Today is the day, she thought. The day she had feared had finally arrived.
She got up from the couch and went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee and wait for everyone else to wake up. When they did it would be time to go to the hospital.
Breakfast was tense and you could practically feel the nervousness in the air. Melissa wanted to yell and scream that they weren't helping very much by acting all weird around her. Finally it was time to leave for the hospital.
When they arrived and Melissa checked in she was quickly brought to a room.
"Where are they taking her?" Nick asked.
"To get some tests done and then we can go in and see her before the operation," Meg explained.
The morning seemed to drag on for years before they could finally see Melissa. When they entered the room Meg almost didn't know what to say, she just stood by Melissa's bed and placed her hand over Melissa's.
Melissa could see the sadness in her eyes and tried to reassure her by giving her a weak smile. "I'll be fine," she told her. "Remember you said I was strong and I'm going to try to be."
"God Mel!" Meg said crying now. "I don't want to leave you. Just remember that we are all pulling for you so I want you to fight, you hear me?"
"Yea. I'll try. I love you Meg. You are the best sister in the world. You taught me so much even if I am 5 minutes older."
"Oh God!" Meg cried as she tried to give her sister the best hug she could. This was so hard! What was she supposed to say to Melissa if she might never see her again?
"Hey Meg, do you think you and AJ can leave me alone with Melissa for a bit? I'd like to talk to her in private," Nick asked.
"Yea I understand man," AJ told him. "C'mon Meg. Let's leave the lovebirds alone for a bit," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.
Melissa could tell that Meg was still crying as she walked out the door and Melissa's eyes began to water as well.
As Nick looked down and saw her laying there almost helpless he had to admit she looked terrified. Her face was pale and her eyes red rimmed like she was about to cry. It was then he noticed that she was shaking like a leaf.
He pulled up a chair close to her bed and placed his hand on top of hers.
She gazed into his eyes but all she could say was, "Oh Nick."
"Shh, its going to be okay. You're going to be fine and after today you'll finally be normal and then we can ut all this behind us."
Melissa acted like she hadn't heard a word he said. "If anything happens I want you to have my tiger you bought me."
"Nothing is going to happen Babydoll. You're going to be fine," he reassured her.
"I know, but I'm just saying in case something goes wrong."
"Nothing is going to go wrong."
Melissa slipped the ring that he had bought her in Cancun off her finger and held it out to him. "I want you to have this while I'm in surgery and if-if I don't come out, I want you to keep it," she told him choking back a sob.
"Look Melissa, you are really starting to scare me. It's like you're just giving up. If you really want to live you have to think positively."
"I'm not giving up, its just that I'm so scared," Melissa confessed with tears in her eyes.
"I'm scared to Babydoll but I love you and I really want you to know that."
"I do realize that but don't you think that maybe you might be better off without me? Wouldn't your life be much easier if you were dating another girl? One who wasn't as sick as me?"
"I admit that yes life would be easier but certainly not better. I don't want some other girl, I want you Babydoll."
A slight smile crossed Melissa's pale face. "Really?"
"Really. Here," he told her as he handed her back the ring. "Wear it for good luck."
"OK I will," she promised as she slipped the ring back on her finger. "I love you Nick."
"I love you too," he told her as he leaned down to give her a kiss.
Just then a nurse walked in and told Nick to wrap it up because they had to prepare Melissa for surgery.
Already? Melissa asked herself. No, she wasn't ready yet. There were still a zillion things she wanted to tell Nick but there wasn't enough time.
"I hope I see you again," she told him.
"You will," he promised. "Just hang in there," he told her as the nurse practically dragged him out the door.
As he left Melissa stared at him trying to remember every single detail just in case she ever saw him again. She slowly took a deep breath. It was time.
"Leave them alone," AJ told her. "It's hard to maybe say goodbye forever to the girl you love.
" "And you know so much about it?" Meg snapped.
"Actually I do. One of my previous girlfriend's who I really cared about died in a car accident."
"Oh I'm really sorry AJ. I didn't know. Here I am acting like I'm the only one who was ever in this position before and now I realize how stupid I'm being. It's just that I'm so scared for Mel!"
"Shh. I understand what you are going through," he told her as he dropped a light kiss on her forehead.
Just then Nick stepped out of the room.
"How is she?" Meg asked.
"I got kicked out because they want to start getting her ready for surgery," he reported.
"Why don't we head over to the waiting room. It's not going to be any better hanging out here in the hall," AJ suggested.
"OK," Meg answered heading towards the waiting room thinking this is going to be a long day.
"Why won't they tell us anything?" Nick asked frustrated. "We've been here for hours now!"
"Chill out Nick!" AJ told him. "It shouldn't be to much longer now."
Meg was nervously pacing the waiting room praying silently in her head. Please let Mel be alive she prayed.
A few minutes later a doctor came into the waiting room. "Miss Morgan?" he asked.
"Yes, that's me," Meg answered.
"I have news about your sister," he told her looking slightly concerned.
"Oh God," she heard Nick murmur behind her.
"What is it? What's wrong with Mel?" she asked frantically.