Pieces (Riverdale #1) (22 page)

     
His mother shrieked happily at his
declaration and hurried around the counter to hug him. “Oh my God!” She sobbed
causing him to chuckle. The typical Deb reaction he was expecting. “When?” She
said when she pulled back and wiped at her cheeks.

     
“After my last dose of chemo.” He took a
deep breath. “I don’t know mom, but I’ve got this feeling like I’m going to be
alright, like I kicked the shit out of this disease.” He smiled and it was
true, he believed with his whole being that when they ran those tests, he’d be
in remission or damn well close to it. He wouldn’t ask her to marry him if he
thought he was going to die. He made that decision a while ago. Jake knew Cara
would run to the altar if he was dying and he wasn’t about to leave her a widow
at twenty-nine. He wouldn’t subject her to that.

     
Deb smiled brightly through her tears and
nodded. “That’s my boy.” She laughed and choked out a sob at the same time.
“I’m so proud of you. You have no idea.”

     
He smiled and took her hand. “Thank you.”

     
“I believe you kicked the cancer’s ass
too.” She said and then pulled up a stool beside him. “Does Cara have any
idea?”

     
“No not at all.” Jake said. They’d barely
discussed marriage, especially these days. “I want her to be surprised. That’s
where you come in.”

     
Deb pointed to herself and raised an
eyebrow. “Me? Tell me what to do.”

     
“I want you to come with me when I buy her
a ring.” He had it all figured out. “She won’t question me if I go somewhere
with you. She won’t worry or rush home from work. She’s the most at ease when
you’re watching over me.” He rolled his eyes, he felt like a schoolboy. “Anyway
will you take me? Besides, I’d like your help picking it out.”

     
And there were Deb’s tears again. She
brought Jake into her arms and hugged him. “Of course I’d take you.” She pulled
back and stared at him. “I’ll call George the jeweler.”

     
“Okay.” He smiled at the excitement that
exuberated from his mother. “Let’s just keep this between us for now. I really,
really want her to be surprised.”

     
“My lips are sealed!” She whispered, and
Jake laughed. His father would probably know by the time Jake dragged his ass
back down the stairs.

     
Jake had been admitted into the hospital
two days ago, and immediately the doctors worked to administer his last dose of
chemotherapy. It was over. The pain and suffering he endured from the chemicals
that were shot into his body, came to a close. The doctors wanted him to finish
out the week in the hospital, feeling more comfortable with him being in their
care, in case the side effects became too much. His nausea had left after the
first day and mostly all he felt was tired.
     
He
glanced around his hospital room, he really couldn’t wait to break the hell out
of there. He wanted more than anything to put this whole thing behind him and start
living the life he dreamed of. He smiled as he watched Cara sleep in the chair
beside his bed. He had an engagement ring sitting in his mother’s closet, and
couldn’t wait to ask her to be his wife. He sat up at night, watching her sleep
and thinking of all the ways he could ask her.

     
It was funny, if someone would’ve told him
that he would be on the verge of proposing he’d laugh in that person’s face.
Well, he shouldn’t say that, he didn’t think six months ago he’d get cancer
either.

     
“Hey, why didn’t you wake me?” Cara asked
groggily as she stretched her arms over her head.

     
Jake laughed. “Why would I do that? So you
could stare at the paint on the walls with me?”

     
She glanced at the walls and made a face.
“It’s such a horrible color too.” She shuddered as she turned her attention
back towards him, smiling.

     
Jake stared at the putrid pink walls and
glanced back at Cara, his face serious. “We should file a complaint.” He
reached out for her hand and winked.

     
“Are you feeling okay?” She said as she
bent and kissed his fingertips.

     
“Like a million bucks.” His thumb caressed
the inside of her palm. “I hope they let me out earlier.”

     
“What’s the rush? You got some hot date I
don’t know about?” She joked and squeezed his hand.

     
“Something like, that.” He cocked his head
to the side and smiled at her. “The first thing I’m going to do when I have my
strength back is take a ride with you.”

     
She smiled wistfully playing along. “Where
would we go?”

     
“Who cares, we’ll just ride until we run
out of gas.” He meant it; he didn’t care where they went. Just being able to
ride his bike again with his girl, it’s something he dreamt about lately.

     
“I’m all for that.” Cara sighed.
“Providing you feel well enough.”

     
“I told you, baby. I believe with my whole
heart I beat this shit. You’re stuck with me girl, for the rest of our lives.”

