“I want a hamburger. Stop acting like I haven’t done this before. That wasn’t my first coma. Call someone and get me a hamburger, fries and a Coke, stat!”

“Whoa bossy pants!” Tristan is out right laughing at me.

I know I won’t have an appetite once I start chemo again! I just want a damn hamburger!

“Tristan, let’s see if you understand this. Chemo starts again in two weeks and I won’t be able to eat jack shit!”

He holds up his hands and smiles. “Got it. Boss lady wants food while she’s still hungry.”

I smile as he pulls out his phone. Just then, Drake walks back in with food in his hands.

“You didn’t!” I gasp and clap my hands in delight!

“How did you know I was about to call for food?” Tristan laughs.

“She hasn’t had chemo in two months because they had her in a coma. Of course, the girl is going to be hungry. Where the hell did you think I went for an hour while you two talked to the doctors?”

“I love you! I love you! I love you! Now give me that food. There better be fries and a nasty fat hamburger in there. Stop staring at me. Hurry before the nurse comes in and takes it. Shut the damn door behind you too.”

Tristan burst out laughing. “Did she take a breath during that rant?”

“I don’t think she did,” Drake laughs and shakes his head at me.

“I think your Sunshine is back, Drake.”

He laughs. “I think you’re right.”

“Give. Me. My. Damn. Food,” I growl.

Drake shuts the door, chuckling as he walks over to me.

Is that my large Coke, too?”

He takes a big slurp from the straw, handing it to me when he’s finished. “It is now. I’m afraid you would hurt me if I didn’t give it to you.”

I grab the bag out of his hands, quickly snatching out a burger.

“Where are the fries?”

He holds another bag up.

“Give them!” I am hungry here. Why can’t they understand this? “Please,” I whisper, biting my lip and batting my eyelashes at him.

“Dude, she just batted her eyelashes at me over some fries.”

“I saw that,” Tristan chuckles, grabbing a hamburger out of the bag.

“Well, how can I resist that?” He grins, handing over the bag.

“Where are my parents?” I ask, smoothing the wrapper from my burger out and laying my fries on it.

“Uh.” Tristan and Drake look at each other.

“Well?”

Tristan walks over to me and sits on the edge of my bed. “Your mom and dad are getting a divorce. When they started weaning you from the coma, your father went to wrap things up and move into the Laguna house. He knows that you are awake, and he’ll be back in a few hours.”

A divorce? Hmmm…why doesn’t that surprise me?

“That really doesn’t shock me.” I shrug. Right now, my burger is more important. They stare at me while I take my first bite of what tastes like heaven.

“Mmm,” I groan in ecstasy!

Dang, why the hell are they staring at me?

“What’s wrong?” I ask while chewing. It’s sexy, I know, but who cares? I haven’t had real food in forever.

“You’re taking the divorce news well. I didn’t want to tell you,” Tristan whispers.

“Well, the woman did awful things. My dad may be a workaholic, but he isn’t mean and he won’t stand for malicious people.”

“Yeah,” Tristan agrees.

We stay quiet and eat in silence. In two weeks, I will be a mother and my battle with cancer will begin again.

25

Our baby boy is healthy! He ended up being only three and a half weeks early. Our miracle is absolutely perfect. Tristan Charles Monroe Jr. was delivered on June 11, 2012 at 11:36 a.m., weighing in at 5 pounds 11 ounces. We have been home for almost three weeks and today is Evelyn’s twenty-first birthday. Instead of celebrating like a normal twenty-one year old, she’s heading out for chemo.

“Tristan, I’m scared.”

I look away from the surgeons who are about to deliver our son.

“You are Evelyn Beaumont. You are 20 years old and have been battling cancer for nearly five years. You have lost six years of your memories and have regained only what I have been able to give back you. Children weren’t a possibility for you; it was very unlikely after what your body has experienced. And yet, here you are with full-blown Leukemia about to deliver our son. You are Evelyn Beaumont and you can do anything.”

The nurses sigh at my speech, causing Evelyn to giggle.

“Thanks babe. That was just what I needed to hear.”

“Anytime babe.” I grin.

“You two ready?”

I nod and Evelyn whispers a shaky, but happy, “Yes.”

I watch Evelyn while they cut her open. My mother warned me I might not want to watch that part. She knows how I feel about Evelyn and blood. Let me just say, not a big fan here. It feels like hours pass until we hear a small wail. I snap my head in that direction to see my son is being pulled out of Ev. The nurses make quick work with him.

“Evelyn, you did amazing. How are you feeling?”

She smiles up at Doctor Z, who attended the delivery on her request.

“I’m doing great. Doc, how’s my son?”

“He looks good Evelyn. They will let you hold him in just a minute. He looks big enough and healthy enough.”