One Week Left

Contains death.

I remember it was dark, really dark. I remember feeling weak and shaky, and everything was blurry. I felt so nauseous that I decided to go to my mom’s room, but it was so dark that I had to touch the walls around me to get around. They were rough and cold; everything was cold, and I was freezing. I called out to her in a small voice, almost like a whisper, “Mama?”

“Hey, sweetie? What are you doing awake? It’s nearly 3 AM,” she asked groggy, turning on the lamp to see.

“Mama, I, I don’t feel so good,” I uttered. Everything hurt, and I looked down at the ground with a significant amount of fear and pain in my eyes before I began to throw up all over the floor.

“Layla!” My dad called out, rushing towards me. I could hear the worry in his voice. “I’ll get her in the car, let her sisters know we’re heading to the hospital, and grab a blanket.” The way he spoke was unlike anything I’d heard from him before.

“It’s gonna be okay.” My mom repeated over and over again as she stroked my long, silky, blonde hair while my dad rushed us to the hospital.

“Help! Please! Her name is Layla Young, she’s 15 years old. She started throwing up around 3 AM and then passed out in the car on the way here. She’s been going in and out of consciousness ever since.” My mother quickly declared to the receptionist at the counter.

The medical receptionist shouted a few words and commands to other nurses and started typing on her computer. Then, nurses with a stretcher came running down the hallway.

“Ma’am, I’m so sorry, but you’ll have to wait here.” One of the nurses holding the stretcher commented. I saw my mom and dad sit down in some chairs in the waiting room. My dad held her tight as she wept.

I remember the doctors and nurses standing over me, trying to wake me up and figure out what was wrong with me. I could hear them saying stuff like “Temperature: 103” and “resting heart rate is 120 bpm,” and then everything went black and fuzzy. The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed. I could hear my mother, father, and my two sisters, Maria, my older sister who was eighteen, and Avery, the youngest who’s seven. I squeezed my eyes closed tight, the pain was too great to open them. I felt something like a heavy weight weighing down on me. Even though I couldn’t see anything, I could hear everything. I could hear ringing, beeping, and the murmur of conversations out in the hallways.

The doctor entered the room just then, and my parents rose. I was awake and conscious but chose to stay quiet and listen to the discussion about my condition. “I am Doctor Olivia Blake, and I have been taking care of your daughter. Layla’s temperature has almost returned to normal, and she should wake up shortly,” she reported.

“So she’s going to be okay?” My mom asked anxiously.

“Mr. and Mrs. Young, when we checked Layla out, we discovered something quite serious. She has a condition called cardiomyopathy. Most people can live full lives with the proper treatment, but since we caught it so late, it is very fatal. I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Young, but your daughter only has one week left to live.”

“Mama,” I whispered with a shaky voice as tears streamed down my face and I flickered open my eyes.

“Oh, baby.” My mom cried, running next to the bed to hug me. My dad squeezed Avery tight, fighting back tears, trying to be strong for the rest of us as Avery sobbed. Maria just kept shaking her head no.

“No, no. NO! You’re lying! She’ll be fine. She’ll be fine, Doctor. And she’ll live a long, healthy life till 90.” She paused, tears streaming down her face and her voice shaky. You could see the tremendous amount of fear and sadness on her face. “You’re wrong. Doctor? She’ll be okay. She’s gonna be okay, right? Right, Doctor?”

“I’m so sorry. I’ll give you guys some time.” She walked out with a great deal of sorrow in her eyes.

Once the tears had stopped and the hugging was over, the doctor, along with a few nurses, stepped back into the room. “Mr. and Mrs. Young, as your daughter is going through all of this, we would like to keep her here to observe and watch her.”

“Doctor Blake,” I said in a small voice.

“Yes, Layla?”

“I don’t mean to be rude. I know I am quite sick and only have a few days left to live, but could I go out and do some of the things I’ll never be able to that I‘ve always wanted to?”

“Well, it depends on what you want to do and…”

“I want to go to school for the last time, I want to go to my youth group and say goodbye to all my friends one last time, I want to drive for the first time, I want to fly on a plane and travel somewhere I’ve always wanted to go.” Tears rolled down my tear-stained cheeks. I turned my head slowly, looking around the room. “I wanted to be able to graduate, get married wearing my dream wedding dress, and grow old with the love of my life.

“I’m sorry, Layla, but I just don’t think that will be possible. You need to stay here and rest where you can get help if anything happens.”