     
“That sounds amazing.” She grinned.

     
“Yeah? You okay with you and me growing
old together?” He asked huskily and was surprised by how nervous he felt asking
her. He watched her eyes fill with unshed tears.

     
“In a perfect world I dream of growing old
with you.” Her voice was hoarse, and she cleared her throat. She stood up and
sat on the side of his bed, and her hand lifted to caress his face. “To watch
each other’s hair turn gray and to count the lines on our faces.” A lone tear
slid down her cheek.

     
Jake had to swallow the question he almost
asked. Not now, not in a hospital, he told himself. Instead he leaned forward,
gathering all of his strength and cupped her face in his hands. He stared into
her hazel eyes, and saw so much love in them.

     
“I love you, Cara.” He whispered roughly
before pressing his lips delicately against hers.

     
Before Cara could respond there was a
knock on his door, and it swung open. They pulled apart and both turned to face
his family.

     
“I told you to wait before you opened the
damn door!” Joe growled at his wife.

     
“Shut up, Joe. I’m sorry are we
interrupting?” Deb asked innocently.

     
“Of course you’re interrupting!” Joe
bellowed as he rolled his eyes. Sam and Luke pushed through the door behind
their parents.

     
Cara laughed. “It’s fine.” She ran her
fingers through her hair.

     
“Before any of you and all of you ask, I
feel fine.” Jake told them. Maybe if he just began every conversation with
that, people would stop asking every minute.

     
“I wasn’t going to ask, I know you’re a
beast.” Sam said as she plopped down on the foot of his bed. Jake kicked her
ass playfully.

     
Jake looked around at the four of them and
then at Luke in wonderment. If they were all there who was watching Ava, no way
in hell did Nick Foti become Ava’s nanny. “Where’s Ava?”

     
Sam smirked as she too, looked at Luke.
“Yeah, where is she, Luke?”

     
Jake eyed his sister curiously. She knew
exactly where she was, then he turned back to Luke. He on the other hand looked
like he wanted to throttle Sam. Jake clapped his hands together and rubbed them
vigorously, let the fun begin.

     
“Sam, don’t embarrass your brother!” Deb
demanded as she opened the blinds, letting the sunlight filter through the pink
room.

     
“Hell I’d embarrass him if I knew what was
going on.” Jake said, wishing someone would let the cat out of the bag.

     
Joe sat down on a chair, shaking his head.
“He’s thirty-one Debra. If he gets embarrassed than we have a problem, don’t
you think!”

     
“Guys, I’m right here, you know?” Luke
said miserably.

     
“Would someone please tell me what the
hell is going on?” Jake pleaded.

     
“Your brother got laid.” Joe said
nonchalantly.

     
“Joe!” Deb said outraged.

     
“Pop!” Luke said before he covered his
face with his hands.

     
Jake laughed wholeheartedly.

     
“Wait! How do you know he got laid?” Jake
said as he turned to his father.

     
Joe shrugged his shoulders as he opened
his newspaper. “I’m old, not dead.” He lifted the paper to cover his face. Cara
laughed beside Jake, and he wrapped his arm around her. With his head on her
shoulder, he looked back at his brother.

     
“I bet I know who the lucky lady is.” Jake
grinned and Cara looked over her shoulder at him.

     
“Who?’ She asked him.

     
“Black Cherry! Go on, tell me I’m right. I
know I’m right.” Jake said and then patted himself on the shoulder, proud of
himself.

     
“Her name is Leah.” Luke muttered. “And
we’re seeing each other.” He raised his voice so his father could hear him. Joe
poked his head from the top of the newspaper and peered at Luke.

     
“Whatever you call it, you got some kid!
Be proud.” He released the newspaper with one hand and pumped his fist in the
air.

     
“You know Joe, I think you should get a
CAT scan while you’re here.” Deb said as she hit him upside the head with the
back of her hand.

     
“Damn you woman! You go and hit me in the
head and shake shit up and then expect me to go for a CAT scan? You probably
loosened a few screws with that hand.”

     
“Guys? Can we please focus?” Sam begged
and then patted Jake’s leg. “I have something exciting to tell you guys.” She
said as she looked at Jake and Cara.

     
Jake had to admit, this was exactly what
the doctor ordered, his crazy family in all their dysfunctional glory. He
grinned at his sister. “If you’re about to tell me you and---“

     
Sam cut him off and held her hand up in
protest. “Before you go there, it has nothing to do with him.”

