Bubbly
chapter 1
"NO!" I screamed out in denial, "YOU SAID I WAS OKAY!"
"Dakota," Doctor Reynolds sighed, "We had hoped you were! But despite the marrow transplant, your cancer has come back."
"How is that even POSSIBLE?!" I felt tears sting my blue eyes.
"I'm so sorry," Dr. Reynolds put his hand on my shoulder, and I shook it off.
"Dakota?" My older brother, Caleb walked in.
"What?" I spat at him; angry at anyone and everyone.
"I'm here for you, no matter what happens, okay?" He walked over to me.
"But I don't WANT anything to happen!" I felt warm, salty tears run down my face, and I saw them land on my blue hospital gown, "I had just gotten out! How come it only took A MONTH for the cancer to come back?"
"How come it had to come back at all? Dakota, I don't know all this medical stuff. What I do know is that you're my baby sister. You mean everything to me, and I'll be damned if you're anything but a fighter. You are SO strong. You've beaten this thing once before, you CAN beat it again, okay?"
"I'll try, Caleb. But no guarentees," I cracked a smile.
"That's all I can ask," He hugged me, and I curled my hands around his shoulder blades.
"Can I please just go to the memorial?" I pleaded with my team of doctors. Their faces told me they didn't like the idea of me going ANYWHERE, "Oh, COME ON. It's my MOTHER'S WAKE, for gosh sakes! She meant so much to me. You HAVE to let me say goodbye to her!" I looked up at all of them.
"Just this ONE time..." My main doctor warned me, and I heard myself laughing.
"Thank you. Thank you so much," I stood up to hug her. Then I picked up my phone and called Caleb, "Hey, C, they said I can go! Yeah, can you bring me some clothes? No, BRIGHT colors, Mom told me she wanted us to be 'vibrant.' Well, Caleb, she was an ARTIST, not a politician. you really think I sound like her? Yeah, that'll do just fine. I love you too, Caleb. See you tomorrow," I flipped my phone closed, and laid back into my pillow. As my nurse turned off the light, I whispered, "Goodnight, Mom. I'll always love you."
Caleb walked in the next morning dressed in his black tux, with a Superman t-shirt underneath. I smiled, despite what today was. He handed me my tye-dyed sundress, and I slipped into the bathroom to get ready. I put on the dress, and exaimed myself in the mirror. My caramel-colored hair was just starting to grown back, so I had a pixie-like hairstyle. I put in a white headband, slipped on white gladiators, and gently clasped at the silver locket balanced on my chest. I lifted it to my lips, and kissed the metal. Then, I opened it to see my mother's smiling face as Dad kissed her cheek. I looked at myself in the mirror, and closed the locket gently.
"This one's for you, Mom," I smiled softly at my own reflection as I walked out to Caleb.