The Orphans Series Vol. 1: The Orphans (14 page)

             
Karen shrugged. "Frank's been at work all morning, and I wanted to make sure he got something to eat. I thought I'd hit the cafeteria, but I forgot they aren't open on Saturdays for hot food, so I was just on my way to see if I could find something in town for him."

             
Rogers lifted his tray up almost dropping all of his items. "Oh, don't worry about it! I have everything he'll need right here--lots of sugar, chocolate and cold coffee drinks. We should be able to hammer away at whatever he's got in mind for hours on end."

             
As she left, Karen made a note to keep an eye on Frank's diet over the next few months. She wanted to be sure he was healthy because the two of them being sick at the same time just didn't seem like a good idea.

             
Rogers prayed she wouldn't say anything to Dr. Fox, although it wasn't a huge worry for him. He was really thankful that he fell into his lab. Frank could have had anyone working for him. In five years, Frank would probably be strictly a professor teaching his theories and methods to students. The way he could dissect a problem and use science to fix it was remarkable and brought a fresh breath of life to things.

             
Rogers entered the laboratory. "Hey, boss," he called. "How are you doing today? Is everything alright? I think this is the first time that you've called me in on a weekend."

             
Frank was looking at a stack of papers and didn't say anything for a few minutes. He knew very well that he wanted Rogers' help but wasn't sure if he wanted to give him the whole formula up front. He didn't want to disclose that he had this just lying around in his attic, let alone the confidentiality and privacy laws with the Army he would be breaking. Frank held up an index finger letting Rogers know he wanted to finish his thought before being interrupted. Rogers had learned early when Frank was doing his work he needed to leave him be.

             
He remembered how his first day was almost his last. He had walked in with fifty questions and a very go-get-'em attitude. This particular day, Frank had come in with a very big chip on his shoulder. Someone had warned Rogers that Frank and his son didn't always gets along, and when that was going on, it was best to pretend he knew nothing of the situation.

             
However, he had come in introducing himself that day and Frank had advised that he'd be with him in a few minutes. Instead of waiting, he started asking Frank about his time in the Army and the kind of research he had taken part in. Frank was trying to record some very important research and Rogers wasn't at a loss of words. Frank found him extremely annoying, and advised if he'd like to continue employment, he had better damn well appreciate the importance of listening.

             
The finger he was holding up now was all Rogers needed. He set down his tray and walked over to his computer terminal. He started it up and sat there patiently waiting. Rogers looked over the lab at the box filled with books and the large amounts of papers everywhere, but wasn't sure what he was here for.

             
Frank hit a save key on his computer, hand jotted a few last notes down, and looked at Rogers as if he never knew he had entered the room. "Good morning, Rogers. Thank you for coming in on a Saturday. I have a life-saving research project I would like to discuss with you today."

             
Rogers nodded. "How can I help? Do you have some files you'd like me to have look at? Did you email them to me already?"

             
Frank shook his head and slid over the stack of papers he'd started with. "Everything we do from here on out stays in this room. It's not the usual company protocol, do you understand? No giant batches."

             
"You haven't actually told me anything other than we need to keep this on the low down, but I haven't been here long enough to get away with not having results. I know you're held in god-like status, but what about me?"

             
"When we have the formula figured out and tested, you will never need to worry about producing results again. I have what I think will be the building blocks of this already."

             
"So, what is the end result of this supposed to be?"

             
Frank paused. As he looked out the window, he thought about Shaun and all the suffering he's been through without a mother. He thought about Karen and how he was not going to again lose the woman he loved.

             
"We are going to cure cancer."

             
Rogers sat silently for a moment, agape. The ticking of the clock chiseled away precious seconds. "Well," he finally managed, "you don't shoot for the stars, do you?" He frowned skeptically. "So you just happen to have the cure for cancer sitting in your lap and you haven't done continual research on it?"

             
"So what you're telling me is that you'd like to pass on this? You're not interested in curing a disease that kills more than half a million people a year? You don't think you need the recognition of fixing one of God's worst mistakes? Suit yourself.... I'm sure it's going to be a real bitch finding someone else to help me with this." He reached for the papers to pull them away from Rogers.

             
Rogers did not let go of them. He realized this was a huge opportunity and immediately jumped halfway onto the counter grabbing the papers. "I think you misunderstood me! I'd love to help!"

****

              Karen entered the house and looked around. Ellie was sitting on the couch writing in her journal. She noticed the TV was off, and no cell phone was within ten feet of her. "Honey, is everything all right with you?"

             
Ellie shrugged, unsure how to approach the subject having already wept out all the tears she thought her body possessed for the day. "Well, to tell you the truth, I wanted to talk to you, mom. I'm really happy about you and Frank and I couldn't be happier that you found somebody.... I went to get you your purse as you were leaving this afternoon, and an envelope fell out. I wasn't sure what to do. Out of no disrespect for you, I opened it. I couldn't believe that you would keep something like that from me! It said that you had bone cancer and blood disease! I don't understand how this could happen when you're so healthy!"

             
Karen held her hand to her mouth, trying to think of what to say. Finally, she told her daughter everything--how she went for her yearly checkup, and if it hadn't been for her blood work, she still wouldn't know anything about it.

