| 11. A Chance In The World Thursday, July 5, 2001 8:23 am "Hey Chad, this is Meg again and I...I miss you, baby. Call me when you get this, okay?" Meg sighed and hung up the phone. It was the third message she'd left in two days and Chad still hadn't called her back. Just as she began to feel sorry for herself, she decided to pay a visit to Jill. She hobbled into a nearby wheelchair, which the nurse had conveniently left, knowing Meg would get cabin fever again. Soon, she was on the pediatric wing and greeted by several nurses who recognized her from several days before. She made her way to Jill's room and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she peeked in through the half-open door. Dionna was holding Jill's hand, who was asleep. Dionna looked as if she hadn't slept in months. And as for Jill...her skin was translucent, her arms thin, and Meg wondered how much longer she had. "Dionna?" The young woman looked up with tired eyes. "Meghan! Hey!" "Can I come in?" Meg whispered, as Jill was asleep. "Yeah, come on in!" Dionna smiled. Meg did, and soon was telling Dionna what Dr. Timmons had told her. "I'm so sorry, Meghan," she said sympathetically. "That's okay. Five years is...long, but never long enough." "Yeah. I wish Jill had that good of a chance." Meg paused. "How's she doing?" Dionna shook her head. "Not good. The doctors don't give her very long." Her lip quivered. "I'm gonna lose my baby, Meg. I can't do that." She took Dionna's hand in support as she cried. "She's all I have. Her dad's long gone and my parents are dead. I have no money in the bank because all of it's used to try and give Jill a chance. I have a brother in Philly, but he's got his own family and I haven't spoken to him in months. Jill's the only thing that's kept me from going crazy these past six years." They were both crying. "Dionna, I wish there was something I could do..." "It's alright, Meg. I just wish I could...keep her for a little while longer than two months." Meg paused in thought. "Do you have any experience as a secretary?" "What?" Dionna looked up. "Yeah, I worked for a law firm through college. Why?" "I can get you a job, Dionna. My manager, Rob...his secretary just quit to have a baby and he's really unorganized and he needs one badly." "I can't ask you to do that." "Dionna, I'd take Jill's place for you, but since I can't do that, please let me do this for you." She paused as a smile came to her lips, "Alright." Meg grinned and hugged her. "Thank you!" "Thank you, Meg. Thank you so much. You don't know how much I need this." "You don't how much my manager needs it!" Meg paused and smiled. "And you won't lose your job once I kill over, too." "Don't talk that way, girl. There's enough morbidity in my life as it is." |