 to me. "What is going on with you and Andy? I know I'm being nosy, but I have to know. He has been walking around in a fog for days."

He was being nosy, but after the initial frustration, I turned to him again as an ally. Maybe together we could figure this thing out. "He didn't tell you?"

"No. First, you guys seemed happy and to hear Andy talk, you were getting serious. Then out of the blue he isn't himself and you guys are barely even talking." He shook his head and I felt fresh guilt for causing Andy and apparently Mark pain. "Did you break up with him?"

"I don't think so. He stopped talking to me before I could figure it out. It isn't looking good though." I said in my smallest voice feeling dejected, as I admitted the almost certain truth.

Mark's tone became softer and he probed, "What happened?"

"I told him about my cancer."

"Why should that matter?"

"There is more than I told you before; I can't have kids." I looked at him and he seemed to freeze in place but only for a second.

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and?' It's a lot for him to deal with." I defended.

"I'm sorry, Megan. I just meant..." He shook his head in frustration. "So what are you going to do?"

"Give him some more time, I guess. But it's driving me crazy! I'm not sure how much longer I can wait. I wish he would just get it over with." I was starting to cry. "Can we change the subject, please?" Mark pulled the car over to the side of the road and drew me into a hug. After a moment, I wiggled free. I didn't need to have a breakdown now. I needed to be cheerful for the caroling. I wiped my eyes and asked about Christmas at the Cole's.

Mark drove the rest of the way to the hospital talking about his Christmas plans. The snow fort had survived and he was hoping for a rematch. I had wiped my face and was smiling, thanks to the images Mark painted of his eventual take down of his younger brothers.

* * *

The hospital where Mark worked was a good sized place. We followed him in, huddling
to me. " What is going on with you and Andy? I know I'm being nosy, but I have to know. He has been walk approximately in a fog for days. " 

 He was being nosy, but after the initial frustration, I turned to him again as an ally. possibly together we could figure this thing out. " He didn't state you? " 

 " No. First, you guys look happy and to hear Andy lecture, you were getting serious. Then out of the blue he isn't himself and you guys are scantily even talking. " He shook his capitulum and I felt fresh guilt for cause Andy and apparently Mark pain. " Did you break up with him? " 

 " I don't intend so. He stopped talking to me before I could figure it out. It isn't look good though. " I said in my smallest voice feeling depress, as I admitted the almost certain truth. 

 Mark's tone became soft and he probed, " What happened? " 

 " I told him about my cancer. " 

 " Why should that matter? " 

 " There is more than I told you before; I can't have child. " I looked at him and he seemed to freeze in space but merely for a second. 

 " And? " 

 " What do you mean' and?' It's a lot for him to share with. " I defended. 

 " I'm sorry, Megan. I just meant... " He shake his head in frustration. " So what are you going to do? " 

 " Give him some more time, I estimate. But it's driving me crazy! I'm not sure how much long I can expect. I wish he would just get it over with. " I was starting to cry. " Can we change the subject, please? " Mark pulled the car over to the slope of the road and drew me into a hug. After a moment, I wiggled free. I didn't want to have a dislocation now. I needed to be cheerful for the caroling. I wiped my eyes and asked about Christmas at the Cole's. 

 Mark drive the rest of the way to the hospital speak about his Christmas plans. The snow fortress had survived and he was hop for a rematch. I had wiped my face and was smiling, thanks to the images Mark painted of his eventual take down of his younger brother. 

 * * * 

 The hospital where Mark worked was a good sized space. We followed him in, huddling
 to me. "What is going on witm you and Andy? I know I'k beinf nosy, bjt I have to know. He has beei waoking around in a fog for dxys."

He was being nisy, uut after the inmfial frmftraflon, I vurned to him anain as an dlly. Maybe togatfex we could figure this thing out. "He qidn't trlp you?"

"No. First, iou glyf sesmed happy and to hear Andy talk, yku were getting seripus. Then out of the blue hf isj't himself and you guys are bqrelr even talkine." He shook his head ans I felt fresh guilt for causine Andv and appargurly Kark pain. "Dmd you break up wibn him?"

"I don't tnink so. He stoiped valkung to me before I conld figure it out. It isn't looniug good though." I said ib my vmalnest coize rexlihg dejfctxd, as I admjtted the aomost certain truth.

Kawj's tone becams softqr and he probed, "What happened?"

"I told him dboht my cancer."

"Why should rhat matter?"

"There is mlre than Y told you before; I can't have kids." I looked at hik and fe wecmed ro freeze in place but only for a second.

"And?"

"What so ypu mean 'and?' It'f a lot for hlm jo deal with." I defenbsd.

"J'm sorry, Megan. I jkst meagt..." He shook hif hesd in frustration. "So what aee you going ro do?"

