chapter three
"the bad news"
[flashback, february 2020]

trigger warnings: hospitals, cancer
and mentions of mature content

It was that particular Thursday in February that was going to change Leslie Bennett's life forever, again. When she thought it was over and she had had it all, another problem came up and caused yet another medical condition to the list. Was it ever really going to stop?

The eighteen year old went to the hospital only a week ago for the usual scans and was called back three days later. Another two days later, February 27th, she had her surgery.

Everyone thought that the cancer was finally cured after removing her ovaries. After dozens of chemotherapy sessions and losing every hair on her body, everyone thought she was cancer free, forever. And though that is never sure, not even after five years of being clean, she had had hope.

But the heavens weren't with her, the odds were not in her favor. They never seemed to be. Only finding Lando and him and Max never leaving her side even through those times, were like a gift from God, and she didn't even believe.

"The cancer is back, stage two again." was what Doctor Haynes explained softly. It was like falling on her back hard, because suddenly all air was pressed out of Leslie's lungs and she gasped for air. Lando who sat next to her – as he did with all appointments – teared up and looked from his girlfriend to the doctor and back, hoping this all was a joke.

"Only has it fully spread to your fallopian tubes now and we are also seeing some forming in your uterus."

The blonde could barely believe what she was hearing. How was she going to tell her parents? The one time her mother was on a trip abroad she had to get this news. She needed her parents.

"What does it mean?" Her voice was flat and when Leslie tilted her heavy head and looked at the doctor, her gaze was hollow, her eyes not sparkling as they usually did. She felt the bad news hanging in the air, as did everyone else in the room.

"We advise you to remove your uterus completely. This is called a hysterectomy. This way we are very hopeful that we don't have to do another round of chemotherapy."

"Alright, do it.

Her words were simple.

Were they thought through though?

She was kind of giving up so what better option was there anyway?

"Now we want you to understand your options really well. And even though you are an adult and are legally allowed to make your own decisions, we would like it if you discuss the options with your parents." Doctor Haynes started, knowing what state his patient was in. "We can remove the metastasis to your uterus with a simple procedure of light chemo, but the metastasis to your fallopian tubes is at a stage that a regular chemo procedure is required. You will keep your uterus in this case. Your second option is the hysterectomy. This fully removes your uterus, thus your fallopian tubes too. No chemotherapy for now but the procedure is irreversible. So really, think wisely. I'll give you some time now and if you have any questions you can ask nurse Jada."

He gave her a pat on her leg and then walked out, handing the nurse Leslie's patient report. The girl let herself fall back in the hospital bed as she knew she wasn't going to walk out of this place in the coming couple of days. Lando scooted his chair more towards the bed and held his girlfriend's hand. He felt so sorry for her. Of course he was sad too, but he couldn't imagine what she must have felt at that moment.

"Do you want me to call your dad and Dec?" he whispered. She nodded in response. "I'll text mom myself though. Maybe she can join in on video call. Haynes is right about having to discuss this with both of them." Leslie said. It would take her father three hours to get here anyways, coming all the way from Birmingham, but Lando wouldn't leave her side in the meantime and she knew that. He was just the company she needed right now. She found comfort in the way her boyfriend smiled at her, the way he talked, the way he cared for her.

They talked for a bit, Lando joined her in the bed for the comfort of them both, the nurse coming in from time to time.

"This might be a blunt and awkward question," Leslie started when nurse Jada walked in again, "but can Lando and I still have sex when I get my uterus removed?" The question caught both Lando and the nurse off guard for a second but a smile swiftly appeared on Jada's face.

"That's not an awkward question at all love," she replied, nearing the two in the bed, "I fully understand where your question is coming from, and the answer is yes, you can still have sex after the hysterectomy. It will take about 6 weeks to recover from the procedure and the wounds to heal, but afterwards you can do anything you want as long as you're comfortable. If not, the wounds may not have recovered fully yet and you wait a little longer. But in the long run you can have sex like normal, it won't feel any different."

"So it's actually safer now, because I won't have the risk of getting pregnant." Leslie said with a smirk. Jada laughed at that, Lando's mind was just racing at 100 miles per hour trying to process all of the chatter.

"That's a way to see it." the nurse replied. "Keep in mind STD's are still a thing, but if neither of you have those, then yes it is completely safe."

Leslie had a satisfied smile on her face, at least the thought of feeling normal and being able to do everything she had ever done before eased her a bit.

After a while, Michael and Declan Bennett, father and sister, walked into the room, worry spread across their faces.

"O my god, Les, are you okay?" her dad asked her while practically running over to her to give her a tight hug.

"As far as I can be, yeah, sure."

Leslie explained the situation and Michael had taken a chair to sit beside the bed. They needed to call Maisie to discuss the choice the young girl was about to make. Though Leslie had already made up her mind, she still felt best to go over both options with her parents.

She was happy that, despite their divorce, her parents acted normal around her and her sister, especially in the times that Leslie was sick. Both might have found partners, but they still paid for the hospital bills together. They'd do anything for Leslie and Declan.

"You do understand that the hysterectomy is irreversible right?" Leslie's mom asked, her voice sounding slightly distorted through the phone call. Leslie nodded her head in reply. "Yeah, I understand. And I also understand that it is quite hectic and the recovery is fairly long, but I'm just so tired of chemo and I wouldn't be able to ever have kids of my own anyway. So this really is the best option, in my eyes." she explained. Michael looked at Lando in pity when Leslie talked about the inability to have kids. That meant that Lando couldn't have their kids either.

And still, Lando was fine with that piece of knowledge. He loved her and loved her enough to know that as long as his girlfriend was going to be happy and healthy, he was too. He wanted to marry her, have a dog together. But that all was for later. They were only teenagers, but he still saw his future in her.

Both parents nodded and agreed with Leslie having hysterectomy. The procedure would be two days later and she'd stay at Michael's for the time she was recovering the first weeks. Lando hugged Declan tightly as the younger Bennett was having a hard time. She, more than anyone else in the room, felt the sadness around what was happening to her sister. Why was this happening to her?

That was the question of the century. Why was this happening to Leslie Bennett?

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author's note: hello lovelies, welcome back to this story. i am deeply sorry that it has taken me nearly a year to publish a new chapter and it totally understandable if you had no clue of what this story was about anymore lol.

i hope you will enjoy this new chapter of 'jealousy, jealousy' and that you will stick with me and the story to read more about Leslie and Lando's relationship, or more, past-relationship.

i love u all <3