Come Now and Imagine with Me

-Ashley's POV-

Jinxx, Jake, and CC all decided to book a hotel room nearby, but Juliet and I wanted to stay in order to keep up with any news on how Andy was doing. Juliet was fast asleep in her chair, though she had tried hard to remain awake. I knew she was exhausted from dashing from place to place. Just as I was dozing off, I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking it gently to snap me back into consciousness.
"Andy?" I asked automatically and hopefully. The doctor, whose nametag read Dr. Calvez, stared at me with a pitiful expression, shaking his head and putting a finger to his lips to silence me. He motioned for me to stand and follow him into the hallway, my heart pounding like raindrops in a thunderstorm as I anticipated whatever the news was.
"Mr. Purdy, I take it you are Andy's close friend, correct?"
"Yes." The doctor sighed.
"I-I have the results of his cancer test, and I'm deeply sorry, but-" I held up a hand, tears already welling and threatening to spill over.
"He has it, doesn't he?" I whispered through the growing lump in my throat. "Cancer." Dr. Calvez nodded, and I began to sob without sound, heart breaking and rebuilding itself just to shatter again, over and over.
"I told him to stop smoking," I wept. "I t-tried to take the ci-cigarettes a-away, but he ne-never listened. And then--and then I yelled at him and told him it was his fa-fault and that I wouldn't be su-surprised if he had l-lung cancer." I broke down harder as the doctor tried to comfort me, but it was no use coming from a total stranger. Dr. Calvez didn't know Andy. He didn't know how it felt to have your best friend on their death bed, when your last words to them were made of stone. He didn't know how it felt to think about how I would have to be the one to tell Juliet. To tell Jinxx, Jake, and CC. To tell Andy's parents.
"Mr. Purdy, I understand your grief, but you did not let me finish," he continued when I had settled down a little. I wiped my eyes.
"What is it?" My voice was scratchy and low.
"He will not die if he has a transplant. There's too much of it to do surgary, even if it's step by step. He needs a new set of lungs. I've already put him on the waiting list, but I'll have you know that he has about seven-eight months before the final steps proceed. I was informed that he sings in your band, though I'm afraid your most recent concert was your last, unless you find someone else to take his place as vocalist and he can play an instrument. His voice and lungs just can't handle what they used to be able to. Here are the emergency forms, fill these out and we'll have a way of contacting you in seven-eight months, or, if a transplant is available, sooner," he told me, and I nodded, unable to speak as I took them with trembling hands.
"Thank you," I choked out, stumbling back to the waiting room with weak legs. Apparently my crying had woken Juliet, who tapped my shoulder.
"What happened?" A wordless croak emerged from my lips.
"Cancer."

Notes

Agh I'm so sorry it's been forever since I updated and that this chapter is short! What do you think/want, will Andy get a transplant? Title credit: End of the World by Juliet Simms.