Anya

The young girl let her head fall and come to rest on her mother's shoulder."Mum, I'm scared."
"I know Sammie. But you've done this before, and you always came back in one piece." Sam's mother gently stroked her hair.
"I guess. But I'm still really nervous. Really scared."
"Don't think about that." Her mother instructed.
"How long will they be? We've been waiting here for hours!" Sam winced as another jolt of pain rushed through her.
"I don't know, but I'm sure it will be our turn soon. Why don't I tell you a story? Take your mind off things."
Sam nodded, snuggling deeper into her mother's comforting, supportive shoulder.

"I once knew a girl. We were about your age and she had medical treatments, though not as many as you." Sam was sitting straight now, intrigued.
"She was a beautiful person, inside and out. She was so positive and outgoing. Something I longed for myself, but could never quite get. Not to the fantastic extent she had anyway. She was so tough and strong. To anyone else, she seemed to be able to handle anything."
"She couldn't though, could she?" Sam guessed.
"Well, those of us close to her. Those of us lucky enough to be considered a close friend, like me saw her softer centre. In reality, she was just as worried and nervous about things as the rest of us, if not more. But she never let it show. We never saw her anxious or afraid."
"If you never saw it, if she never let it show, how do you know?" Sam asked, leaning back into her mother again.
"I knew. I could tell. Everyone gets nervous before medical treatment. Especially when its something as big as theatres. When there were treatments coming up, I worried about her, right up until I saw her again and I could see for myself that she was alright."
"It sounds like you worried more than she did Mum."
"Oh no. I worried about her, yes. But there were times she was a lot more nervous than I was. She was scared. I was merely only nervous for her. It wasn't the same."

"You're trying to tell me something here, aren't you?" Sam guessed, leaning further into her mother.
"Even though she was scared, my friend was always brave. She just gritted her teeth and did what had to be done. She was unbelievably brave. You're doing the same thing right now, Sammie with how brave you're being. I want you to keep doing exactly that."
"Mum. Your friend, what was her name?"
"Anya."
"Your best friend Anya? The one who used to babysit me when I was little and who comes over sometimes? That Anya?"
"That Anya."