             
She tried to remain optimistic for her daughter's peace of mind. She told her she should be able to have it treated within six months, and that she was volunteering to try some new radical treatments Frank knew about. She also told her Frank had suggested they all move in together so he could help and monitor the disease better.

             
Ellie came up off the couch and gave her a hug, burying her head into Karen's shoulder. "I can't believe this is happening! But are they sure...? Do we need a second opinion? I can't believe this!"

             
Karen rubbed her hands through Ellie's hair. "Don't worry. We have an angel looking out for us."

             
Ellie thoughts running through her head were about her mom not being around and never getting to have those talks she had always loved ... not being there when she went to prom, when she went off to college, when she got married, had kids ... basically everything a girl needs a mother for. And she wouldn't be there. Ellie started crying uncontrollably.

             
Karen had a hard time settling her back down. Ellie finally shut off the tears and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Karen felt like a brick house had fallen on her emotionally. She knocked on the door. "We are going to be okay," she called through the door. "I'm going to take a nap."

             
"Mom, go ahead you take as long as you need."

             
Knocking echoed through the house. Ellie sighed, remembering teasing Shaun about how he was going to look his best for her. She didn't have the heart to tell him that what they started--something she really enjoyed the idea of--would have to be put on hold. She didn't know if she had anything left in her for another discussion, but figured if she didn't tell Shaun then his dad would tell him soon enough.

             
When she opened the door, Shaun noticed her cheerful demeanor was absent and she looked like she'd been crying for hours. He thought about things and how he'd just spoken to her not that long ago.

             
Ellie looked at Shaun and noticed that he had actually dressed up for her. He was wearing his cargo pants, a button up, long sleeve, striped shirt, and had a wool pea coat on over it. Under his beanie, his face was bright red from the cold, and he was looking at her oddly.

             
Ellie pulled him in. "You look great! What were you thinking walking here in January for God sakes?"

             
Shaun smiled. "Don't worry about it! I'm okay. I thought about you the whole way here ... I can barely tell it's on the verge of negative degrees out!"

             
Ellie closed the door. "I don't know if I'm up for a movie today after all. I'm really tired after last night."

             
Shaun shrugged. "That's fine if you don't want to go, but why don't you tell me what happened? You were all happy as could be before, but I show up and you're acting like someone just shot your cat."

             
"Puppy."

             
"Wait ... you don't have a puppy."

             
Ellie smiled weakly and pushed him. "I don't have a cat either, but if you feel the need to use an expression, use it correctly."

             
"Come on, let's go do something. We can just go talk if you need to."

             
"Well, if that doesn't help, at least the chocolate strawberry shake you're going to buy me will."

             
Ellie changed her clothes and put her hair in a ponytail. Shaun waited for her to change and they walked down to the sandwich and shake shop which was packed to the brim because teenagers had no wants of staying home on a Saturday. They found a corner booth and Shaun ordered shakes and a giant red basket of fries.

             
After their food arrived, Shaun took a drink of the shake. "Spill it! What's up?"

             
Ellie frowned. "After I got done making plans with you, my mom left to see your dad at work, I think. She forgot her purse and when I ran to give it to her, she was already gone. When I tossed her purse back on the counter an envelope slid out of it."

             
Shaun nodded, seeing by the look on her face this conversation was going nowhere but to crap. "What was in it?"

             
"It was a report saying she had bone cancer."

             
Shaun's eyes glazed. He shook his head looking down and then back up, amazed at the calm in her face. "Ellie, I am so sorry. I can't believe that.... Did she tell my dad?"

             
Ellie nodded, and explained how Frank was helping her mom find the drugs that were supposed to cure her of the cancer.

             
Shaun looked at her. "So there's this new research that can cure cancer, and your mom, right after getting diagnosed, is going to get to take it, huh? That is great news, right?" He found it a little too convenient, but if it was helping Ellie cope with the news, he wasn't going to ruin it for her. He thought to himself, what did he know ... he wasn't a doctor.

             
"Yeah," she continued, "it's kind of a miracle, isn't it? She doesn't even need chemotherapy if this drug works the way that it's supposed to." She twiddled her fingers together looking at Shaun. "You know I really enjoyed last night, but I don't think we can do that again for a while."

             
"You had a great time, but we can't do it again? I'm confused."

             
"I want to, but I think that until I really see what's going on with my mom, I'm going to need you as a friend. The way I felt when I thought I was going to lose her when I read those papers this afternoon was the worst feeling I've ever had. I don't think I'm going to be any good for anyone until I know for a fact that she's going to be okay."

             
"I understand," Shaun admitted. "I've been there. I wouldn't expect you to need to worry about anyone besides yourself and your mom. She's going to need help in ways she doesn't even know yet. I think you're making the right decision.... But when she's better again, we're going to be taking advantage of those date nights when our parents go out together."

             
Ellie looked into his eyes, squeezing his hand. "That sounds wonderful, Shaun."

             
They still had a good afternoon once they got the hard talk out of the way. Shaun thought things went well, or as well as they could when the girl you love tells you that she isn't interested in dating right now. The reason behind it made it impossible to be upset about it. He put all this down in his journal, detail by detail, reliving the day and trying to come to terms with it. He couldn't believe his dad, of all things, was at work and not over at Karen's talking to her about this, trying to plan out what he could do to help, or doing something for Ellie. He didn't know what his dad should be doing, but knew there had to be some reason why he wouldn't be over there ... or even here.