Chapter 2

When Mrs. Garret reached the girls room she saw Jo laying on her bed with her face in the pillow crying. Mrs. Garrett walked behind Jo and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Jo tell me what’s wrong. It’s just me nobody is here. You know you can tell me anything so please let me know what is going on?” asked Mrs. Garrett with concern in her voice. Jo didn’t respond to Mrs. Garrett she just kept crying and crying. Mrs. Garrett decided to walk on the other side of the bed and sit down. She looked at Jo and spread her arms out wide. Jo saw Mrs. Garrett do this and got up and just fell into Mrs. Garrett’s warm embrace. Jo cried into Mrs. Garrett’s shoulder and Mrs. Garrett rubbed Jo’s back. When Jo stopped crying and all you heard were a few faint whimpers and few faint sniffles she took a hold of herself and she looked into Mrs. Garrett’s gentle, concerning, and loving eyes. She knew that other than Blair she was the only one that could see her like this because she never liked to show anybody that she is weak.

“ Two days ago my mother called to ask how I was doing. She told me that she went to the doctors for a check up and that the doctor found a lump in her breast and it might be cancer,” Jo said quietly and slowly trying to console herself from crying anymore. She knew even if she tried she wouldn’t be able to cry anymore because she basically cried herself out.

Mrs. Garrett saw the pain and fear in Jo’s eyes. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. She knew that Jo always hated to show her true feelings especially if it shows her weakness. Mrs. Garrett also knew that the only one that she would tell other than her was Blair which meant that’s what Blair was talking about when she said that Jo had something to talk about.

“ I am so sorry Jo, so very sorry. I know this must be very hard for you. I know how you hate to show any signs of weakness and I know you hate to show your true feelings. It must be hard to hold these feelings in, but you have me and you have the girls to get through this don’t try to get through this alone you’ll just get overwhelmed even more and that’s not healthy.”

“I don’t know how to do that Mrs. Garrett I feel so worthless, powerless, and defenseless. I never felt weak in my whole life and I don’t know what to do and it’s so scary. I never thought I could feel this way I don’t know what to do. You know I hate to show my feelings. I‘m just not that strong enough,” said Jo with a sad tone to her voice.

“Jo you’re not weak at all your anything but that. Holding feelings in doesn’t consider how strong you are it also means you know when you can handle things on your own and when you need help from your family and your friends. Jo nobody expects you to be superwoman you hurt, bleed, and cry just like everybody else things happen, and when those things happen you have to know that the girls and I will always be there for you no matter what. You mean everything to me Jo you are like a daughter to me, all of you girls are and when one of you girls are hurting so am I. I just can’t sit back and watch and neither can your friends. As much as you hate to admit it you need them right now and you need me right now. Jo your friends are worried about you Tootie and Natalie have a right to know,” said Mrs. Garrett warmly and sincerely but with a little firm tone to her voice.

“ Your right Mrs. Garrett as much as I hate to admit it I need my friends right now and now I realize what being strong really means. Thanks Mrs. Garrett for everything. Wait did you just say Tootie and Natalie have a right to know. How did you know that I told Blair already?” Jo asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“ Jo you know it’s not a secret anymore we all know you guys are best friends and you tell each other everything. I mean I should know I brought you guys together even if you guys didn’t want to and would deny even liking each other all the time. Jo other than me she is the only one that you let see your sensitive and vulnerable side. You have nothing to be ashamed about because you love Blair and care about her like a sister, it just means that you found a friend and a sister in her,” said Mrs. Garrett with a smile on her face.

“Thanks Mrs. Garrett you made me feel ten times better. I guess I should talk to Tootie and Natalie it would definitely make them feel better and it would probably make me feel better too. I know it is going to be very hard getting through this, but now I know that I am lucking to get through this with my family and my wonderful friends,” said Jo with a genuine smile on her face the first one since she found out about the lump in her Mom‘s breast.

“ Lets go Jo. I will be right there with you so you don’t have to worry,” said Mrs. .Garrett with a reassuring tone in her voice. Mrs. Garrett smiled and Jo smiled back. They looked at each other one more time and then Jo left the room with Mrs. Garrett right behind her.

Jo walked downstairs and she found Natalie and Tootie finishing up there homework. They looked up when Mrs. Garrett and Jo came into view. Natalie and Tootie both were sharing concerned looks. Jo got a little hesitant but felt better when she looked at Mrs. Garrett and when she smiled so did Jo.