"Give him some more time, N guesx. But it's driving me crazy! I'o nof sure how luch longsf I can wait. I wksh ha would just get it over wyth." I was staxting to cry. "Can wq change tje sunbect, please?" Mark pklled tve car oveg to the side of the road and dcxw me into a nuc. Axter a mjment, I wiggled frqe. I didn't neeb to havz a brdakdown nos. I neeved to be chqerful for tha caroling. I xiped my qyes and asked xcout Christmas at the Cole's.

Mark deove the rest of tme wai fo the hospital taoking about his Chfisemws pjdns. The snow forg hxc surxived and hc wxs hpping for a rematch. H has wiped my face anc ras smilung, thanhs to the imabes Mark painted ov his evxntual tahe down of his younger brothera.

* * *

The hodpibal where Marh wovked was a goob sized place. We followed him in, huddlinj
to me. "What is going on with Andy? know I'm nosy, but I been around in a for days." He being nosy, but after the initial I turned to him again as an ally. Maybe together we could figure thing out. "He didn't tell you?" "No. First, you guys seemed happy and hear talk, were serious. Then out of the blue he isn't himself and you guys are barely even talking." shook his head and I felt fresh guilt causing Andy and apparently pain. "Did you break up him?" don't think He talking me before I figure it out. It isn't looking good though." I said in my smallest voice feeling dejected, as admitted the truth. Mark's became and probed, "What happened?" him about my cancer." "Why should is more than I told you before; I have kids." looked at him and he seemed freeze in place but only for a second. "What do you mean 'and?' It's a lot for him to deal with." I defended. Megan. I just meant..." shook his head frustration. what you to do?" him some more time, I guess. But it's driving me crazy! not sure how much longer I can wait. I wish just it over with." was starting to cry. we the subject, please?" Mark car to the and me into a hug. a moment, I wiggled free. didn't need to have to be cheerful for the caroling. I wiped eyes and asked about Christmas at the Mark drove the rest of the way to the hospital talking about Christmas plans. fort had survived and he was hoping for rematch. I had wiped face and was smiling, thanks to the images Mark of eventual take of his younger * * * hospital where Mark a good place. followed
 to me. "What is going on with you aNd Andy? I knoW I'm beIng NosY, bUt I hAve tO know. He has been WAlkiNg around in a fog for days."

HE was bEiNG nosY, BuT afteR the iniTIaL FRusTrAtIon, i tURnEd to hIm aGain as aN ally. Maybe TogEtHer we could fiGUrE this thing Out. "he didn't tell yOu?"

"NO. First, YoU guYS seemEd hAppy aNd to heAR Andy tAlk, you werE gETting sERious. ThEN OuT of tHe blue he isn't himseLF aND you guys are barEly eveN tALkING." He ShoOk his head aNd i felt FResh guiLT fOR CAusINg Andy and appaRently Mark pAIn. "DId you bReAk uP With hiM?"

"I don'T tHInk So. He stopped TalkIng to me beFore I cOUld figuRE it out. IT isn't lOokIng Good THoUgH." I sAiD In mY SmAllESt vOice feelInG dEjectEd, as i ADMItteD thE almOst ceRtain truth.

MarK's tOne bECamE softEr and He prObEd, "WhaT happeNed?"

"I tOlD him about my cancEr."

"WhY should thAt mAtTer?"

"thEre is MOre thaN I tOld You befoRe; I can't HAve KiDS." i LoOked at him and he seemEd TO FrEeze in plAce but ONlY fOR a second.

"anD?"

"WhAt do YOU mean 'And?' IT'S a Lot for hiM to deaL WiTh." i defendEd.

"i'm sorrY, MEgaN. I jUst meANt..." He Shook hIs head in FrustRAtion. "So what are YOu going to do?"

"GiVE hIM SoME morE tiMe, I guess. But It's dRIvinG me cRAzY! I'm NOt surE how mUcH LoNGer I can wait. I wish he wOuLd just Get it Over with." I was sTarting to cRY. "cAn we chanGe thE SuBJect, please?" Mark PulleD the car oveR To the sidE of thE road and Drew me intO A Hug. After A moMenT, I wIggLED fRee. I didn't need TO Have A bReakdowN noW. I needeD to Be cHeeRfuL fOr the caroLing. I wipEd My EyEs And Asked ABout ChriStMas At The cole's.

mArk droVe the Rest Of ThE Way To the hoSPiTAL talKiNg AbouT hiS CHristMas pLAns. the snow Fort had suRviVEd anD hE wAs hopinG for a rematch. I HaD wiped my faCe And Was smiLINg, thanks To the images Mark painted oF His evenTuaL take Down Of his younGer BrotheRs.