“Doctor Blake, I don’t want to spend my last week alive lying in a bed thinking about the things I will never be able to do, just waiting to die,” I exclaimed. “Can't I get one of those wishes or something for kids who are sick or dying?”

“I suppose so. However, it will have to be okay with your parents.” She glanced at my parents and nodded slightly to let them know it was up to them.

My dad looked at me and then at my mom. He mouthed something to her before turning back to the doctor. “Yes, I suppose that would be okay.” My dad responded to the doctor, flashing a smile of both love and despair at me.

“Thank you so much, Dad!” I exclaimed with a little hope that maybe the doctor was wrong and I had more than one week left.

“Well, I guess we better start planning for the next week! I’ll go grab some paper.” My mom announced, fighting back tears and hurrying out of the room. My dad quickly rushed after her, and you could hear her sobbing in the hallway. Maria, seeing that I had observed this, jumped in.

“So, what do you want your wish to be?” She declared with her beautiful smile.

“I want to fly to Brazil and visit the beautiful towns and beaches there.

My wish had been granted, and my family and I created an agenda for the week. Tomorrow, we are going to fly out to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and leave on Sunday. On Monday, I get to learn how to drive and get special permission to drive on a road. On Tuesday, I am having a spa day and getting my nails done. On Wednesday, I go to school for the last time and see my friends. And finally, on Thursday, I am going to go shopping with my family and eat dinner at my favorite restaurant.

“Layla, we’re here.” My dad whispered as he nudged me awake. I flickered my eyes open and looked out the window to see the bright, vibrant sun beaming down onto the elegant shores of Rio de Janeiro as the plane was landing. As I stepped out onto the firm ground, I could feel the comforting warmth of the sun caressing my skin and the slight breeze brushing through my hair. I gazed up at the majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer standing broad in the empty bright blue sky.

“I am José, and I will be your tour guide for the next few days, " a boy claimed. He must have been about nineteen, as you could tell from his tall and muscular body. The sun glistened against his dark skin, and his dark brown, almost black hair brushed forward across his face.

After José showed us to our hotel and we rested after the extensive plane ride, he took us to an incredible restaurant with the most fantastic cuisine. He also took us to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer up close, which seemed a million feet tall from below as I gazed up at it. On Saturday, José took us on a gorgeous hike to a glorious waterfall across the hills.

“I have a surprise!” José exclaimed unexpectedly after a wonderful dinner.

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously with a smile, thinking I was supposed to return to my hotel room after this.

“Well, all of you came just in time for the carnival. So I am going to take you tonight!” He explained in his Portuguese accent.

I felt the drums' rhythm pulsating through the crowd. The dancers swayed gracefully to the beat. The music, floats, vibrant colors, and dazzling lights created a breathtaking spectacle. I was left speechless by it all. Maria grabbed my arm and laughed, “Come on! Let’s dance!” She shouted over the booming music, and I danced, captivated by the sights for the rest of the night. Even though my life may be short, I know this will be the best night ever.

I felt a bittersweet pang as I said goodbye to José. Sitting in the plane's window seat, I watched the beautiful city fade beneath me. The days seemed to fly by; I had only four days left.

After the tiring plane ride, I rested most of Monday. I still got to drive in the afternoon. Driving felt so freeing; it was a bit scary, but still fantastic! I just had my nails done, and I think they are so cute! They are white and purple French tips. My mom, Maria, and I are on our way to a surprise destination, so I have no idea where we’re going.

“Layla, we’re here!” my mom exclaimed.

“A wedding dress shop?”

“Now you'll be able to wear your dream wedding dress,” she said as Maria and her left the car. I followed them inside and started explaining what my dream wedding dress looked like. It was an off-the-shoulder dress with lace on the bust and a long, flowy, princess-like skirt. When I tried it on, it was beautiful. I felt like a princess starring at myself through the tall, lighted mirror. The dress shop was enormous and elegant, and lights hung along the ceiling. I went to bed early that night so I could get up early to be ready for school in the morning.

I curled my long silky hair in the morning and did my makeup, hoping to look good and beautiful for my last day of school.

I stared back at myself in the mirror. “I don’t want it all to end,” I muttered to myself as tears fell down my face, smearing my mascara and makeup. I redid my makeup, grabbed my backpack, and headed to the car. When I walked into school, the first person I saw through the door was my best friend, Ellie. She would be the hardest person to tell that this was the last day for her to ever see me and that I was supposed to die in two days. As soon as she saw me walk through the door, she started running towards me and yelling my name with so much joy and excitement.

