Seasons In The Sun
Chapter 19: Mark
Hush now, don't you cry, there will be a better day, I promise you
I returned home from a short promotional tour for our latest single to find Georgina in the living room with the kids. She told me to go on down to our room, Nicola was in bed. It was two o'clock in the afternoon. I thought maybe she was just over tired with Missy but when I looked in her skin had a slightly grey pallor. "Honey," she said, "I think I need a doctor"
I hugged Missy and told her, "I have to go out for a while honey, your mummy's not well, I'll be back soon" I kissed her and told Georgina I would call. Nicky drove us to the hospital, I sat in back holding Nicola, wondering what on earth was wrong. She looked as sick as Bryan had... The doctors took her for some tests, but ten minutes later, they came and told me to come on back, she had something to tell me. Nicky told me he'd wait, and he was going to call Georgina. I went behind a curtain to where she was, Nicola's face was tear streaked. She swallowed and took my hand. "Mark, they've found a lump in my breast." My breath left me and I sat down hard on the chair beside her bed. "Is it?..." "It's possible. They don't know for sure, they want me to go for a mamogram." I lowered my head to hide the tears of fear I felt sting my eyes. "Oh Mark, don't. Don't cry. It'll be okay." I looked up at her, a faint smile touched my lips, "I never could lie to you." She went for her test. They told us to call in a week and gave her some painkillers to help her. By now it was about seven o'clock "Should we tell Missy?" he asked me "No, not until we know for sure. She won't understand anyway, she's only four" Nicky was waiting for us the the emergency room. We told him we'd tell all in the car. Nicky paled at the news. "Cancer? Oh God no, not again." I knew what he meant. Another friend with cancer. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing Nicola the way I'd seen Bryan, worn out, no energy and in total agony. I had to carry her back inside, I put her to bed straight away and left Nicky to break the news to Georgina. She came in a few moments later to find me kneeling beside the bed crying softly, stroking her hair. Georgina put her hands on my shoulders. "What am I gonna do G, if I lose her?" "Don't talk like that, nothing's confirmed yet." "Doctors know nothing. I can feel her pain. She knows as well as I do. The only question is: is it curable?"