"You can't be serious, Dr. Gus! A tumor?!" Star looks at her doctor in shock.
"Ms. Willis, I can assure you that this is correct. This tumor looks to have been forming for quite some time now. But, hopefully, we can catch it in time." Dr. Gus goes on to explain the treatments and procedures and the medical billing. But at that point, Star isn't giving a damn about bills or treatment. I mean, her boyfriend is loaded! Ever since he picked her up out of the shelter, Star never needed to worry about money; her clothes were always nice and new, her cars always designer, and she wore name brands some people could barely pronounce. Her biggest concern is what the fuck was she going to tell her boyfriend?
Star picks up her papers at the front desk and drives home slowly. She is deep in thought playing possible scenarios in her head. Star narrowed it down to three options: he would leave, he would leave, he's going to leave. She pulls up in the driveway to their ten-bedroom mansion. She didn't see his car, which was a good sign right now, it would give her more time to debate what to say. She passes the keys for her Bentley to the valet.
"Welcome home, Ms. Willis." He holds the door open for her and then goes on to do his job. Star doesn't bother to speak, being that she's preoccupied, which is not like her. She always speaks to her staff and she considers them very good friends. She looks at her papers again and slowly comes inside. She's greeted by Cedric, her boyfriend's butler. He's white and short with a thinning hairline. If Star didn't know any better, she would think he's the teapot from Beauty and the Beast.
"Ms. Willis are you alright? I have been speaking to you and you haven't answered me. Is everything well?" Cedric looks right at her and knows everything is not well. He holds her hand and pats it. "There, there now honey. I'm sure it will play out. Everything always does."
Easy for you to say that she thinks, you don't have a boyfriend that everyone admires. You don't have a breast tumor, you don't have anybody else to go to. Instead, she keeps her mouth shut and nods. Cedric hands her some tea before he gets the hint and leaves her to herself. Star walks to the parlor and sits. Its dark green walls add a serene look to it and its dark oak furniture adds to the richness. Normally, she finds peace in this room, and is often a little resort for her, but right now she's everything but peaceful.
She wanders upstairs to their bedroom. She sighs and folds the papers back into the envelope. One of the housekeepers fetches her the mail and she places all the letters together. She stands in the mirror and looks at herself. Her golden cocoa skin, unblemished, and her long curly hair just stopping to her mid-back. She twirls and watches the dark brown flow follow her. Her short but beautiful legs standing proud in her LV shoes. She sighs, it's only a matter of time that her hair will fall out and her skin will be blotchy. Her perfect shape and perfectly portioned features will soon vanish as she becomes sicker from chemo. She looks away from her future and changes into a blue hoodie and some ripped jeans. She lays on the bed and stares out into the grand mahogany ceiling until her phone brings her back to life. It's Chase!
Slowly, she answers, "Hi Honey." She's holding her breath
"Hi Kitten, listen I'm going to be home in a few minutes. Our meeting ended early."
Normally, when Chase tells Star he's leaving work early, she's ecstatic! Like a puppy with no off button. But today it just washes more waves of her anxiety wash over her.
"See you soon then." She hangs up before he could get in another word. She brings the mail downstairs and sets the table. The chef had made pot roast, one of Star's least favorites.
She can hear the valet say, "Welcome home, Master Chase."
Chase walks through the grand doors to our home, and as usual tosses his keys on the end table followed by his briefcase and tie. He stops and looks around and on cue, "Hmmm, I know she's in here. Where's my little Star?" He pretends to look around, "Here kitty kitty. Where are you?" he says playfully.
Star emerges from the kitchen doorway and walks towards him. His grayish blue eyes are locked on her as she nears him, and that perfect white smile is now showing. He wraps his arms around her and bends down to hug her. He's at least a solid foot taller than her. As she hugs him, she feels his abs and she gets a whiff of his cologne. His skin all white and not a blemish on there. He's handsome and could have any women he chooses and he knows it but he's too modest to flaunt it. Star breaks the hug and hands him the mail.
"You got a letter from Mr. Elon Musk and Mr. Bill Gates. I assume for a new project," she says walking back to the table. Chase nods and looks at the table.
"Pot roast, my favorite!" His eyes sparkle and he hurries upstairs to shower. She waits for him to return and he comes down, in jeans and a black t-shirt. Damn, he looks delicious! He sits and begins to fix his plate and Star waits again. He stops and looks at her, now shaking his head.
"Baby, you know you don't have to wait for me to eat. I know it's Bengali tradition to let the men eat first but we don't do that here. We eat together as a family." He passes her the bowl of peas and she fixes her plate. She smiles sheepishly and they start to make small talk. Having barely eaten anything, Chase stops her.
"Is something the matter, baby girl? Granted you hate pot roast but normally you talk more. Everything all right?" Star bites her lip and shakes her head no.
"Yes, um yes. Everything is just fine. Why do you ask?" she says nervously, hands now sweaty.
"You wouldn't lie to me, Kitty, would you?" His eyes now piercing through her big browns. She shakes her head no. He places down. his fork and from his back pocket produces a letter.
"It would have nothing to do with these papers right here? The ones stating you have stage-three breast cancer?" He leans on the table with the papers in his hand.
"What?! How did you find out?!" She gasps. She thought she put those away. It must've gotten mixed up with the mail earlier.
"Never mind that, when were you going to say something to me about it?" He sounds hurt but his demeanor is still calm.
"I just found out today," Star says softly. Chase nods and sits back in his chair. The staff has scurried already so it's just the couple.
"Star, why didn't you tell me?" And that question was the big question. It was like Chase had struck a match to an oil plant because Star exploded.
"Because you're going to leave me! Leave me for one of those trophy girlfriends! You won't love me anymore!" Star starts to sob uncontrollably now. Chase, now seeing his woman crying, instinctively goes to reach for her. She swats him away and keeps crying.
"Baby, what do you mean? I don't have a..."
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I'M NOT CRAZY!" With that, she takes off running to their room. She's still crying and she grabs a suitcase. She starts throwing clothes in there and her stuffed bear, Moo Moo. A few minutes later, she hears the sound of footsteps coming up the hallway. The bedroom door opens and closes. There's no way Chase didn't see the mess.