What She Left Us (9 page)

“Yeah,
thanks,” Jenna added.

When
Dee walked out, Courtney glared at Jenna. “Could you have been any ruder? She
was just doing her job and you were being such a bitch.”

“What?
She hurt me,” Jenna whined.

“You’re
acting like the biggest baby I’ve ever met in my entire life. I can’t even
believe this is you. I hate to say this, but Mom would be so disappointed in
you.” Courtney said.

Before
Jenna could answer, the door opened and Dr. Rhetler walked in, smiled warmly, and
said hello. Jenna and Courtney introduced themselves and the three sat in the
regular chairs.

“So,
first of all, I’m so very sorry to hear that your mother passed away from hemochromatosis,”
Dr. Rhetler said.

“Thank
you,” Jenna said.

“Thanks,”
Courtney said.

“It’s
a terrible disease, especially if gone undetected, as it did with your mother,
from what I understand. You girls are lucky though. If you both carry the gene for
genetic iron poisoning, and if one of you has it, so will the other, then there
are available treatments depending on how far the iron overload has gone
throughout the years. So that is good news.

“The
two tests you’ve just had were a serum transferring saturation, where we
measured the amount of iron bound to a protein that carries iron in your blood.
And the other blood test was to check the amount of iron stored in your liver.
Both of these tests combined will tell us if you have hemochromatosis, or the
start of the disease.”

The
doctor looked to Jenna and then to Courtney.

“I
know this is a lot to take in, are you girls following me?”

For
the first time, Courtney had a strange look on her face, like she might be
frightened, but she nodded.

“I
think so,” Jenna said quietly.

“Okay,
so then, there are some cases in which we can’t get a clear read on these two
tests and a liver biopsy may be necessary.”

Courtney
and Jenna reached for each other’s hands.

“But,”
Dr. Rhetler continued, “In your case, since you’re sisters, and this is, I
guess, a positive… Since we know that if one of you has it, the other will have
it, then we should get a clear read on you and we probably won’t have to go the
liver biopsy route.”

Sighs
escaped from both girls. Dr. Rhetler smiled sympathetically.

“The
good news is, you are both very young, and by the looks of things, very
healthy. Besides the unfortunate death of your mother, do either of you have
any unnecessary stress in your lives?”

“Uh,”
Jenna paused. “My fiancé and I just broke up, and I’m considering quitting school.”

Courtney
looked at her sister. Good God, she was crazy.

“You’re
not going to get your master's?” Courtney asked.

“I
don’t know. Maybe.”

“Well
girls, at a time like this, I don’t know if it’s smart to introduce new
stresses into your life. Really think about it before you do anything rash,
Jenna. If thinking about school is causing you stress, maybe take a semester
off. You can always go back. Your health is important,” Dr. Rhetler said.
“Please make wise decisions.”

Then
Dr. Rhetler looked to Courtney, “And you, Courtney? How are you? Your stress
levels?”

“I’m…
I’m pretty good. I’m an RA up at Northern P University. There’s a bit of stress
involved with the responsibilities, but I think I lead a pretty healthy
lifestyle.”

Jenna
nodded in agreement.

“Okay
then. So the next step in all of this is I’ll get the results back in a week to
ten days. Someone on staff will call you both. Hopefully, that will be the end
of that and the tests will be negative. If they do come out positive, the
treatments… has anyone talked about treatments?”

“I’ve
read about some of the options,” Jenna said.

“Okay.”
Dr. Rhetler said. “There are prescriptions but those are the most mild cases
and extremely rare situations. Most cases require phlebotomy. You’re familiar?”

The
girls half nodded, half shrugged so Dr. Rhetler continued. “It’s almost like
going in to donate blood. And most of my hemochromatosis patients go in twice to
three times a week to start off. Yes, it’s a hassle, and time-consuming, but
listen up, it’s life-saving. The goal is to get rid of the iron that’s
attacking your system. And that’s what we’ll do, okay?”

“Dr.
Rhetler?” Courtney asked.

