“Are you ready baby?” He asks, struggling to catch his breath.

Am I ever, please! I use all my energy to wrap my legs around his waist.

“Yes,” I whisper.

I close my eyes as he moves slowly in and out. Our bodies quiver with the release of our love. We slowly come back down to earth, nestled tightly in each other’s arms.

“I love you to infinity baby,” he mumbles against my dampened face.

“I love you to infinity,” I whisper back, squeezing him to me.

Tristan tenderly kisses every inch of my face before falling over to his side, taking me with him.

“Are you too tired to shower?” Tristan whispers and I can’t help but love this man even more. He sure does know how to take care of me.

I yawn and stretch, silently giving him my answer.

“Sleep it is. Want a memory or a lullaby tonight baby?”

I am too tired for a memory so answering that question is easy. “Lullaby” falls quietly from my tired lips.

“Lullaby it is baby.”

I close my eyes as his soft, raspy voice puts me to sleep.

My rolling stomach wakes me. Slowly lifting my head, I sniff and discover the smell of bacon and eggs in the air. I slide my weak, tired body out of bed and take off towards the bathroom as quickly as possible. Thankfully, there is nothing to throw up but the small piece of pizza I ate last night.

I clean myself up and brush my teeth. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I can’t help but smile at my shiny head. It reminds me that I have people who love me. I make my way to the stairs, taking each step down with great care.

A shirtless Tristan is standing over the stove, frying bacon. I frown; is he trying to get popped by hot grease? My stomach starts rumbling again. What the hell is going on? My feet quickly take me to the downstairs bathroom. Having already emptied my stomach once, all I can do is dry heave. This time Tristan comes in and stands behind me.

“Baby, are you okay?” He rubs my shoulders while I rinse my mouth.

“I don’t know, but that bacon stinks!”

He looks confused because normally, bacon is one of my weaknesses. Even on my sickest days, I have always been able to nibble on a piece or two.

“I’m calling Dr. Zelanburg.” He walks off to find his phone. He is always such a worrywart.

I stay in the living room, not wanting to be around the smell of bacon.

Tristan comes back and picks me up. As he carries me up the stairs, I can’t help but sigh in exasperation. “What are you doing now Trist?”

He stops in front of my dresser and sets me down on my feet. “It’s time to get dressed. We have to make a quick run to the hospital.”

Whatever for? I am fine. Nausea is a common side effect from chemo. He knows this, so what is his deal?

“Tristan, it’s just my body getting used to the chemo. It has been a while, so my body is just adjusting its self. It’s all right.”

He stops moving, running a hand over his gorgeous baldhead.

“Dr. Z wants to run a few blood tests right now, so please, just get dressed Tiny,” he mumbles.

I smile at Tiny. I love that nickname. It lets me know that he doesn’t give a crap about how much weight I have lost. Like every other change that has happened, he just accepts it, embraces it and moves forward.

After getting dressed, we head to the hospital. I can’t understand why he looks so nervous. “Tristan, I’m fine. What is wrong with you?” I hiss.

He closes his eyes. “Nothing is wrong, I swear,” he promises me.

We park and walk through the doors to the cancer unit. I spot all three of my doctors having what appears to be a serious conversation. Trying to get their attention, I wave at them.

“Evelyn,” they greet me and turn towards the hall.

“So what’s up? You wanted to see me?”

They all nod and gesture for us to follow them.

Tristan wraps his arm around me. I lean my weight against his muscular chest, trying to absorb some of his strength.

The doctors lead us to a nice private room and I take a seat on Tristan’s lap.

“Tristan called this morning because he is worried you are having a new side effect to the chemo. Is the smell of food causing you to become nauseous now?

I look at Dr. Mongetto and nod my head slowly, confused about where all this is leading.

“That’s what we thought. We are just going to draw a blood sample and run a few tests, okay?” he asks.

“Yes, that’s fine. You know I don’t mind.”

After they draw my blood, all we can do is sit and wait. Tristan's body is coiled tight with tension and he doesn’t speak a word. He just sits with me cradled tight to his chest, content to watch me doze off and on.

I am startled awake by the sound of a throat being cleared. As I open my eyes, the first think I see is Dr. Z‘s smiling face. “Evelyn, your test results are in.”

“I like smiles old man. What are you smiling about?”

My other two doctors follow him in and take a seat.

“We have your test results back. We have great news for you. We also have rare news that could be great depending on how you take it Evelyn.”

Tristan’s grip tightens around me. I turn in his arms and lay my head on his chest, hearing the rapid beat of his heart. “Well, out with it old man. I would rather be sleeping next to Tristan in our bed right now.”

All three doctors chuckle in delight.

“Well, we can see that,” Dr. Mongetto teases.