Cadence bounces over
the moment she
sees me,
dropping an
oversized paintbrush
on a partially done
advertisement
for the Junior's
Muffin Monday.
An innocent
muffin painting
is splashed with
brown paint,
suddenly way extra
chocolaty.
She wraps me up
in a warm hug,
welcoming me back.

I immediately ask her
if Adam's
forgiven her
for ditching him
for Homecoming.
She shrugs like it's
no big deal.

"I didn't like him
anyway.
I heard he's
super touchy
and that I
was lucky
to get away."

Lucky for me,
my date was
understanding.
And I wonder if it's
because that's who
he is
or because
I'm sick.

"How badly
did Dr. Brimmond
freak out?"
She wonders.

"He's not happy
with my FEV1,
but he'll survive."
I dance away
from the subject.

I don't want to
tell her
that my lung function
is closer to 65%
than it is to
passably healthy.
That if it sinks
much lower,
I'll be officially
in danger
of impending
death.
That my
Emphysema meds
aren't working
as fast as
my lung
deterioration.