“Yes?”

“If
this does happen, will I still be able to go to school? Can I do this blood
thing at school and stay at NPU?”

“Absolutely
one-hundred percent. This will not have a negative effect on your life
whatsoever. This is not a death sentence, girls. This will be preventative and
life-altering, but not life-threatening. You both understand this, don’t you? This
is not going to kill you. If you have it, we’ll treat it and you’ll both be
fine,” Dr. Rhetler smiled.

At
these words, Jenna felt like she could exhale for the first time since she
received the autopsy report that had claimed hemochromatosis to be
life-threatening. Even if she and her sister had the disease, they would be
able to treat it, and they would both be okay. She heard it from Dr. Rhetler
personally. She and Courtney were going to be just fine.

Jenna
tried, she really did, but she found it really hard to keep the promise she
made to her father to be a really good girl, to help her Mommy out and to be
patient while her baby sister was in the hospital getting better.

The
summer dragged on. Jenna spent more and more time at Mrs. Crand’s house, more
days than she ever wanted to remember. Her father dropped her off in the mornings,
and then took her mother to the hospital, where she spent the day with
Courtney. Jenna packed up some dolls and coloring books and crayons, always
asking, always hoping that Daddy would tell her this was the day she didn’t
have to go to Mrs. Crand’s. Still though, he dropped her off with a kiss on her
forehead and a reminder to be good, “that we have to make sacrifices for baby
Courtney, we want her to get better, don’t we?” Jenna would nod her head in
agreement, although she was crying inside, wishing secretly, just maybe, that
she never got a baby sister after all.

Because
life before, with just Mommy and Daddy had been so much easier, so much better.
Now, it seemed like she didn’t have anyone. Except old Mrs. Crand who kept
making those stupid raisin oatmeal cookies and asking stupid questions about
her family and talking about dumb old lady stuff, like potluck dinners and
needlepoint. And she smelled so gross every day – a mix of cat poo and old lady.
Jenna wondered if she ever took a bath.

So
the day that Mrs. Crand asked about a billion questions about how Courtney was
doing and what her mother was up to and why didn’t her dad ever stay for
cookies and when she finally said, “Jenna, you don’t talk much, what is going
on inside that little head of yours?”, Jenna let her have it.

“Mrs.
Crand, I don’t feel much like talking.”

“Jenna,
you’re so quiet. You’ve got to have bunches of thoughts stuck in that pretty
little head of yours!” Mrs. Crand smiled, and continued her needlepoint.

Jenna
glared at the woman and didn’t think twice about what spewed from her mouth. “Your
cookies are yuck and your breath smells rotten and your cats are stupid 'cause
they lick their butts all day long and your house smells like a bunch of pigs
and I hate coming over every day and I miss my Mommy and Daddy and I want my baby
to come home from the hospital! That is what is stuck inside my little head!”

The
buzzer on the oven went off, signaling another batch of Mrs. Crand’s stupid raisin
oatmeal cookies were done baking.

“Well,
then,” Mrs. Crand said, “The cookies are done.”

Jenna
felt awful, and cowered down on the couch. “You asked,” she said.

There
was no small talk, no pleasant chit-chat at the door when Frank came to get
Jenna that evening. Only a quiet Jenna, who clung to her favorite doll, looking
very solemn, and Mrs. Crand who looked sternly at Frank.

“How’d
it go today?” Frank asked.

“I
think you might need to find other child care for your, for your… daughter.”
Then Mrs. Crand looked down at Jenna and her face softened a bit. “I think
she’s having a difficult time. I’d also suggest maybe some one-on-one time with
her. I’d venture to say she’s feeling a bit left out with what’s going on with
the baby.” She gave Jenna a sympathetic smile.

Jenna
couldn’t believe it. Mrs. Crand wasn’t going to rat her out for being rude to
her? After the horrible things she said about her and her home? Jenna felt hot tears
spring to her eyes, and guilt rise in her throat. She reached to Mrs. Crand and
grabbed her around the waist, clinging to the old lady, forgetting about her
stinky smell. Between sobs, she said, “I’m sorry Mrs. Crand.”

