Sorry I must be away on your actual B-day, Princess, but I promise to make it up to you when I return. Paris is a beautiful city and I really want to bring you and Mom here for vacation. You’d love it! Of course, you usually find some ballet school to run off to during the summers, but maybe you can work in some vacation time with your parents. What do you think? There’s a ballet to attend here and I’d be sure we’d get tickets.
I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, so think about where you’d like to go for your birthday. Ask Mom for ideas too. You’re thirteen! I can hardly believe it. I’m the father of a teenager! Love to my two favorite women!
Dad
MELINDA’S DIARY
September 6
School’s barely started and I’ve already got a pile of homework—ugh! I wrote a long e-mail to Jesse trying to encourage him about his family troubles. It must be hard. He feels torn between his parents, but of course, he’s really devoted to his mom. I wish I could see Jesse again, up close and personal. I really like him, but falling for someone who lives across the country doesn’t make sense. Wish I were like Bailey and could find someone at school, but no one interests me the way Jesse does. Maybe someday, some boy will. Until then, Jesse is the one! I can’t believe I’ve known him so long and we’re still close. What or who could break that tie up?
Atlanta School of Ballet
April 7
Atlanta School of Ballet
4325 Peachtree Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30021
Dear Ms. Skye:
We are pleased to confirm your acceptance by the Washington School of Classical Dance for its summer training program, beginning June 14. This opportunity, offered only to approximately one hundred dancers in the country, will require you to live in the dorms and attend classes three times a day, six days a week. A packet from the Washington School will arrive shortly with all data pertaining to your scholarship. Once again, congratulations, and we look forward to your return to our school in the fall.
Sincerely,
Madeline Houston
Director
P.S. Melinda …, we’re so proud of you accomplishments. I can’t think of a more deserving student than you. Congratulations!
MELINDA’S DIARY
April 8
I made it!!!! I can’t believe it, but the letter came today confirming my acceptance into the best classical-dance training program in the whole country!!! Mom and I shouted and screeched and danced all around the kitchen when I read the letter to her.
In June, Mom and I fly up to Washington, D.C. Then Mom comes home and I stay up there two whole months doing the hardest, most disciplined work of my life! I’m excited, but scared too. I’ll miss seeing Bailey every day. I’ll miss Zorita’s soft purr. I’ll miss e-mailing Jesse. The competition will be fierce, but I’ve always wanted this.
I know that getting into the corps of a good ballet troupe is so very competitive that some of the girls would push you down a flight of stairs if they thought it might eliminate competition and better their chances. (What I just wrote sounds hateful, but it’s the gospel truth!) Gosh, I hope I don’t make any enemies.
Stop it, Melinda!!! (Sometimes I have to be stern with myself.) Just go and dance and learn!
“Hello, Melinda. It’s me, Jesse.”
“No way!”
“Way.”
“You’re calling me? From California? Is—is everything all right?”
“Of course. When I got your e-mail about being accepted into the Washington program, I asked Mom if I could call you and she said I could, so here I am.”
“Oh, Jesse … this is so sweet of you. Really. I—I haven’t heard your voice in years.”
“How do I sound?”
“Great.”
“You too. I’m kicked about your getting picked. I mean, I know how much you love ballet.”
“But it’s going to be hard, Jesse. I mean this is a whole different level.”
“You scared?”
“A little.”
“You’re going to be the best.”
“I just hope I don’t embarrass myself. Some of the girls are sixteen and seventeen and ready to go off to real dance troupes. Dance masters come to watch us and pick the best and dismiss the others. Imagine, training all your life only to be told you’re not ‘suitable.’ It’s a crusher.”
“That won’t happen to you, Melinda. When you’re sixteen, they’ll fight over who’ll get you.”
“I hope! But enough about me. What about you, Jesse? Are you going to New York to see your father again this summer?”
“I can’t get out of it.”
“Promise me you’ll give them another chance, OK?”
“I’ll give them another chance. Um … Mom’s making signs at me to hang up, so I’ve got to go.”
“Thanks for calling. It means a lot to me.”
“Write me from Washington. If you have the time, I mean.”
“I’ll find the time. Goodbye, Jesse.”
“Bye. You know what? I miss you … even after all these years.”
June 23
Dear Melinda,
I miss you like crazy! But I know you’re loving it. Boy, from your letter, it sure sounds like you’re really working hard. I can’t believe you’re not feeling good. What a pain to be up there competing with all those prima donnas and not feeling good.
Listen, I’m gonna bust if I don’t tell you something. I was saving it till you got home, but I can’t wait another minute. Here goes. I went to the mall last Friday and ran into Peter Keating. (Remember, I had a thing for him in September, but he was in high school and my parents squashed it.) Anyway, Pete asked me to go to the movie playing at the mall and I said “Sure.” Inside it was practically empty and the theater was totally dark, and then Pete slid his arm around me and the next thing I knew he was KISSING me! Wow, I thought my nail polish would melt. It was SO hot! (And I don’t mean the temperature.)
