“And so is Jessica,” my father snapped. “And she actually has potential. She’s going to be a doctor or a lawyer. She’s brilliant. You,” he paused, looking me up and down, “you’ve always been average. Average grades, average everything. We’re not destroying a promising future for an average one.”
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Dr. Patterson stood up abruptly.
“I’m going to ask you to leave my office while I speak with Sarah privately.”
“We’re her parents,” my mother started.
“Leave now.” Dr. Patterson’s voice had gone cold and hard. “Or I will call security and social services.”
They left. Jessica followed without even glancing at me, still on her phone. The door clicked shut behind them, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. The full weight of what had just happened crashed over me, and I started sobbing, huge gasping sobs that made my whole body shake.
Dr. Patterson pulled his chair close and waited until I could breathe again.
“Sarah, I need you to listen to me very carefully. What your parents just said, that’s not okay. That’s not legal, and it’s not happening. I’m calling social services right now. You’re not leaving this hospital without a plan in place that puts you first. Do you understand?”
I nodded, wiping my face with the scratchy hospital tissues.
“You have cancer. That’s scary, and it’s going to be hard. But you’re going to beat this, and you’re going to do it surrounded by people who actually care about you. I promise you that.”
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