“Does that mean he’s going to be okay?” I ask.
Dr. Pham clears her throat, unable to meet my gaze.
The room falls silent, and all I can hear is the pounding of my heart and my labored breathing. I grip the white hospital sheets tightly, my mind racing with endless possibilities about what her answer might be.
“I have reviewed his scans, and they’re showing that the cancer has metastasized to his other organs. There’s a tumor in his brain, which most likely caused him to collapse.”
“No. There has to be a mistake,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief. “I just went to the park with him a few days ago. He was fine.”
Mom stands from her seat. “Can we be more aggressive with chemo?”
Dr. Pham stares at the ground, shaking her head. “I’m afraid chemotherapy isn’t an option anymore. His cancer is far too advanced.”
She walks over to Abuelo and places a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Delgado.”
Abuelo’s throat bobs and his eyes brim with tears. “How much time do I have left?”
“A month. Maybe a few weeks. I’m not entirely sure,” she answers softly.
“There must be something you can do!” I shout.
“We did the best we could,” Dr. Pham says softly, “but his body didn’t respond to chemo.”
“Then we will find another doctor!”
Abuelo gives my hand a squeeze. “Mi rosa, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay!” I shout, my voice breaking as the tears fall from my cheeks. “You can’t die! You can’t!”
I stumble out of the room, feeling as if the weight of a thousand bricks is pressing down on my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.
Maddox spots me as I make my way to the exit, and he chases after me.
“Annalise, what happened?” he asks, his eyes filling with concern as he places his hands on my shoulders.
“The cancer has spread to his other organs. There’s nothing else they can do. I’m gonna lose him, Maddox.”
When Abuelo was first diagnosed, I knew his chances of survival were low, but I held on to hope, praying that he would beat the odds.
He was there for me when I scraped my knee while learning how to ride a bike, when I got my license, and when my father left us. He’s been there for me through every moment in my life.
He was supposed to be the one walking me down the aisle when I get married and to be around when I start a family of my own. The thought of living in a world without his warm hugs and infectious laughter is too much for me to bear.
Maddox pulls me tightly against him, his strong arms enveloping me as I crumble into a torrent of tears. My sobs wrack my entire body, echoing the deep agony inside of me.
“I’m so sorry, Annalise. Your grandpa is such a kind and wonderful soul, and has always treated me like family. It isn’t fair that this is happening to him.” He caresses my hair,placing a kiss on top of my head. I can feel tears of his own falling down. “I can’t even begin to fathom what you’re going through. I know how much he means to you.”
“The doctor says he only has a few weeks left. What am I supposed to do without him?”
Placing his hand on my cheek, he gently strokes it with his thumb. “Try to make the most of the precious time you have left together. He’ll need you by his side now more than ever.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
maddox
My heart squeezed painfullyin my chest when I saw Annalise in such a broken state. I felt useless—there was nothing I could say or do that would take her pain away.
If only I had the cure to cancer, so her grandpa could live longer and be there during all the special moments in her life.
