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Unease and fear dance in the shadows of our minds like unwanted guests that we try and fail to ignore.

Three days later, a new doctor walks into the hospital room. She looks around fifty, with long hair pulled into a braid and a bare face that somehow calms me the moment I see her. There’s something kind about her, something quiet and knowledgeable, like she has spent a lifetime learning how to walk into rooms like this.

Two more doctors follow, a man and a woman, both much younger. They stay slightly behind her, watching the older doctor like she’s the one they’re here to learn from.

Then they look at me.

And I see it.

Compassion.

My stomach drops.

I sit up when I see their somber faces.

“It’s not good news, huh?” Damiano tries to joke, but it comes out wrong, his voice too high and scared.

I bring my hand to his shoulder and squeeze once. He looks up at me.

I’m here, I tell him with my eyes.

He nods and turns back to the doctor.

She pushes her glasses up her nose and walks over to him, holding out her hand. “I’m Dr. Mia Martens, a hematologist-oncologist.”

I bite into my cheek at the mention of that title.

I know that title.

I’ve watched enough Grey’s Anatomy to know it well.

“Nice to meet you.” Damiano nods and takes my hand in his. It’s trembling, so I try to smile at him, but his eyes tell me he knows I’m scared too.

“I’m okay,” I whisper.

He nods.

I look at the doctor and see her eyes on our hands.

“Mr. Raimondi, I’m afraid your bone marrow results show that you have acute myeloid leukemia.”

My head spins.

“Leukemia? That can’t be true!” I laugh and look at Damiano. “He’s twenty-five! He’s healthy!” I look back at the doctor. “I want you to do the tests again. There must be a mistake.”

Damiano’s hand comes to my cheek.

“Vita, I…” He searches my eyes as I shake my head. “I’m not okay.”

Damiano turns to the doctor.

“Survival rate?”

The room grows heavy with silence.

I never noticed how loud silence could be. It feels like it’s screaming now, but no one seems to hear it but me.

The doctor looks down at the folder in her hands.