Um, well, I just woke up and hadn’t seen you before that?” It’s more of a question than anything, but Grace looks like I’ve told her she’s won a free year at Disneyland.
“That’s amazing, Rosie,” Tucker says, looking reserved. I turn to him. He’s smiling, but it doesn’t quite meet his eyes. Isn’t he happy for me? This is the one thing I’ve always wanted, the one thing I’ve been talking about in all the time I’ve known him.
“Thanks,” I say, instead of asking him what’s going on inside his head. “I know I can’t really dance for the next few weeks while I heal, but I’ll be able to practice again before I know it.”
“That’s so exciting,” Grace says. “Oh, maybe I’ll apply to Disneyland Paris so we can hang out and eat all the yummy French food.”
“That would be so fun,” I tell her honestly, then turn back to Tucker. “And you’ll come visit, once the tour is over, right?”
“Of course,” he says, sitting on the bed beside me. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He squeezes my hand three times as I lie my head back against the pillow and watch his face in the dim room. My heart is bursting. Everything is working out the way it’s supposed to.