“I
know, I know dear. You’ll get through this. You take good care, darling.” Then
she leaned down to whisper into Jenna’s ear. “I’m sorry about the cookies, I
know it’s about time I try a new recipe.”

Jenna
looked up to Mrs. Crand and smiled. Maybe she wasn’t so horrible after all.

Frank
watched the exchange between the two and said, “Well, I think we’ll be all right
actually. After this weekend, it looks like Courtney will be able to come home.
We may have to get a night nurse, but things are looking up. Isn’t that great
Jenna? Our whole family will be together again. You’ll get to see your baby
sister again!”

Jenna
wasn’t sure if she was happy about that. She didn’t know how Courtney was going
to be, if she would still cry and throw up all of the time, if Jenna would be
allowed to touch her or go near her, if her Mom would pay her any attention
anymore? She was scared about the changes that might come.

She
hoped Courtney was better, she wanted to have a baby sister but she wanted her
to be a normal baby sister, not one who was sick and crying all of the time,
and definitely not one she would be afraid to go near. The whole idea
frightened her very much.

“Jenna,
honey, aren’t you excited? Your baby sister is coming home next week.”

“I
guess so, Daddy.”

“I
can’t believe out of all the places we can eat lunch we’re really going to eat hospital
food,” Courtney said as they stood in line at the cafeteria.

“Are
you kidding? Don’t tell me you don’t love their chicken parm,” Jenna said. “And
I’m starving.”

“I
know, I know. Me too. Fasting for that blood test sucked,” Courtney said. “Move
on down the line, I want an apple crisp too,” she laughed.

They
paid for their food and found a quiet spot near the windows. Their moods had
shifted from how they felt earlier that morning, and the sun was shining.
Everything about the day and the days ahead seemed brighter, better somehow,
since meeting with Dr. Rhetler.

“Oh
God, I can’t tell you how relieved I am,” Jenna said.

“Me
too,” Courtney admitted.

“But
Court, you didn’t seem like you were nervous at all.”

“One
of us had to stay strong for the both of us,” Courtney said as she dove into
her apple crisp. “Of course I was scared, but we couldn’t have two of us
freaking out, now could we? And you’ve been a complete mess.”

“Yeah,
I have, haven’t I?” Jenna sighed. “But I feel so much better after having met
Dr. Rhetler. She really put me at ease.”

“Me
too.”

The
two were quiet as they ate their lunch and then Jenna asked, “So, when can I
come meet this Mitch guy?”

“Um,
soon I think. I have to see where it’s going exactly,” Courtney said.

“So
you haven’t slept with him yet?”

“Oh
my God, Jenna! No! We’ve hung out like three times! And I really like him, so
no, I haven’t done that yet,” Courtney brought her voice down to a whisper.

Jenna
took a bite of her chicken. “What are you waiting for?”

“That
got me real far with the other two guys.”

“Maybe
he’s different. Does he seem different?”

Courtney
got a faraway look in her eyes and then looked at Jenna. “Yes, he’s different,”
she said matter of fact. “Definitely different.”

 “I
bet you’ll do it soon,” Jenna pushed the issue.

“You’ll
be the third to know,” Courtney laughed.

They
finished lunch, picked up their trays, tossed out their trash and made their
way to the exit.

“I’m
going to run to the bathroom,” Jenna said. “You need to go?”

“Nah,
I’m good. I’ll wait here. I’ve got a couple texts to return anyway.”

“Aw,
tell Mitch I can’t wait to meet him,” Jenna teased.

“No
chance!” Courtney said as Jenna disappeared into the ladies’ room. She reached
into her purse for her phone and checked to see if Mitch replied to her last
text. They had been sending flirty notes back and forth since Courtney was home,
but she had not mentioned the doctor’s visit to him. She didn’t plan on saying
anything to him until the results came back, or the two of them became more
serious, whichever came first.