So now Pete and I are “on” again and he’s coming over this Saturday while I baby-sit the twins and Mom and Bill go shopping. My plan is to lose the twins (temporarily) and practice kissing Pete. Gotta run now. More after Saturday!
Hugs,
Bailey
P.S. Sure wish you were going to be here for my birthday!
July 4
Dear Bailey,
First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! This is our only day off, so I’m answering your letter before classes begin again in the morning. That’s how great a friend you are! Careful with Pete. Don’t practice too much kissing because it might lead to something else. Sorry if I sound like your mother, but I only want you to BE CAREFUL.
I think I’m trying too hard. My timing’s off and the dance master embarrassed me in front of the whole class yesterday. I just couldn’t keep up and she really snapped at me. Some of the girls giggled (competition, you know). I could have sunk through the floor. I’ve got bruises all up and down my legs too, probably from too much barre work. I’ve been putting on stage makeup to cover the purple blotches, but my bunkmate noticed them last night and said I should tell our trainer. Fat chance! I’m not about to whine and complain about a few bruises.
Have you been to my house to visit Zorita? You said you would, so don’t get too focused on Pete that you forget my poor lonely cat (who I’m sure misses me and wonders why I don’t sleep in my bedroom every night).
Well, we’re heading into town to listen to Pops in the Park and watch the fireworks show over the Potomac River. I plan to sleep in the van all the way there and back! Write soon!
Melinda (who wishes she felt better!)
TO: Lenny
SUBJECT: 911
Honey, I know you’re 40,000 feet over the Atlantic right now, but you’ll pick this up when you land. I’ve received a call from Washington. Melinda has collapsed and has been taken to Georgetown University Hospital. The doctors think it’s exhaustion. I’m on my way to the airport and I’m frantic. I can’t get to Washington fast enough. Call the hospi
tal as soon as you get this. I don’t care about the six-hour time difference. Dear God, I hope she’s all right. I hate that she’s alone until I get there.
Elana
Roses
MELINDA’S DIARY
July 8
This has to be the MOST embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me! One minute I was in class doing a plié, my arms arched, my back perfectly aligned: the next minute, I woke up on the floor of the dance studio. Thinking back, I did feel dizzy and light-headed, and suddenly everything went to spinning. I felt hot all over and the music sounded like it was coming through a tunnel, then my stomach felt funny, and then came the floor and people screeching and the master holding my hands and rubbing my face. Someone stuck a wadded towel under my head and someone else lifted my feet. And voices kept saying, “Call an ambulance.”
By the time the medics arrived, I was sitting up and feeling better, but I had to go to the ER and get checked out. The hospital called Mom, who came all the way up from Atlanta, and now I’m in a hospital room and she’s huddling with some doctors in the hall. She said Dad’s on his way back from Paris. I’m mortified! But I’m tired too. I’ll bet I’m anemic, like Patti Johnson was last year. The doctors kept asking me questions in the ER and now it occurs to me that they were trying to find out if I’m a bulimic UGH! How gross … sticking a finger down your throat to make yourself throw up just to lose weight. But I am losing weight. (I sort of fudged to the doctor when he asked my normal weight.) But I’m NOT bulimic. No way!
And the worst part of all is that everybody’s conspiring against me to make me go home! I don’t want to go home! Don’t they understand? If I leave the school now, I’ll never get asked back! This isn’t fair. I’ve wanted this all my life and now it’s going to be snatched away all because of a little fainting spell I had during class. I CAN’T STAND IT!!!!!!
TO: All Concerned
Subject: Melinda
I’ve created a special address heading—All Concerned—to keep everyone in our circle of family and friends updated about Melinda, and either I or Elana will give you information. PLEASE DON’T CALL THE HOSPITAL. We flew home with Melinda yesterday and checked her into Emory University Hospital, where she’ll undergo tests for the next few days. She’s running a fever, but she doesn’t seem to have an illness—baffling. At the least, she’s very anemic.
Elana is blaming herself for not catching Melinda’s weight loss, bruising and excessive tiredness before Melinda took off to Washington. But our girl’s never had a sick day in her life beyond those due to the common cold, so why should we have been suspicious?
We have great confidence in her doctors, especially her hematologist, Dr. Jan Powell, who we’ve been assured is one of the best in her field.
Melinda, Elana and I appreciate your prayers and thoughts, and as soon as we know what’s going on, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, keep praying.
Lenny
“Hi … is this really you, Melinda?”
“Bailey? Where are you?”
“The lobby. They won’t let me upstairs to see you.”
“Mom’s turned into a real watchdog. She told the nurses’ desk not to let anyone in. She’s down in the cafeteria having dinner or she’d never have let me take this call.”
“That’s so mean!”
“She’s not being mean, Bailey. She’s just being Mom. It’s good to hear your voice.…”
“Now don’t start crying, or I will too. Can you tell me what’s going on? I haven’t got long to talk.”
“How did you get here anyway?”
“Pete drove me. Now, tell me, what’s happening?”
“I—I feel like a pincushion. They’ve drawn blood about a hundred times and sent me down for a CT scan—”
“A what?”
“It’s a test—a full-body X ray.”
“Oh. Did it hurt?”