“ Natalie and Tootie I am so sorry for running out on you earlier I was just very overwhelmed but after talking to Mrs. Garrett I feel better. I needed sometime to calm down long enough to tell you what happened. Ummm…. Anyway two days ago my mom called to see how I was and we talked and caught up with a few things. Well she told me that she went to the doctors and the doctor found a lump in her breast and it might be breast cancer. That’s why I haven‘t been acting like myself lately. I just thought maybe I could handle this alone, but now I realize I can‘t I need my family and I need my friends support. I am sorry for not telling you earlier its just you know how I like to keep my inner feelings to myself but I realize that‘s not the best thing to do. I realize now I need Mrs. Garrett and you guys so I am sorry for not telling you sooner,” said Jo looking down and not looking at Tootie and Natalie. Natalie and Tootie shared concerning looks with one another and they were stunned with what Jo just said, as they caught Mrs. Garrett’s glance they saw the sorrow in them and knew that Jo really does need them right now.

Tootie was the first to speak, “It’s alright Jo, don’t worry about it we know that you would tell us what was going on in your own time. I am so sorry Jo, I know everything will be ok you just got to believe.”

“Yeah, Jo you have to think positive everything will be just fine and we will be right here,” said Natalie.

“ I am going to get tea does anybody what tea?” asked Mrs. Garrett.

All three girls nodded in response. As Mrs. Garrett left the room and entered the kitchen she saw Blair, not the Blair you usually see, the one stuck up and so full of herself, but the one she kept hidden, the one that she only let certain people see, the side of her that is insecured and unstable.

“Blair, are you ok?” asked Mrs. Garrett with concern in her voice.

“Yeah, Mrs. Garrett,” Blair said so low you could hardly hear her, she wiped the traces of tears left on her cheeks and smiled a half-hearted smile, but she knew that Mrs. Garrett would notice it right away.

“You do realize that you a real bad liar Blair, now what’s the matter?” asked Mrs. Garrett.

“ Well, you can’t stop a girl from trying can you?” asked Blair trying to lighten the mood. Mrs. Garrett just smiled back.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Garrett. I am just very worried about Jo that’s all. When I was talking to her she seemed so insecure and unsure of herself and it is just very scary. I am so used to the other Jo, the one that is tough and knows what she wants, but the girl I was talking to on the porch is not the girl I am used to. It just hurts me to see her that way. I know that’s stupid but that’s the way I feel.

“No, Blair that’s not stupid at all. Jo is your best friend so it’s jut common knowledge that you would be worried about her and that’s because you care about her. That is not stupid at all. You have every right to be worried about your best friend,” said Mrs. Garrett matter- of- factly.

“I am just so worried about her,” Blair cracked out the words, she was on the verge of being hysterical but she tried so hard to fight the tears that was threatening to fall from behind her eyes. Her mission was defeated as the tears fell rapidly from her eyes onto her cheeks. Mrs. Garrett grabbed hold of Blair to try to help her calm down. After a few minutes of Blair crying on Mrs. Garrett’s shoulder her cries subsided to just faint whimpers as Mrs. Garrett rubbed her back.

Blair looked into Mrs. Garrett’s eyes and she just smiled.

“Thanks Mrs. Garrett for letting me cry. I needed that I guess I was trying to be strong to not let Jo know that I was worried about her.”

“It’s ok Blair I know you wanted to be the strong one, but sometimes that’s hard you need someone to lean on so you can get you feelings out and when you do you can come to me, don’t just wait at the last minute when you are on the verge of hysteria. It’s not good for you or anybody around you if you ended up having an emotional breakdown believe me I am not in the mood of anybody else breaking down. I am as worried about Jo as you are because just like you I saw the Jo you are talking about and it’s not very good at all. She will need all our help and support especially yours, so if you ever feel like that again please let me know so I can take you out of the room she doesn’t need to know you are upset she’ll use that as an excuse to not let us know anything and she is just going to push us away,” said Mrs. Garrett calmly but also with a little stern in her voice.

“Yes, Mrs. Garrett I understand,” said Blair while she was wiping away the tears from her eyes but she had a little confusion set in her tear-stained eyes and Mrs. Garrett noticed it right away.

“What?” asked Mrs. Garrett.

“What did you mean that she will need my help and support more than yours?” asked Blair confused.

“Because she is your best friend Blair she will want a lot more from you than us. Even if she doesn’t show it, she will need your help most of all,” said Mrs. Garrett patting Blair’s back reassuringly.