Chapter 23: Chapter 23

I wake up with a stomach ache and a headache. I don't think it went away yesterday. I slowly open my eyes and see that I'm not in my bed or in the hotel's bed. I'm in a hospital bed.

I feel something holding my hand. I turn my head toward it. It's Mark. He's sitting in a chair looking at the ground and holding my hand.

I want to say something but my voice is gone. I can't find it. I think I can talk, I just won't talk involuntarily. So I just squeeze his hand. His head jerks up and he sits on the bed.

"Alyanna. You ok?" He asks. I give him a thumbs sideways. "I'm going to get the doctor and tell her you're awake ok." I nod and he leaves.

I don't want him to. I want him to stay and comfort me. I know some things are wrong and the only thing I know is right is Mark. He'll be there for me. I know he will. At least I hope he will. Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic.

He comes back a little later with the doctor I assume. "Hi Alyanna I'm Dr. Elaine." She says walking into the room with a clipboard in her hand. I wave as best I can. "Can you talk?" she asks.

I take a breath. "Yes." It comes out scratchy like the day after graduation.

She looks over to Mark and gives him a little nod. He comes over to sit next to me on the bed as her face changes from polite and happy to sad and sympathetic. Something is wrong.

She takes a breath. "There's no easy way to say this..." I called it, something was wrong. "Alyanna, your cancer is back. You have leukemia. Again." I feel my mouth open and tears are forming, but I also feel Mark's strong and protective arms wrap around me and that helps soften the blow

"How bad?" I ask through shaky breaths.

"It's treatable but it's going to be rough. I told your husband that you'll need to stay here for a week to get your strength up then you can fly home. I'm going to look for a good doctor in your area and communicate your results. Ok?" I nod into Mark's chest. The word husband also kind of felt weird, but right at the same time.

When she leaves I let the sobs out. I grip onto Mark's shirt to stop the pain my crying is doing to my headache. I feel Mark's hand rub circles around my back.

"Wise men say... only fools rush in. "I hear a singing whisper coming from above me. I move my head in his direction and see him staring off into space. "But I can't help falling in love with you." He looks at me now.

"You can sing?" I ask in a whisper.

"Honor choir all four years of high school and college." He shrugs.

My eyes widened. "That's all?" I ask.

"Well there was that time on AGT." He says.

"What?" I ask in shock. He laughs.

"I'm kidding." He laughs more.

"Not funny." I say rolling my eyes and lying back down on his chest. "Sing some more." I demand. "It helps the spinning of my head." I explained.

"What song?" He asks. Like he has to. He knows that that's my favorite song.

"The one you were just singing." I say playing with my hair that will not be there soon.

"Shall I stay? Would it be a sin, if I can't help falling in love with you?" His voice is perfect. I used to put this song on to make me fall asleep when I couldn't. "Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling so it goes, some things are meant to be." I feel him run his fingers through my hair. I've heard that it's a reflex at times like these. He might be just as tired as I am. "Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in love with you." I fight the urge to close my eyes to hear the rest of the song but fail.

I'm a very light sleeper so needless to say I woke up a couple times during the night. I did go back to sleep right away though. I'm really tired. I guess cancer does that to you.

One time a nurse was coming in about an hour after Mark and I fell asleep. I woke up at the sound of the door being opened. "Sir visiting hours..." Then she stopped. My guess is Mark was asleep and she didn't have the heart to wake him up and tell him he has to leave his sick wife. I didn't open my eyes at that. But after I made sure she was gone I opened my eyes and sat up for a few seconds to look around. Mark's head was against the wall and it looked to me that he was going to wake up with a sore neck. I was too tired to do anything about it so I laid back down and fell asleep again.

The other few times were due to the doctors coming in to check my activity. Those times I opened my eyes and talked to the doctor for a few minutes. "So how long have you been married?" She asks.

"About 10 days." I smile.

"Wow. Honeymoon?" She asks.

I nod. She goes on to ask me how I'm feeling and if I need anything. Then she leaves. She does that every other time after. Minus the question about how long we've been married.

The third time I wake up is due to the fact that I hear Charlie. My eyes shoot open and I shoot up. I grab my head.

"Hey. Hey. Hey. It's ok. Slow down." Mark says as he rubs my head.

"Thanks." I say smiling a little.

"Hey Alyanna." Charlie comes in and gives me a hug.

"Hey Charles." I smile as I hug him back.

"Mark." He nods his head towards him. "Sorry to ruin your honeymoon." He says bringing a little light towards the situation.

"It's fine." Mark draws out while rubbing his neck. "Where's Chris? I thought you two were on the same flight." He asks.

"He missed it. His meeting ran too late so he caught the next one. He should be here in less than an hour." Charlie shrugs.

"Ok well I'm going to go to the hotel and grab a few things. Need

anything?" He asks me to turn back to me. I nod my head no and he leaves the room.

"So. How are you?" Charlie asks after Mark leaves.

"Ok. Not the best. My headache and stomachache are getting better." I fake a smile.

"How long has this been going on?" He asks.

"The whole time. I had a bad headache and stomachache the first day. I woke up all sweaty, Mark actually asked about that. I blew it off as a bad dream. My knees have been hurting. I'm really tired. A lot of other things too." I answer by rubbing my face.

"You know you had those exact same symptoms when you last were diagnosed, right?" Charlie asks, looking concerned. "You are the one with a photographic memory." He half jokes.

"I know and I remember. I just wanted to have fun. I know it's not really real but I want it to be. I love Mark. There I said it. I wanted to get to know him and spend time with him. I wasn't going to let stupid symptoms take that away." I almost cried.