My Boss

55

Friday afternoon, Alex left.

She came in the morning to attend some meetings and sign some documents as she was unsure if she would be here Monday next week.

"I don't know, Cara. I'm really not sure if Monday I'll be here." I remember her telling me this.

"Take me with you, Alex. I'll pay for my flight and my accommodation. I want to be with you. I want to see your Doctor, I want to talk to him, please, Alex." I begged her.

"You know, paying for those will never be a problem, right? It's just that, My Mom always comes with me whenever I do this, she never leaves my side and she will wonder why you'd be there. I mean, she probably knows you as Brian's girlfriend, so..."

At that point, I was not hearing her reasons, all I wanted was to come with her, be with her, hold her hand while she get through it.

I've never seen how chemo works or how is treatment being performed. I googled it and YouTube it, it's basically an infusion into your vein but it makes you weak, nauseous, etc. And I want to be there, I want to take care of her, I want to be the one caressing her back when she needs to hurl, I want my hand to be the one she squeezes when something hurts.

She said it'll take only a few hours but she cannot travel right away that's why they need to spend a few more days in London before they get back.

"You know, I would love you to be there. But, I'm sorry. I'll, I'll see you when I get back, okay?" Those are the words she said before leaving the office.

The remaining hours in the office consist of me being in a trance. I was doing some work but I'm not sure if I was doing them correctly.

For the whole week, Brian's face is nowhere to be found. I heard he took a leave of absence and nobody knows when is he going to be back, even Alex has no idea.

When the clock hit five, I heard the chairs of my colleagues slide through the tiled floor and the voices get loud.

"Are you ready?" Lisa positioned in front of my table, her brows raised.

"Uhmm... Ready for what?" I asked as I gathered my stuff.

"Please don't tell me you did not forget the interns get together tonight!" Her arms crossed her chest and I could tell from her face that she was warning me or something.

I did. I did forget.

When Alex mentioned the chemotherapy on Monday, my mind couldn't get off it.

I seriously searched it online as Alex wouldn't tell me much about it. Though she said, it's gonna be her third time doing this, and will be advised by the Doctor after if it is working or same or worst, not.

So every night, I was googling. Playing scenarios in my mind. I didn't notice any changes in her appearance aside from her becoming thin and her skin being a bit dry. Her hair looks the same though from her face, you'll really see how much weight she lost and the dark circles on her eyes being prominent.

"Cara?" I was startled to hear Lisa raising her voice, Tom was now behind her.

"N-No. No, I did not forget. I was just... gathering my stuff, making sure I didn't forget anything." 

I didn't want to go, to be honest. I want to wait for Alex's update when she lands in London, she told me she would message me right away and update me the whole time she'd be there.

But I promise the interns I will go with them tonight.

Maybe, I'll go in a couple of hours and leave them, just to make an appearance.