Chapter Nine!

Chapter 9

Josh watched Camila as he drove them home from the hospital. She was staring out the window, tears and snot still streaming down her face, but no longer sobbing. He had held her at the hospital for a good five minutes until she stopped that. it was awful seeing her lose it like that, she normally kept her emotions under control.

"Will you watch the road?" she snapped, turning her head for the first time sice they got in the car. He took a good look at her before she turned her head again.

Her eyes and nose were bright red and puffy and the pathetic look in her eyes made him want to hold her again. She turned back and gazed out the window and he turned his attention back to the road.

After a few minutes, he heard a loud sniffling sound and the sound of her blowing her nose. Without taking his eyes off the road, he reached over and put his hand on her knee. She stiffened, then relaxed, and put her hand on his.

"Would you mind calling Guthren when we get home, to tell him?" she whispered, still staring out the window.

He nodded and said, "of course," as they pulled into Cammila's driveway. She got out of the car and went into the house, he stayed behind and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, calling Guthren.

"Yeah," Guthren answered.

"It's me, Boss."
"What's wrong with her? Because this new probie taking her place is really annoying me."
"Get used to the probie, then. She's got Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia."
There was a long, awkward silence, then Guthren yelled, "WHAT?"

"Yeah. I don't know all the technical stuff about it, but there is treatment. Google it."

"Oh my God, that's...just great. When is she starting treatment?"
"I don't know yet. Her doctor's gonna call tomorrow to discuss it;there are three different types. She didn't exactly take the news very well, I've never seen her lose control of herself like she did."
"I'll tell Director Austin. Bye."
The line went dead before Josh could even respond.

"How'd he take it?" Camila asked Josh as he entered the house.

"Angrily, as he takes everything. He'll be fine, though. Hey, not to bring up a sore subject, but....do you know anything about what you're gonna do for treatment?"
"Well, there are three types; chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow tranplant. I don't know anything about them, though. I'd have to see...God, I don't even know who I'd have to see," she said, starting to panic.

"Relax, Marie said she'd call some time tomorrow to discuss it." He could feel his phone vibrating in his back pocket. "Be right back," he said and Camila nodded, heading towards the fridge.

The caller ID said it was Randy.

"Oh my gosh, Guthren told me about Camila and that...that is just...horrible!" she exclaimed before he could even get a word in. "Could I talk to her?"
"Look, I don't really know if she's up to it. I mean, we've both been through emotional turmoil and..."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on. 'We've both'? What exactly happened? Every detail."
"You didn't see how she took the news. She...lost control. She was shocked, then she cried. A lot. She's still a little...upset."
"Did you hug her?"

"...What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'd just like to know."
"Will you stop overanalyzing everything?"

"Will you stop avoiding the question? Did you?"

"Now is not the time, Randy. Would you like to talk to Camila, or not?"

"Yes."

"Camila, Randy would like to talk to you," Josh said and threw the phone at where she was sitting on the couch eating tacos.

"Hi...yeah...I don't know yet...yeah, tomorrow....chemo, radiation, and bone marrow transplant...yeah, very...yes," sje said, followed by a giggle. "Okay. I love you, too...I'm not sure...of course, I'll let you know....bye."

"Quite a talker, huh?" he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah. Look, I appreciate what you've done--seriously, I do-- but," she said, getting off the couch and walking towards him, "go home, get a shower, go back to work. I'll call one of my friends if I need anything. I have some of those, y'know. Go find Cal Valanse." She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "Thank you. So, so much," in his ear.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered, "Anytime," in her ear, and let go. He grabbed his keys and windbreaker and walked towards the door.

"Hey," Camila said, and he stopped. "Sorry I barfed in your Camaro."