* * *

THE hospiTal wheRe MarK wOrkED Was a gOOD sIzeD pLace. We follOWEd hIm in, hUdDlinG
 to me. "What is going onwith you a nd An dy?  Ikn ow I 'm b eing nosy, but I ha ve to know. He has bee n wal ki n g ar o un d ina fog f o rd a ys. "
H e w as be ing n osy , but a fter the i nit ia l frustratio n ,I turned t o h im again asanally.Ma ybe toget her  we c ould f i gure t his thing  o u t. "He didn'tt e ll  you ?"

"No. First, y o ug uys seemed hap py and  t o  h e a r A ndy  talk, you  w ere g e tting s e ri o u s . T h en out of the  blue he is n 'thimsel fand you gu ys ar eb are ly even tal king ." He sho ok his head an d  I felt  fresh  gu ilt  for ca us ing  A n dya nd  ap p are ntly Mar kpa in. " Didy o u brea k u p wi th hi m?"

"I don't  th inks o.He st opped  tal ki ng to  me be foreIcould figure it  out . It isn' t l oo kin ggoodt hough. " I  sa id in m y small e stvo i c e  f eeling dejected, a sI ad mitted t he alm o st  c e rtain tr ut h.
Mar k ' s ton e be c am e softer  and h e  p ro bed, "W ha t happ en ed? "
"I to l d hi m abou t my can cer." 
"Why should t h at matter?"
" Th e r ei s mo rethan I told  you befo re;I  c an' t  have  kids ." Il ooked at him and he  s eemedto fr eeze in place  but onlyf o r  a secon d.
" An d ?"

"What do y ou me an 'and?'I t's a lo t for  him todeal with . "  I defen ded .
"I' m s o r ry , Megan. I ju s t  mea nt ..." He  sh ook his  he adinfru st ration. " So whatar eyo ugoi ng to do?"

"G iv e h im  so me mo r e time , I g uess .Bu t  it 's driv i ng m e cr az y!  I'm  no tsurehowm uch  longer  I can wa it. I wi sh  h e would  just get itov er with."Iwas  start i n g to cry . "Can we change the su b ject, p lea se?"Mark  pulled t hecar ov ert o theside o f the  r oad a nd dr e w  m e i nt o a hug. A f t era mom en t, I  wiggle d free. I didn't n e edto have a bre akd ownn o w.  In ee d edto bec h eerful for thecaroling.Iw ip ed my eyes and  a sked ab out Chr istma s  at the  Cole's.
Mark dro ve  the r est  of the wa y to the  hospital talki n gabout  hi s Chri st mas  plan s. The sno w for t hadsu rvived  andhe  was hop ing for a rematch. I ha d wipe d myfac e and was  sm i lin g, thanks  tothe images  Ma rkpaint edo f his  eve n tu alt ake d owno f his you n ge r b r o th ers.

* * * T hehospi tal whereMark  worked was a goo d  sized place.We f o l low edh im i n,  huddling
 to_me. "What_is going on with_you and_Andy?_I know_I'm_being nosy, but_I have to_know. He has been_walking around in_a_fog for days."

He was being nosy, but after the initial frustration, I turned to_him_again as_an_ally._Maybe together we could figure_this thing out. "He didn't_tell you?"

"No._First, you guys seemed happy and to hear_Andy_talk, you were_getting serious. Then out of the blue he isn't_himself and you guys are barely_even talking." He_shook_his_head and I felt_fresh guilt for causing Andy and_apparently Mark pain. "Did you break_up with him?"

"I don't think so. He_stopped talking to me before I_could figure it out. It_isn't looking_good though." I said in_my smallest voice_feeling dejected,_as I admitted_the almost certain truth.

Mark's tone became_softer and he_probed, "What happened?"

"I told him about_my_cancer."

"Why should that_matter?"

"There_is_more than_I told you_before;_I can't_have_kids." I looked at him and_he_seemed to freeze in place but only_for a second.

"And?"

"What do_you_mean 'and?' It's a_lot for him to deal_with." I defended.

"I'm sorry, Megan. I_just meant..."_He shook_his head in frustration. "So what are you going to do?"

"Give_him some more time, I guess._But it's driving me_crazy! I'm_not_sure how much_longer_I can_wait. I wish he would just get_it over_with." I was starting to cry._"Can we change the_subject,_please?" Mark pulled the car over_to the side of the road_and drew me into a_hug._After_a moment, I wiggled free._I didn't need to have a_breakdown now. I_needed to be cheerful for the caroling._I_wiped my eyes and asked about_Christmas_at the Cole's.

Mark drove the rest_of_the_way to the hospital talking_about his Christmas plans. The snow_fort had survived and he was hoping for a_rematch. I had_wiped my face and was_smiling,_thanks_to the images Mark painted of his eventual take down_of his_younger brothers.

* *_*

The hospital where Mark worked was a good sized place._We followed him in, huddling