When Katherine and Jensen got to the hospital and Katherine saw her father, her heart broke into many pieces. Just seeing him there, lying down, looking fragile and vulnerable brought hot tears to her eyes. He was asleep so they all went outside his room to talk... Not wanting to wake him up.
"What are the doctors saying?" Katherine asked, letting her tears flow freely now and making no effort to stop them. "How is the cancer back? He looked fine. He has been fine all this while. How can it just come back? How bad is it? There has to be something they can do right? I mean, they are not just gonna sit back and let him die right? Isn't that like... Supposed to be against the law or something? They have to try something... anything"
Jensen took a hold of her arm and rubbed it soothingly. "Calm down a little bit, Kat," he said softly. "I know you are scared, but one question at a time. They can't answer a million questions at once"
Katherine nodded slowly, but she could barely hear him. Her heart was beating fast and all she could think about was the image of her dad in that bed.... The fact that she could be saying goodbye to her father real soon. And she wasn't prepared for that...But then again, is anyone ever prepared for something like that?
Delia had tears in her eyes and Jonathan left them to sit while Kate went with him. He seemed at loss for words. Katherine understood his need to sit. She was finding it harder to hold herself up as she felt her legs getting weaker.
"He hasn't been feeling too well for a while..." Delia began. "We didn't think it was anything serious so we decided not to bother anyone about it. No need to cause unnecessary panic.. He wasn't feeling well yesterday either. When it continued today and got worse we decided to bring him here. The doctor ran some tests. He said the cancer is back, Kathy... And this time it's really bad"
Katherine took a deep breath. Determined to find something positive to hold on to in this terrible situation. This couldn't really be happening "Okay." she said. "So when are they gonna start treatments?"
"They said there is not going to be any treatments this time, honey" Delia replied.
"Why not?" Katherine insisted. "Maybe chemo... Something has to be done"
"They say it's spread so much Kathy. There's not going to be any form of treatment. They say all they are going to do now is make him comfortable."
The tears flowed freely this time. Katherine wrapped her hands around herself. Unable to believe what she was hearing. It was a dream... It had to be. A very bad dream. She repeated in her head. She had to do something.. Maybe pinch herself and wake up somehow.
"I'm so so sorry, honey," Delia said.
"How long does he have?" Katherine dared to ask. "How long before we have to say goodbye?"
"He has months... Maybe two...or three" Delia said. She pulled Katherine into her arms and they sobbed. A minute later, a nurse came to tell them that Jonah was awake.
"I don't know if I can go in there" Katherine said, still sobbing after she released her mother. "I can't see him like this... I ca..I can't"
Jensen cupped her face in his hands, and lifted it up so she could look at him. He hated seeing her this way. She was hurting and there was nothing he could do to make her feel better. All he could do now was be there for her. Make her understand that she wasn't going to be alone in this. He couldn't believe Jonah was dying either. The man was like a father to him.
"Hey" he said. "You have to go in there. You have to go see your father. He's a strong man. We both know that. And I know that's hard but he needs you right now. You have to be there for him and you have to be strong. And I'm going to be here too... In case you need me...You understand?"
Katherine nodded slowly. Feeling like she was in some kind of trance. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief Jensen gave to her and then she braced herself and walked in with Jensen. The rest of the family were in the room already.
Delia sat in a chair beside the bed, holding her husband's hand, smiling at him and the sight was just too heartbreaking. Kate and Jonathan were on the other side of the bed. Katherine stood in the middle of the room, her feet seemed glued to the spot... still finding it hard to believe that it was really her father lying sick in that bed. He was a strong man. Always had been. He had beat this sickness before and now it was back to take him. The last time she saw him he was perfectly healthy... And now...
Jonah turned his head towards her. "Are you gonna stand there all day, Kathy?" he asked. A smile on his face. And Katherine melted... Knowing him and knowing that he was going to be strong through this too... For himself and for all of them.
"Hi dad," she said. She moved closer this time, Jensen behind her and then she sat on his bed and took his hand. Which she brought to her cheek.
"Oh dad," she said.
And the tears were back again.
"Oh... no no no. Don't do that" Jonah said. "Listen to me Kathy. I don't care what the doctor and his tests say, okay? I'm going to beat this. I beat it before, and I'm going to beat it again. I'm going to be around for a long time, pumpkin... No one and nothing is going to get rid of me that easily..."
Katherine laughed then, her eyes still wet, but a bit encouraged by her dad's optimism. She was still scared but he didn't seem to be, and that gave her hope.
If anyone was going to beat something like this, it was her dad. He was the strongest man she knew. And she wanted to hold on to anything... She wanted to hold on to any form of hope. Because that was all they had right now.