HAND ME DOWNS

Jesse didn’t ask for this. She didn’t want to be stuck in a white room all day, people feeding her medicine and checking on her health, seeing if she was better or worse. It wasn’t a life she even thought of having.

But here she was, in hospital, diagnosed with Leukaemia. Something that completely destroyed her life.

Though suffering everyday, she still greeted each doctor and nurse that talked to her, every family member and friend was able to smile when they talked, and even Jesse herself sometimes forgot she was sick. Most days it wasn’t so bad, aside from feeling drowsy and completely worthless, but she kept fighting. It was because she had her best friend to thank for it.

Rory had known Jesse since they were young, having grown up together despite the boy having so many siblings and spending most of his time with them. They met in school and became friends easily, promising to be by each other’s side for as long as possible. So far, that promise had lasted fourteen years.

But Rory, twenty-two years old, never gave up on his best friend of the same age throughout the troublesome times over the years. Through each challenge with school, family, work and relationships, he was there to support her - and when he heard the news of her illness, he was there. They spent more than a day together, being comfort for one another and fighting the battle as one. It had always been that way, and Rory would not give up on that.

So when the boy leaves his house after being out with his siblings all day and drives to the hospital, he has a bag with him including an item he remembered to grab on the way, intending it for his best friend as a gift. A common one, something they had began talking about in the recent few years, and he knew Jesse would love it no matter how cliche for them.

“There’s my favourite guest,” Jesse spoke once he entered, a big smile on her face with her arms outstretched.

“There’s my favourite person who deserves much better than this food. Everybody knows you hate jello. Didn’t you tell them when you got here?” She laughed at the way he picked up the item after giving her a hug, settling in the chair by the bed.

“Of course I did, but they still think it’s good for me. I just cringe every time they leave it here,” she said with a laugh following.

They sat in silence for a little while, Rory looking at the flowers next to the window, noting they were pink Chrysanthemums. Her favourite. There were some cards too and he noticed the one from his family was still there, sitting close to her side and he made a mental note to update them on her condition when he returns home.

“I brought you a present.”

Jesse looked at him curiously, wondering what in the world her best friend could give her. He already spares so much time to simply see her, and it was more than she could ask for. But when he opened the bag and pulled out a t-shirt, she smiled largely and immediately asked to go try it on. After a few minutes and help from a nurse, she returned to her room in a large black shirt with a white angel on it, the one she had told Rory she loved so many times.

With a thank you and a hug, they cuddled up together on the small hospital bed and watched whatever happened to be on the television, spending most of the day together like planned. Jesse felt lucky to have the boy stick by her side through it all, and hoped that when her condition worsened, which she knew it would, he would still be there.

Rory wasn’t planning on leaving no matter what.