++Chapter  ++

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find Hannah Jordan, please?"

JC waited patiently as Nurse Lanz flipped through her charts and made several notations. As she finished and placed them to the side, he repeated her request.

"Mam? Excuse me. Is Hannah Jordan here?"

A friendly smile covered her face as she glanced up at him. "Hannah? She's in room 307."

JC turned, then paused, returning his attention to the nurse at the desk.  "Is she busy? I mean, are you sure it's alright to go in there?"

Nurse Lanz smiled again to reassure him, amused by the nervous way he darted his gaze around the nurses' station. She looked down at the bouquet of flowers he clutched in his hand as she nodded.  "I know she'll love to see you, JC. Go on in."

JC walked down the hallway slowly, reading the room numbers posted outside. JC stopped in front of room 307 and ran his hand through his hair anxiously. It had been nearly two months since he had seen her last. Since their last visit, she had been in his thoughts everyday. Hannah's nightly phone calls had become the hightlight of his day over the past six months, and he'd spent eight weeks waiting for the opportunity to hold her....To tell her how much she'd come to mean to him.

Taking a deep breath, JC rapped his knuckles against the door and waited.

"Come in."

JC smiled as her musical voice called out to him.  Pushing open the door, JC stepped inside and closed it behind him. As he stepped deeper into the room, his eyes darted around the small space. At any moment he expected to see her step into view, wearing that colorful pinafore she always used at work. JC's smiled faded as he stepped closer to the bed, finding Hannah inside.

Hannah turned toward him, her eyes dancing with excitement.

"JC! What a surprise!...I wish I'd known you were coming. I know I look terrible."

JC gazed down at Hannah as she straightened the blanket around her. His eyebrows furrowed with concern as he surveyed her waif like form huddled beneath the bedcovers. Her usually beautiful, shiny hair hung limply across her shoulders. Her peaches and cream complexion had faded so drastically he could barely differentiate her from the white sheets that covered the hospital bed mattress. JC composed himself quickly and raised the bouquet of flowers into her view.

"I brought these for you...I didn't realize how appropriate they were...."

Hannah beamed happily, her smile warming the darkest regions of his being.  "They're beautiful, Jase. Thank you. Could you place them on the table there?"

JC nodded and lay them across the nightstand. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he took Hannah's thin hand between his own. His eyes searched hers intently, desperate for understanding. Bringing her hand to his lips, he placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles and brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"So, will you tell me what's going on now please? Why are you here? Are you alright?"

Hannah closed her eyes and lay her head back against the pillow, turning her face toward the sunlight. JC watched her every movement, his breath caught in his chest. Fighting the urge to climb into the bed and wrap his arms around her, he held her hand tighter and waited. JC could feel her body trembling, the vibrations pulsating through her body into his.

"We're friends, aren't we Jase?"

"Of course we are. We're more than that and you know it."

Hannah nodded and sighed before continuing. JC leaned forward and waited for her to speak.

"I'm here because I have Leukemia, Jase. I'm dying."