>>5977800You sit behind the wheel of your 2004 PONTIAC AZTEK, the engine humming softly as you drive back home. Your head is a whirlwind of thoughts, replaying the conversation with Dr. Belknap and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. The rhythmic thrum of the road beneath the tires acts as white noise to your racing mind. Glancing at the rearview mirror, you catch a glimpse of your reflection, your eyes tired and drawn with worry. You shake your head. You've got to keep it together until you get home.
You tense up as soon as your house comes into view. You park your car in the driveway of 308 NEGRA ARROYO LANE and turn off the engine. Your heartbeat goes crazy as you open the car door and take your first few steps towards your home. You take a deep breath, slide your house keys into the doorhole, and turn the knob.
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You're home. It hasn't been an insane amount of time since you've been gone, but after what you've heard today, it feels like a lifetime. You hear a familiar voice in the kitchen.
"Marie, I think you're just going to have to tell him no. Nice or not, he's crossing a boundary." You close the door behind you, and the sound of it closing catches Skyler's attention. "Oh, Walt's home. I'll call you back in a bit." She hangs up the phone.
"Hey, honey." You smile as she walks up to you. She smiles back and crosses her arms.
"Was the hospital busy? You took a lot longer than I thought you would; lunch has been ready for an hour or so now." Oh man. You resist the urge to swallow.
"It uh— it wasn't terribly busy, no. It's just uh..." Skyler's amused face turns concerned almost instantly.
"What? Walt, is something seriously wrong with you?"
"I think we should sit down." Skyler looks at you worriedly, her blue eyes pierce through you. Despite how beautiful she is, you find it a bit unsettling. She nods at your proposal, and the two of you sit down on the couch. The clock ticks with each passing second, the next feeling longer than the one before it.
"What did the doctor say?" You can't bring yourself to look at her, so you turn to the next option: the floor. You sigh.
"He was checking my chest, and... he found something. They had to do a CT scan. He didn't say anything definitive, but it could be serious."
"What? What does that mean? And a-a-a CT scan? Why?"
"Skyler, I wish I knew for certain, but... I have a feeling that I might have lung cancer." You gulp. Hesistantly, you look up at Skyler, but you instantly regret doing so. Her eyes are wide, and her hands cover up her mouth. She looks so distraught that you feel she could cry at anytime. Indeed, her eyes do water, but she doesn't cry.
"Oh, Walt. I— I don't—" The both of you give each other the same sad look. This is the worst thing to ever happen to this family.