Just Cheeseburgers (short story)

Silence
           A fear-provoking silence. The world around Sophia seemed to reflect on what was in her head. This was the end for them, and she knew it. A man paced in the small apartment where she lived. Sophia sat on her favorite couch, looking at the man in horror. She could feel a lump in her throat, which she then forcefully stopped in its tracks. She would not cry in front of him. The man then paused, looking at Sophia with tears.  
“I need to think,” he announced, walking to the front door.
“Tom, wait,” Sophia said, but it was too late; he didn’t hear, he left.
           The fear she was holding released into overwhelming tears. It was over; she had told him, feeling a mixture of relief and fear. Thinking back to earlier in the week, she knew this was coming.
            Sophia sat in the big hospital waiting room with quite a few people. The Doctor’s office had informed her she needed to come in. Her anxiety and worry since that phone call had not stopped. The people around seemed nervous, or maybe that was just her imagination. The room was about half full, and few people seemed chatty. A young boy was playing with his mother; an older man fell asleep in his chair. Not feeling up for a conversation, she played a game on her phone.
After a few minutes, a voice rang out across the room. “Sophia Edwards,”
Sophia shakily stood up. “yes, that’s me,” she said, walking towards the woman who spoke. The woman had dark hair and a bright, inviting smile. She walked Sophia into the backroom.
“I am Jennifer; we talked on the phone,” the woman said, introducing herself.
Sophia nodded but said nothing; Jennifer then led Sophia to the third room at the end of the hallway.
“Stay here; your doctor will be here shortly,” she said as she left the examination room.   
Sophia sat down, stunned. She knew why she was here, but she hoped it was untrue. Her chest filled with pressure and panic.
Doctor Fredrick entered the room and went to the small desk in the corner, grabbing Sophia’s file. He was an older man with several gray hairs and a demeanor that made you trust him.
“Hello Sophia, how are you today?” He said calmly.
“Hello, Doctor Fredrick,” she responded but declined to answered his question. She was not doing well today.   
“So last time we met, you were losing weight quickly?” he continued.
“Yes, that’s right,” Sophia said, swallowing. She had lost thirty pounds in a matter of two weeks.
“And feeling nausea,” He asked
“I haven’t felt nausea in a while,” Sophia lied, looking down; she had thrown up just this morning.
There was silence for a moment, but that silence was filled with sudden panic. Sophia tried to look anywhere but the Doctor. The feeling of her heart was becoming increasingly apparent.    
“Do you remember? I was concerned, so I asked to do some tests?” the Doctor continued.
“Yes, I remember,” Sophia whispered.  
There was a long pause; the Doctor seemed to think about what to say next.  
“I am sorry, Sophia,” He apologized, then put his hand on Sophia’s shoulder gently.
There was silence between them; he seemed apprehensive at that moment.
“But the results were positive for Liver Cancer,” he confirmed. This was Sophia’s worse fear, which was not surprising, but the sudden realization hit her more than she thought.   
“Liver Cancer?” Sophia stuttered, finally focusing on the Doctor.
“Yes, Sophia Liver Cancer.” He repeated, looking at her in concern, “Thankfully, we caught it early, and it is easily treatable.”
“That’s good,” Sophia whispered, looking back at her feet again.
Realizing that she was distressed, the Doctor took his hand off her shoulder.   
“I will give you a minute to think,” he said, walking to the door. “I’ll be right back with some information,” then he left the room.   
Sophia sat there in a daze, looking around the room. Liver Cancer? She knew no one who had had the disease, so she knew nothing about it. The dread she felt overwhelmed her; she wanted to scream.
Sophia was in complete shock, so when Doctor Fredrick came back to talk to her, her mind was in a far-off place. After twenty minutes of explanation and planning, He asked a surprising question that Sophia was not ready to answer.
“I would suggest that you tell your family about your diagnosis,” he requested.
“I have no family,” Sophia said; her parents died in a car crash about two years ago, and she was an only child.
“Then a friend, do you have any to depend on?” the Doctor asked
Sophia thought about it; she never had many good friends. There were a few in college, but a few in her area. Then a thought hit her.
“I have tom, my boyfriend,” Sophia paused, “but he….” Sophia stopped talking and started to panic again. They had only been dating for a couple of months. This is something she could not pressure him with.
After her appointment was over, Sophia never stopped thinking about the question. Who did she have to rely on in this world? Will Tom stick with her through this hardship? This is something she did not know.  
 Back in Sophia’s apartment, it had been fifteen minutes since to the left, and Sophia had not taken her eyes off the door. Three days ago, the bad news she had gotten made her hesitate to tell tom, for many reasons. His reaction did not surprise her. No one stayed with her in her life, no matter how much she needed them. She did not expect him to stay with her, either. At this thought, she breaks out in tears and roughly lays down on the couch. He left; she thought he was someone to depend on, but she was wrong. Either through tears or emotional distress, Sophia eventually fell asleep.
What felt like a few minutes later, a quiet voice came? “Sophia, sweetie, wake up.”  
Sophia sat up quickly, which made her head spin.
“Tom?” she blurted out.
She sat up on the couch and looked at him.
“Yes, that’s me,” he replied, smiled. “I am sor….”
Before tom could finish, Sophia wrapped him in a big hug.
“Thanks for coming back,” she said.
“I am sorry for leaving,” he told her. 
This time, Sophia knew someone was going to stick with her. The amazing man in front of her looked like a dream. Just him coming back to her made her worry less about everything going on.  
“Sophia, I will help you in any way I can,” Tom announced, taking her hand.
At that, Sophia chuckled.
“Thanks for saying that,” Sophia said; she looked around the room then back at Tom.
“Are you cooking something?” she asked.
“Yes, my famous cheeseburgers,” Tom said.
“That sounds great,” Standing up, Sophia smiled, “But I have to eat healthier; let’s just have it this one time.”
 “I can help you with that,” Tom said, Squeezing Sophia’s hand gently; then tom led Sophia to the kitchen.
           Sophia knew she could depend on the man making her cheeseburgers, and Tom would always be there for her no matter what life brings.