Work Text:
"Did you tell him?"
"Hmm?" Caitlyn asked, pausing her video. It was a live stream of Jake singing drunkenly at the bar. "Did you tell him yet?" Her roommate, Cara, asked. Caitlyn shook her head. "No... he's too happy... he doesn't need this," She said quietly. Cara sighed. "Caitlyn, you've gotta tell him." Caitlyn looked down. "He's living his best life, Care. I can't do that to him," Cara sat down. "Caitlyn, he'll be heartbroken if you don't say anything. He was when you split up, imagine when you die." Caitlyn swallowed thickly. "Ok... but I really don't want to Care," Cara patted Caitlyn's leg. "He needs to know." She spoke gently.
~
"Hello?" Jake answered the phone. "Hi, is this Jake Seresin?" The voice asked. Jake frowned. "Um, yeah. How'd you get this number?" "Oh, Caitlyn gave it to me." Caitlyn... that's a name he hadn't heard in a while. "Is she ok?" He asked. There was silence on the other end. "Are you sat down?" Jake's heart sank. "Tell me she's ok," He pleaded. A sigh distorted the call for a second. "Please, tell me she's ok." He begged. His legs were going to give out, so he sat down and put the phone on speaker, waiting anxiously. Rooster peered around from the kitchen, frowning. "What did you know?" The voice asked. "What do you mean?" Jake asked, his voice beginning to shake. "Ok... so you don't know.... fuck, ok..." Rooster was now sat next to him. "I'm really sorry to do this over the phone..." She paused. Jake's eyes watered. "She died. Last night," His breath left his body. "Whatever kind of sick fucking prank this is, I'm not up for it." He warned... he knew it wasn't a prank though... this person seemed genuinely sad and upset. "No prank... she passed away in the hospital at 11 o'clock last night." He swallowed.
Was he gonna be sick?
"How?"He asked. "Cancer, terminal... stage 5 leukaemia." He ran his hands through his hair. "She never told me!" He exclaimed. "She didn't know herself until a few months ago... she was diagnosed with terminal stage 5 straight away. She did chemo for 8 weeks but stopped when she was told it was terminal. Her exact words were: I'm gonna die anyway, might as well die happy.... fuck, sorry..." Jake wiped his eyes furiously. "She'd written an email for you but didn't get round to sending it... I'll send it over if you want? Along with the date of her funeral?" Jake knew this emotion: he'd acted it himself. The person on the phone was clearly close to Caitlyn and struggling. She was moving on, even if it hurt. "Yes... please... and I'll help pay... fuck, I'll pay for the whole goddamn thing," He felt a hand on his shoulder, and it felt like Nat, but he couldn't bring himself to look. "I'm sorry Jake... I really truly am... she was a beautiful person." And the phone clicked off as the call finished.
A "ping" sounded, breaking the silence.
It was the email.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Idk... just... read pls.. TO CHANGE B4 SENDING.
Hey Jake.
Um... I just wanted to email you cus I'm a pussy and can't face telling you in person. I have cancer. I was diagnosed about 5 months ago. Brain tumours, can you believe it? Brings big brain time to a whole new level. Anyway, I wanted to say I'm sorry for leaving you and I'm sorry for not telling you. I don't have long left at all, the docs reckon a month if that. I love you and I loved our relationship... but it was hurting you... my strange illnesses.... so I thought it was best for us to break up, and it clearly was! You're living your best life and I'm so happy for you! If you get this after I've died, well shit. Lmao, kidding... kinda... if you get this after I've died, I want you to know I loved you, and I'll continue loving you long after I've died. And Rooster, and Nat and Bob, and even Dough. Barry the cat has missed his best friend, you should get them in a meetup. My roommate, Cara, now has him.
Anyway... I love you and don't mourn me for ages... I'd say a month is apt... or I'll haunt your ass.
Love you so much, Caitlyn.
Underneath was an attachment.
The funeral of Caitlyn Wright.
An angel that was taken back by God far too quickly.
Time: 12:00 is the ceremony, 13:00 is the final goodbyes, and 14:30 is the wake.
Location: St Georges Church, then Apartment 18B, San Diego.
Date: Jan 19th, 2022.
Jake cried and cried and cried. He rang in sick to work for 2 weeks before signing himself off on bereavement.
He attended the wake, albeit only for an hour. He couldn't face being in the same room as she once lived.
Caitlyn had died and taken a piece of his heart with her.