     
Jake looked at her skeptically, knowing
that she was referring to Nick of course. “Then what exciting news is it that
you have?”

     
Sam bounced off the bed and reached into
her pocketbook and pulled out a stack of papers. She walked around handing one
to everyone.

     
Jake and Cara shared one and they read it
together. It was an invitation to a Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness benefit.
Jake’s eyes focused on one line specifically.

Celebrating
Survival

In
Honor of Cancer Fighter & Survivor

Jake
Lanza

     
It was odd seeing his own name on a piece
of paper; that portrayed him as a fighter and survivor of a deadly disease. He
needed a moment to process and was thankful that Cara spoke up, breaking the
silence.

     
“You organized this?” Cara asked as she
continued to look down at the flyer.

     
“Yes. I wanted to commemorate Jake’s
struggle and raise awareness. I’ve contacted the Light the Night foundation and
any money made from the event will go to Lymphoma research in Jake’s honor.”
Sam said before she began to chew on her bottom lip.

     
“This is amazing.” Cara said, as she
placed the flyer on her lap and looked at Sam. “I can’t believe you did this.
What can I do to help?”

     
Sam smiled hopefully as she glanced from
Cara to Jake. “I’ve done everything. The event is one month from today at
Rudy’s. Rather than doing a walk, I asked Pete to spread the word at the track
to do a motorcycle run. It would start at Rudy’s and ultimately end there. I
have Jake’s favorite cover band playing. Pete even offered to do to tattoos in
the bar, to raise more money.” She rambled excitedly but more nervous than
anything else. “Jake?”

     
He slowly looked up at his sister, his
eyes were full but he refused to cry. Truth was, he was in awe of her efforts.
She believed in him. Believed he was a survivor as much as he believed it.

There
were no words. He reached out for her. He felt Cara slide off the bed and then
Sam leaned over him and he took her in his arms, hugged her with all his might

     
“Thank you.” He whispered hoarsely. He
held her for a moment before pulling back and brushing back her hair that had
fallen in her face. “Thank you for believing in me.”

     
“Always.” She whispered and kissed his
cheek. They both turned when they heard their mother let out a sob, and
simultaneously they laughed at her.

     
“She’s such a good girl, my Samantha.” Deb
said as she cried. Luke handed her the box of tissues that sat on the table
beside Jake’s bed, thankfully the hospital was equipped to handle their
mother’s emotions.

     
“That’s because she takes after me.” Joe
said as he closed the newspaper and placed it on the table. He winked at his
daughter. “Good job, daughter.”

     
“She does not we just let you think she
does.” Deb said before she blew her nose.

     
Joe waved his hands at his wife, ignoring
her and stood up. He held his hand out to his daughter.

     
“Dad?” Sam asked questioningly, but placed
her hand in his and let him help her to her feet.

     
He took one of her hands in his and
wrapped the other around her and began to sing.
 
Joe sang as he began to spin his daughter around the hospital room. Each
one of them knew the Buddy Holly, classic. Many a day’s were spent dancing
around the Lanza home as Joe played his vinyl records. Rave On, was Joe Lanza’s
favorite song, and when all was right in the household he’d play it loud and
each and every one of them would sing and dance along with him. His love for
the song was contagious and it proved so at that moment. Luke brought the
portable table in front of Jake.

     
Jake grinned at his brother and began to
tap his hands against the table to the beat of the song. He looked over at
Cara, who was watching the scene unfold around her. She looked at them like
they had all lost their minds, but couldn’t contain her laughter.

     
Jake smiled wide at Cara, and urged her to
bring the beat to life with her hands. She laughed at him as she joined him,
tapping the beat. Luke grabbed Deb and began to spin her around as they chimed
in with the singing. Joe dropped Sam’s hand and began to play air guitar as Sam
grabbed Jake’s Gatorade bottle and used it as a microphone. Laughter echoed
through the stale hospital room, and the door opened. Two nurses and a doctor
raced into the room, skidding to a halt when they saw the family dancing and
singing around Jake.

     
Jake laughed when he looked over at the
doctor who looked flabbergasted. Jake shrugged his shoulders and continued to
tap his hands. They may not be the most conventional family, but they were his.
They were his support system. They had rallied around him and given him the
strength to be the fighter he was. He turned his gaze to Cara and watched her
laugh through the words she sang with his father. It was moments like this that
made the struggle worth it.