“I don’t care if he has money or not. I just like him.” I wrap my arms around myself and grin. “I love him.”
Jane sits up a little straighter. “Is that what you wanted to tell me? I’m sorry I didn’t respond…”
“No, I know. I get it. You had your own thing going on… but no, that wasn’t what I was going to tell you.”
“So, what was it? Was it something more exciting than you falling in love with a good man?”
I nod and bite down on my bottom lip. The news actually wants to explode from me. “Yes, it is. I’m actually… I’m having a baby.” At first, I freak out, suddenly realizing this might not be good news to her…
“You are?” Her face explodes into a smile. “Oh, my goodness, that is incredible news. That’s wonderful. You are going to be the best mom in the whole world. Your baby is freaking lucky and I’m…”
Her hands clap to her mouth and I can see the happiness shining behind her gaze which just makes me feel even better about it all. The fact that both Jane and Isaac are so over the moon is everything.
“My baby is lucky to have you as an auntie too. He or she is going to adore you.”
I half expect her to scream or something with happiness, but her expression falls, and she looks sad for just a moment. I can practically see what’s going through her mind, she doesn’t believe she will be alive to ever get to meet my baby. My whole chest tightens at the idea. I never even thought of it that way. That Jane might not be around to meet my child. I almost completely succumb to panic at the prospect.
“Jane, is there something you need to tell me?” I gasp out. “Is the treatment not going well?”
She averts her gaze, which gives me a moment to study her face. Really study it, and she doesn’t look great. I’ve become used to seeing Jane look unwell, but she is way worse now. It’s hard to keep convincing myself that this is just a side effect of the treatment and it means things are going well.
“I don’t think I’m exactly where I need to be,” she admits. “But they haven’t said to give up or anything.”
She really doesn’t sound too positive which makes all of me sink. I can’t lose Jane now. I can’t face this world without her, I can’t cope having a baby with her nowhere around me. This has to work.
“So, you’re going to keep having it?” I ask in a thick tone of voice.
“Yes, I am. I won’t give up now… unless the financial strain is too much for you.”
“No, no, not at all.” I shake my head hard. “It’s fine, I just… I want you to be okay.”
She takes my hand and looks at me. The haunting expression in her eyes is too much for me, I can’t handle
it, I need a moment away from her to just get a grip on all of this emotion.
“Actually, speaking of money, I need to go and check that the payments are okay…”
Jane calls something after me, but I don’t hear it. I stagger out of the room and into the hallway where I can crumble and fall apart. I can’t even imagine it though, even now. A world without Jane seems impossible. I don’t know how I will live. To give me something to do before I collapse, I race to the finance department to do what I said I was going to. I might as well, just so I’m not lying to Jane.
I ask the woman at the desk about the payment plan, trying to get the words out through the thick ball of emotion. If she thinks that I’m insane, she doesn’t say so. I suppose she must be used to it here.
“Oh, the full amount has been covered,” she tells me, sounding as shocked as I feel. The stunned silence stops the tears from flowing quite as much. “For the rest of the treatment. From an anonymous benefactor.”
“Anonymous benefactor, what does that mean? Someone just paid it off…”
As I say those words, it hits me. It’s completely obvious who has done this…. Isaac. He’s done it to take the financial strain off of me so I can focus on our baby. So, I don’t have to be stressed.
“Okay, well thank you.” I nod and back away. “I guess that’s it then.”
She parts her lips, about to say something else to me, but I can’t listen to it. I need to leave, to get back to Jane. I probably shouldn’t have run out on her like I did, that isn’t the best way for us to reconnect. But as I go, I pull out my cell phone and I fire off a message to Isaac. I need to thank him.
Lexi: I can’t believe you paid off Jane’s treatment and didn’t tell me!! Xx
Isaac: It might not have been me. As far as I know, no name was left behind… xxx
Lexi: I know! No one else would do anything as sweet as that xx
Isaac: I hope it’s helped… even just a little bit. I also hope things are going well with Jane xx