Poppy's PoV

2 weeks later

I hated it. Everything right now was going bad, plummeting down to a negative time where I could barely cope... again. Like we hadn't gone through enough with Kyle and Naomi, now just as we were getting to a good place again my parents show up and crap all over it, making me feel bad once again and ruining my happy mood. That was the beginning of the end. Calum had been reserved for a bit, probably angry that I'd never spoken about them which i understood - but couldn't he see why? That led to him finding my mouthy brother who had come in and stirred up trouble before leaving me in the wake of his lies and deceit. I'd crashed. I sent everyone away, including Calum, for two weeks now and I'd been suffering in silence. He'd been messaging me a lot, as had Ashton who was housing him whilst he wasn't allowed back here but I couldn't bring myself to respond. Every time I'd tried to think of something to say it just wasn't enough. I wanted to apologise for everything, after all this was my life ruining our relationship once again, but equally I was mad at him for going behind my back to try and find something out about me. Everything I wrote started nice and ended nasty and I didn't want it to be like that... so I left it.
That wasn't the only issue though. Quite a few things had built up and caused my meltdown, but now I had no-one to talk to about it.

The knocking at the door drew my attention away from my spiralling thoughts as I headed over to the door and opened it with a sorry smile.

"Hey Poppy, sorry it took me a while to get here. Everything okay?" I let him in, closing the door carefully behind him making sure no one had seen him come in. The last thing I needed was another pap story about my life circling the world. I slumped down on the sofa looking worse for wear as he sat on the seat beside mine, hands clasped as he waited for me to explain what my garbled voicemail had said.

"Thanks for coming Dr Forrester ."

"Call me Sam." He interrupted with a smile. "I thought we were past the formalities!" I let out a small giggle as I nodded. Though the reality of him being here pulled me straight back to the ground. He was worried about me too. "Is Cal...?" He looked around, noticing the empty house. I cupped my rounded stomach for strength as I spoke.

"I kicked him out. It was just easier." I sighed, regretting it all. It had been the worst two weeks of my life, not having him there to laugh with and talk about things with. Instead it was silent. Sam sighed heavily.

"Right, tell me what's happened..." This was it, the moment of truth. Everything I'd been holding in was now due to come out and Sam was the unfortunate guy to have to hear it. I thought he'd understand the most and so he was the first person I'd called when I'd began to worry myself about it all.

"Right. So... my parents are practically non existent in my life but they popped round a few weeks ago out of the blue. They were their usual unpleasant selves and wound me up so I shouted at them and kicked them out, I'd fallen to the floor and sobbed and everything. Cal had supported me through all that but he was reserved. I'd never told him about them. So when the pain started in my throat, I'd assumed it was a strain because I'd been so upset. Days passed and the pain was still there. Then my brother shows up thanks to Cal and I'd ended up shouting again, kicking everyone out for getting involved in my life. All I wanted was some peace and quiet to see what the symptoms were but things kept coming up. So I got rid of everyone and I monitored it. My throat still hurts today." I looked down at my lap, hating myself for keeping this from Calum. Sam nodded.

"Probably wasn't the best way to deal with it but I understand why. It was a very turbulent time anyway by the sound of it." I nodded in response. "And I'm assuming Cal doesn't know you've got a sore throat or that I'm here today?" I shook my head. "Right. This makes it a little more difficult." He strummed his fingers against his chin. "So you're thinking the sore throat is-"

"Cancer." I said as I nodded. "The pain is the same one I went through before, not long after it hurt to talk, swallow and I was clearing my throat a lot." I stroked my stomach. "And I'm only a few months from my due date. It couldn't have come at a worse time." Finally the words were out and the emotions were obvious. I began to cry, letting out what I'd been holding for weeks. No one even knew anything was wrong with me. They probably assumed I was overly hormonal and annoyed at Calum but the truth was, deep down the emotions were already there. The stress of pregnancy and my family showing up, the pain in my throat, the worry of cancer, the baby and how I'd treat it should it have returned. They did tell me there was a shadow left on the scan. In my mind I'd convinced myself it was that. I was already ready for the diagnosis.

"Well, Poppy, you know as well as I do that we can't just make that up. We need to test it. I'll arrange for a scan of your neck to see if that is the case. In the meantime I'm prescribing you a numbing spray for your throat which should help in the short term." I smiled and nodded, finally feeling like my worries were being listened to and that action was being taken. "But this could be hard on you and the baby. I know what you're saying but you really need to drop the selfless act and tell Calum. He deserves to know."