Chapter 5 has finally arrived!!!

As Lena lay in the hospital room, questions swarmed through her head.
Will I be okay? Is my family ok? What was the bad news that the cop was about to tell me....


A nurse walked in, and began to talk to her about her health. Had she ever fainted before? Any allergies? Medications? How had her health been the past few years? Then, she took some more blood from Lena, and left the room to get the results.

Soon, the doctor returned, bearing bad news.

"I don't know how to break this to you, but..." the doctor began.

"It's okay, I am well enough to hear this, and I need to know." replied Lena.

"Alright, you have leukemia.  It is not necessarily malignant, however, we will need to perform surgery with the hope to cure it.  Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation (production by multiplication) of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes).**** I am seriously hoping that it is not malignant, but we shall know soon."

"Thank you for telling me, doctor," began Lena, "this is definitely a shock to me. Have you told my family? Please tell them as gently as you can, and make sure you tell them it is not known to be malignant.  My mother would be terrified for me."

"I will break it as gently as possible.  I am so sorry." 

Then, the doctor left to tell her family while Lena weeped quietly, shocked at her newfound condition.

**********

 Julie waited anxiously with her mother and her father who had just arrived. Then she noticed the doctor walking toward her with a depressed look on his face and her heart thudded in her chest.  

Please, don't make the news be bad...I don't think I could handle it.

However, poor Julie's plea was not answered.  

"I am afraid that I must bring bad news with me.  May I speak to Mrs. Hillgard, Lena's mother, alone? I don't want to upset anyone else." the doctor said.  

"No, that is not possible.  I'm sorry but we would like to hear the news as a family." Jane  Hillgard replied. 

"Alright. Lena has leukemia.  Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation (production by multiplication) of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes).****.  We have no proof that it is malignant and I will do my best to kill it off before it truly affects her.  Fortunately, we caught it at an early stage and I believe that we will be able to conquer it."

 "Oh no! Please don't let this be true!" Jane cried, tears pouring down her cheeks.  

She quickly exited the room, sobbing Julie following in her footsteps.  Mr. Edward Hillgard remained, comforting himself instead of others...


***Thanks Wikipedia!