doctor left, and there were no words to express what each one was thinking. Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed and gripped her best friend’s hand. Tasha squeezed back.
“You are going to make me cry, so don’t start, Becca,” Tasha practically whispered to her.
“I can’t help it. I just never in a million years expected either one of us to go through something like this.”
“I hear ya, sister. It always happens to someone else, right?”
“Mom, you’re going to be fine.” Ashlee said.
“How’d I get so lucky to have such a great kid?” She looked at Richard, who was welling up with tears. “At least we did one thing right, huh?”
He walked over to her and hugged her.
“I’ll always love you, you know that. No one will ever be you, Tasha, no one.”
The orderly came in and pushed the wheelchair over to the bed.
“Well, I guess my ride is here. Hopefully the next time you see me, I’ll be…alive.”
Rebecca, Ashlee and Richard all let out an air of frustration at her humor. Tasha gave each one a hug as she sat in the chair.
“I love you all.” They told her the same.
The next few hours dragged on. They all sat in the family lounge. Jack and the kids showed up. Rebecca couldn’t help but notice that Amber wasn’t with them, but she didn’t say anything. The kids ran into their mother’s arms. She hugged them tightly, grateful that they were home safe. Jack stood off to the side, not knowing his place. Rebecca let the kids go over and comfort Ashlee, and she walked up to her ex-husband. He threw his arms around her and embraced her in a way he hadn’t in years. No words were exchanged, he just held her as she cried. When she felt that she could gather herself up, she let him go and coyly smiled at him. He understood, so he sat over by Richard and began talking to him.
Emily came through the door a little while later. James was with her. She ran over to Rebecca and grabbed hold of her.
“How is she? Is there any word yet?”
“No. I expect that we will any time now,” She responded.
She noticed James sitting with the guys and said, “Where are the kids? How was the testing?
“His parents took them home. They told us that we should be here. As for the testing, we won’t know until they evaluate the results, a couple of days I hope. All I know so far is that he tests abnormally high for intelligence, so how bad can it really be? It’s nothing compared to the uncertainty that Tasha is going through. At least I know my son is going to live a long, healthy life.”
“I like the way you sound. You are like a little ball of sunshine. It’s what we need.”
Emily flipped her blond bob back and smiled large.
“Well, someone has got to be.” They giggled. It felt good to giggle. It took the stress off of the moment.
The doctor entered the lounge and he had a forlorn look on his face. Rebecca and Richard stood at the same time.
“Tasha?” was all that came out.
“She’s in recovery. You should be able to see her in a few hours.” He had a strange look on his face.
“Did something happen?” Richard asked.
“The surgery was a success.” He walked farther into the room and closed the door. “The cancer has spread a lot farther than we anticipated.”
Rebecca lost control of her knees and began to fall. Jack quickly grabbed hold of her and pulled her into a chair.
“What does that mean exactly?” Richard asked.
“It means that once she recuperates from the surgery she should think about putting her affairs in order. There is a tumor pressing against her kidneys. They are beginning to fail. The cancer has spread throughout her other organs now.”
“So you’re saying that she’s going to die? How long does she have?” Richard asked.
Ashlee began to wail. Riley clung to her best friend.
“I’d say six months. It’s tough to say how fast it will metastasize. I’m sorry; I just had to tell you all since she is going to need you now. I have already contacted
“You are going to make me cry, so don’t start, Becca,” Tasha practically whispered to her.
“I can’t help it. I just never in a million years expected either one of us to go through something like this.”
“I hear ya, sister. It always happens to someone else, right?”
“Mom, you’re going to be fine.” Ashlee said.
“How’d I get so lucky to have such a great kid?” She looked at Richard, who was welling up with tears. “At least we did one thing right, huh?”
He walked over to her and hugged her.
“I’ll always love you, you know that. No one will ever be you, Tasha, no one.”
The orderly came in and pushed the wheelchair over to the bed.
“Well, I guess my ride is here. Hopefully the next time you see me, I’ll be…alive.”
Rebecca, Ashlee and Richard all let out an air of frustration at her humor. Tasha gave each one a hug as she sat in the chair.
“I love you all.” They told her the same.
The next few hours dragged on. They all sat in the family lounge. Jack and the kids showed up. Rebecca couldn’t help but notice that Amber wasn’t with them, but she didn’t say anything. The kids ran into their mother’s arms. She hugged them tightly, grateful that they were home safe. Jack stood off to the side, not knowing his place. Rebecca let the kids go over and comfort Ashlee, and she walked up to her ex-husband. He threw his arms around her and embraced her in a way he hadn’t in years. No words were exchanged, he just held her as she cried. When she felt that she could gather herself up, she let him go and coyly smiled at him. He understood, so he sat over by Richard and began talking to him.
Emily came through the door a little while later. James was with her. She ran over to Rebecca and grabbed hold of her.
“How is she? Is there any word yet?”
“No. I expect that we will any time now,” She responded.
She noticed James sitting with the guys and said, “Where are the kids? How was the testing?
“His parents took them home. They told us that we should be here. As for the testing, we won’t know until they evaluate the results, a couple of days I hope. All I know so far is that he tests abnormally high for intelligence, so how bad can it really be? It’s nothing compared to the uncertainty that Tasha is going through. At least I know my son is going to live a long, healthy life.”
“I like the way you sound. You are like a little ball of sunshine. It’s what we need.”
Emily flipped her blond bob back and smiled large.
“Well, someone has got to be.” They giggled. It felt good to giggle. It took the stress off of the moment.
The doctor entered the lounge and he had a forlorn look on his face. Rebecca and Richard stood at the same time.
“Tasha?” was all that came out.
“She’s in recovery. You should be able to see her in a few hours.” He had a strange look on his face.
“Did something happen?” Richard asked.
“The surgery was a success.” He walked farther into the room and closed the door. “The cancer has spread a lot farther than we anticipated.”
Rebecca lost control of her knees and began to fall. Jack quickly grabbed hold of her and pulled her into a chair.
“What does that mean exactly?” Richard asked.
“It means that once she recuperates from the surgery she should think about putting her affairs in order. There is a tumor pressing against her kidneys. They are beginning to fail. The cancer has spread throughout her other organs now.”
“So you’re saying that she’s going to die? How long does she have?” Richard asked.
Ashlee began to wail. Riley clung to her best friend.
“I’d say six months. It’s tough to say how fast it will metastasize. I’m sorry; I just had to tell you all since she is going to need you now. I have already contacted
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