“Layla! Oh my goodness, you're back! I missed you so much! Where have you been?”

“I’ll tell you all about it during lunch, but we have to get to class right now,” I said, dreading the time when I would have to tell her.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

“So you’ll tell me now?” Ellie asked impatiently.

“Sure, but I don’t know how much you want to hear this.” She shrugged and leaned in to hear. “Okay,” I took a deep breath. “How do I even start?” I told her everything: the night I went to the hospital, what the doctor had said, and how tomorrow was supposed to be my last day. It hurt as I watched the smile and color fade from her face. She tried fighting back the tears until she finally gave up, and tears started rolling down her face. She didn’t know what to say. I could see the pain in her eyes, and she started hyperventilating. “Ellie, I’m sorry, but it will be okay. I’ll be okay. Promise me that you’ll be happy and laugh again once I’m gone. I don’t want your life to be ruined because of me. I love you. You’re my best friend.”

“You’re dying? She asked. I knew I had just turned her world upside down and broken her heart in two.

“Yeah.” I hugged her; we stayed close and cried for the rest of lunch.

That night, my mom and dad, Maria, and I gathered together, sharing laughter and eating ice cream while watching our favorite movie, Top Gun Maverick. When I finally woke up the next day, it was already ten in the morning. A wave of exhaustion washed over me as I made my way downstairs, each step a struggle. “Hey! Are you ready to go?” my mom called, her voice light and filled with love as she washed the dishes. But just as I reached her, I collapsed, slipping in and out of consciousness. Through the blur, I caught a glimpse of my dad, his face etched with concern as he carried me to the car. My mom hurriedly ushered my sisters inside the car. I remember being lifted from the car onto a stretcher, the world around me shifting into a blur of hurried footsteps and worried faces. Doctors and nurses surrounded me, their voices a distant hum, and just like that, I found myself waking up in a hospital bed, the faces of my family filling the room, their expressions a mixture of relief and worry, grounding me back to reality.

“Oh, thank goodness she’s awake. Maria, call the doctor," my dad exclaimed. After Doctor Blake had greeted us, she stepped outside with my parents. My sisters attempted to keep me distracted, yet I could still see the sadness on their faces as my dad embraced my mom, tears streaming down their cheeks. The hospital walls lacked soundproofing, allowing me to overhear Doctor Blake speaking with my parents. What I heard her say was one of the things I never wanted to hear: I was dying, and I only had a few hours left.

When my parents walked back into the room, I could see the worry in their eyes, knowing I had heard what Doctor Blake had said just by the tears streaming down my face. Maria and Avery quietly stepped out to get a snack, giving my parents a moment to be with me. They settled on either side of me, my dad gently rubbing my arm while my mom stroked my hair. I could feel that I had broken their hearts, yet they kept telling me how much they loved me and what an incredible daughter I was. Inside, I desperately wanted to confess that I wasn’t ready and that I was terrified of dying, but I knew I needed to be strong for them.

My parents left to talk to Avery, who is having trouble comprehending everything. Maria slipped in, clearly having something she wanted to get off her chest.

“Hey…” She said, looking at the ground.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She looked up, still avoiding eye contact. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again. “Come on, you can tell me.”

“It’s not fair. It shouldn't have been you. You never did anything wrong; it should be me in that bed.” I opened my mouth to speak, but she wouldn’t let me. “And Layla, I love you. I don’t always act like it, but I love you so much; I don’t know what I would do without you. So you can’t leave me. I need you to stay.” She had been crying and taking deep breaths through all of this, but the tears overwhelmed her.

“I love you so much, Maria, but this won’t help.” I could feel everything fading from my face. My lungs felt heavy, and my heart was on fire. I couldn’t fight it; more tears streamed down my cheeks. I knew it was all ending. “Tell Mom and Dad I love them, and help Avery understand.” It was hard for me to breathe, and I gasped for air in between words. Maria held my hand tight while she kept shaking her head. “Maria, I need you to know how much I love you. And I know you love me, but you have to let me go. Okay? I love you.” She held me tight, putting her head on my chest, sobbing.

“No! No! I still need you; please don’t leave me. Layla? Layla! Please! Come back. I still need you. I love you.” I felt her embracing me tightly, and then everything went silent and black.