Surviving Cancer

Saturday, January 13 Cont'd & Sunday, January 14

MACI POV

I popped open the brown carton of food, so thankful to be spared the hospital's food for the evening. It wasn't that it was horrible but it was nothing like the steamy, creamy pasta that was sitting before me. Who could pass up chicken Alfredo when it looked like Antartica outside?

"This smells amazing." I said, closing my eyes as I brought the carton closer to my nose.

"Thought you might like that." My dad said with a smile on his face.

I unwrapped a plastic fork, stabbing a sauce covered chunk of chicken and popped in my mouth. It tasted every bit as good as it looked.

"What'd you get?" I asked, peeking over the top of my dad's carton.

He sat cross legged on the foot of my bed. His dress slacks pulled up to mid calf exposing a pair of polka dot socks. When the funky dress socks trend hit the press my dad was all for it. He said it was his chance for fun in a career that was all about boring rules. He had stripped out of his coat and jacket. The cuffs of his button up shirt were rolled up to his elbows and the knot of his toe was pulled loose. He looked relaxed, the stress from his day left at the door. It made me smile.

"Lasagna, the only thing you should ever get when ordering Italian." He shoved a forkful of food in his mouth.

I didn't notice most of the time how young he actually was. He was my dad so he was "old" but all my friend's parents were in their forties. My dad was barely to his mid thirties. Sitting on my bed with me, with his polka dot socks showing, I could see just how young he still was. Even if he hid it most of the time.

"Can I ask you a question dad?"

He looked up at me, setting his fork down in his carton. He balanced his food in his lap, giving me his full attention. The youthfulness I saw moments before replaced with his dad face.

"Of course." He said.

I glanced down at my food, pushing it around the box as nerves slipped into my body.

"Um, I was just wondering, if Jared could visit?" I asked. "I'm only like a week and a half away from the 30 day mark and the doctors keep saying I'm making good progress."

I laid my case out as fast as I could. I didn't want him shutting the idea down before I had a chance to give him the facts. I watched him as he thought. My heart pounding in my chest as I awaited his answer. He cleared his throat, I wasn't sure what way it was going to go.

"I'll tell you what." He said. "I'll talk to your mom tonight and maybe sometime next week, okay?"

I bit back the smile that wanted to over take my face and nodded. I shoved some pasta in my mouth in a lame attempt to hide my excitement.

"Thanks." I mumbled with my mouth full of food.

"Anytime sweetheart."

He winked at me, shoveling lasagna in his mouth.

"So you and Jared. You're a 'thing'?" He asked.

I felt heat rush to my cheeks. It doesn't matter how close you are to your parents; talking to them about your crush is still embarrassing.

"Sort of." I said, taking an extreme interest in my food once more.

"Sort of? Do I need to have a chat with him?" He asked.

He stabbed at his lasagna unconcerned with the fact that my face was bright red and that I was gawking at him.

"Nope. Sure don't." I said.