2 - Absent

Melissa’s POV

The world crashes right on top of me, rendering me unable to breathe. I look at the room and find Allie inside, not moving.

The worst has happened. Everything that I was dreading is now passing by right in front of me, and I can’t hold back anymore.

I start to cry. It felt like it’s been way too long since I last cried. All the despair in my heart, all the resentment, all the anxiety… it’s just too much. It’s way too much for me to be dealing with alone, when Allie’s father should be right here with me, worrying with me.

But he’s at his other daughter’s birthday party, believing that this is all an act.

“I’m so sorry,” the doctor says, with more sympathy in his tone that Andrew ever will have. “I assure you, it will be fine. We already have a donor ready, and right now the papers are being processed so we can put Allie under surgery as soon as possible.”

My eyes go wide. “There’s already a donor? We don’t have to look for it?”

The doctor gives me a small smile and nods.

My heart clenches with a bit of relief. Neither Andrew nor I are perfect matches for Allie. I was informed before that sometimes that happens, even with biological parents. Allie didn’t need a donor before, but we did some testing just in case.

If Allie was able to fight it off before, then she can do it again.

“You will be informed every step of the way,” he assures me further. “We will save Allie.”

“We will,” I repeat, feeling a ray of hope through the dark clouds. “We will.”

With that, the doctor lets me inside Allie’s room. She’s pale, but her eyes definitely have a bit more light in them. She lights up even more when she sees me, but my heart nearly gives way.

“Hey, baby,” I say, sitting on her bed and holding her hand. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m good,” Allie says, and my heart further snaps when I see her trying to smile. “I heard everything that they were saying. I know my cancer came back.”

For a moment, I consider telling her that it’s not that bad. But she’s always been too smart for things like that. I know she will smell bullshit from a mile away.

“Yeah, it did come back,” I whisper. “But the good news is, you already have a donor lined up. All we have to do is wait for the papers, and you should be ready for surgery. How do you feel about that?”

I expect her to say that she’s scared. I mean, who wouldn’t be? She’s a child facing such a major thing. Even adults can feel overwhelmed about that.

But to my surprise, Allie nods and smiles wider.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she declares. When my mouth falls open, she laughs out loud. “What’s wrong, Mommy? I’m happy to get the surgery. It means I can live forever and ever.”

Tears leak out of the corners of my eyes. I blink them away, kissing her knuckles. “That’s right. Everything will go well, and maybe you will never go to a hospital ever again after this.”

“I don’t mind, I want to be healthy and be with you and Daddy forever.”

Allie, as weak as she is, does her best to get up and hug me. I wrap my arms around her, feeling overwhelmed. Allie and I stay like that for a while, but I can almost feel her withering with exhaustion in my arms, so I let her go.

“Go get some rest, okay?” I say. “You need your strength for the surgery.”

“Okay, mommy.” She grips my hand as she rests her back. “Can you call Daddy? I need him here.”

“Of course,” I say, stroking her hair as I dial Andrew’s number.

On and on it rings. I try to smile for Allie as the call takes even longer. I try again, but to no avail. It seems that Andrew is ignoring the call.

“It’s okay,” I say in a thick voice. “You don’t need to wait for him. He’ll be here soon.”

“I’ll wait,” Allie insists.

Desperately, I keep trying to reach Andrew, but all my calls get dropped because he won’t answer them. I try one last time, and this time, Andrew picks up the call. “Andrew. Allie and I are the—”

“Hospital, I know,” Andrew snaps, sounding pissed off. “I’m already here. Where the hell are you?”

“Is that Daddy?” Allie says excitedly, sitting up abruptly like someone just shot pure energy down her back.

“Yes, baby,” I say weakly, turning back to Andrew. “We’re in a private suite. Please come—”

The rest of my words get cut when Andrew shuts off the call. Soon enough, I hear heavy footsteps outside. I open the door, and Andrew walks in, looking angry. He still has some tassels in his hair from the birthday party.

“Daddy!” Allie says, opening her arms to hug him.

But Andrew ignores her. “Can we talk, Melissa? Outside?”

“Wait here, love,” I tell Allie before following Andrew outside. Once out of earshot, everything inside me just explodes. I can’t just ignore his negligence any longer. “What the hell was that? Why did you ignore our daughter?”

“I got a better question for you,” Andrew says. “Why did Allie make Lottie’s birthday about herself?”

I step back, appalled. “What? Allie is sick! Her cancer is back and she needs surgery. And you’re worried about a goddamn birthday party?”

“Because it’s all fake,” Andrew states confidently. “Both of you are making this up. This is some elaborate lie to make me stay by your side and never take care of my other daughter. Because you poisoned Allie with your jealousy, and now—”

“NO!” I scream, unable to stop myself. “You have no right to say that! You can just ask any one of the doctors here and they will tell you what you’re too blind to see!”

Andrew sneers, then he opens his mouth to speak. But then, the door opens and Allie comes out.

“Why are you fighting?” Allie asks meekly.

“Because both of you are lying,” Andrew states plainly. “Confess to me, Allie. You’re not really sick. You were declared cancer-free and you’ve been having regular check-ups since. I know you’re fine. Now tell Daddy… have you been lying?”

I open my mouth to scold Andrew, but to my surprise, Allie stops me. She gives me a little nod like she’s assuring me that she got this, then she faces Andrew.

“I’m sorry, Daddy, but you’re right, I’ve been lying.”

“Allie!” I gasp. “That’s not true, let him ask the doctors—”

“Very good, Allie.” Andrew picks her up. “This is why I know I can trust you.”

He hugs her, looking at me over her shoulder triumphantly. I’m speechless. I want to tell Allie to speak the truth—the real truth—but I realize why she did that.

She just wants Andrew’s attention, and she’s willing to deny her own pain for it.

I take a step closer to Andrew, about to flip my lid, but then I see two figures approaching.

Eleanor and Lottie.

“What are you doing here?” I ask in a low voice, causing Andrew to turn around and see them. “I don’t want you two here.”

Eleanor puts a hand on her chest, acting shocked. “We’re just here to see Allie!”