“No … but all the needle sticks are awful!”
“When can you come home?”
“I don’t know.”
“Your mom asked me to take temporary custody of Zorita. She’s being a good cat but she misses you.”
“I miss her too. I miss everybody. Will you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“E-mail Jesse. He’s probably not on Dad’s e-mail list. Jesse still thinks I’m in Washington.”
“I’ll e-mail him today. Now, don’t cry or your mom will pump you and you’ll have to confess that I came here and talked to you. And my parents will kill me if they think I got into a car with Pete without their permission.”
“Thanks for taking the chance, Bailey.”
“Don’t you know? ‘Chance’ is my middle name. I really want to see you.”
“I’ll beg Mom to bring you next time she comes. Maybe we’ll know something by then. And … and thanks for telling Jesse for me.”
TO: All Concerned
Subject: Tests
I’m letting those of you we love know all that is happening. They took Melinda down for a bone marrow aspiration today. I stood by her bed holding her hand while they told her about the procedure. It’s horrible! They stick a long needle into her lower back between her vertebrae while she’s curled into a fetal position. She’ll only have a local anesthetic to numb the skin and she has to lie stone-still. One of the nurses said that Melinda could hold her hands and squeeze as hard as she wanted. She said that Melinda could yell or cry—anything except move. I begged them to let me go along, but Melinda wouldn’t have any of it. She looked at me and said, “Mom, I’m not a baby.” I watched them roll her away while I cried. Doesn’t she know? She’s MY baby. Please keep praying. We don’t know what else to do but wait and hope.
Elana
TO: Jesse Rose
Subject: Melinda
Hi—
This is Bailey, Melinda’s friend. Remember me? Well, it doesn’t matter. What does is this: I’m writing you because Melinda asked me to. She’s in the hospital. Now, don’t freak. We still don’t know too much about what’s wrong with her. It’s got something to do with her blood, because that’s what they keep testing. Here’s what happened. She fainted in ballet class in D.C. and got rushed to a hospital. Her mother went to Washington and flew back with her to Atlanta, where Melinda got checked into another hospital. There she lies until the doctors figure out what’s wrong. I’ve talked to her and she sounded scared. Just as soon as I know something, I’ll e-mail you—you can contact me anytime. The important thing is that we help Melinda get through this really bad time, because we’re her two best friends in the whole world. That’s what she told me once.
Bailey
MELINDA’S DIARY
July 11
They stuck a needle in my back today. I couldn’t see it, but I really felt it … like it was sucking out my insides. It hurt so bad. I tried not to cry. I squeezed the nurse’s hands so hard that she yelped and I felt bad even though she said it was okay. I wished I’d let Mom come with me for the test, but I didn’t want her any more upset. She looks like she’s going to cry all the time. Dad looks like he hasn’t slept in days. I hope whatever’s wrong with me isn’t bad. Please, God, don’t let it be bad.
TO: Ann
Subject: Apology
I am so sorry you were inadvertently left off our e-mail news list. Please forgive us. Lenny and I have been distraught over Melinda and we’re not thinking clearly. The second I heard Jesse’s voice on our answering machine, I realized what had happened. Poor kid! He sounded upset. I had forgotten how long he and Melinda have been friends. Of course the news hit him hard. Melinda said she’d asked Bailey to get the word to him.
Well, you’re in the e-mail loop now and just as soon as we know something, we’ll send out the word. I hate the worried look on her doctor’s face. I know that whatever is wrong, it’s serious—much more than a case of severe anemia like they’d first suspected.
Tell Jesse that Melinda will be in touch, because they have computers here at the hospital and
patients can use the Internet and e-mail. We just found this out today.
Elana
UNIVERSITY PATHOLOGY
CONSULTANTS
121 East 18th Street, Suite 318
Atlanta, GA 30020
Phone: (800) 555-4567 Fax: (800) 555-4568
BONE MARROW PATHOLOGY REPORT
Referring Physician: Janet Powell, M.D.
Specimen Number: JL01-99437
Hematology Associates
Emory University Hospital, Suite 2010
Atlanta, GA 30020
Date Collected: 7/11
Date Received: 7/11
Date Reported: 7/12
Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Gross Description
The specimen consists of 5 slides and 2 additional aliquots of 3 cc each, labeled “Bone Marrow Aspirate, Melinda Skye.”
Microscopic Description:
The bone marrow aspirate demonstrates extensive hypercellularity with normal bone marrow elements essentially replaced by infiltrating lymphoblasts. There are multiple mitotic figures seen. The lymphoblasts demonstrate a high nuclear/cytoplasm ratio and clumped nuclear chromatin. Some nuclei display a folded appearance. Scattered among the abnormal cells are small numbers of erythroid, myeloid, and megakaryocytic cells.
Flow cytometric immunophenotypic studies demonstrated a population of beta lymphocytes, which expressed the CD19 and CD20 antigens, and were weakly positive for CD10 (CALLA) antigens.
Cytochemistry was positive for TdT, further corroborating a lymphoblastic process and poor prognosis.
The findings are consistent with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Stephen R. Jones, M.D. Pathologist
TO: Jesse