Things Change Part Two (Section One)

I finally make it to her room and my mom is half asleep on her bed, her checks look caved in and her eyes are red and puffy.
"
M-Mom. Are you alright? What is going on? What is wrong?" She smiles but it’s faded and it doesn’t reach her eyes.

"Sit down honey, and take a breather. It looks like you’re the one who should be here in the bed." I grab a chair and scoot it close to her bed and grab hold of her hand. I take a deep breath and try to regain any composer I can gather.

"What’s going on, why have you been crying?" She looks at me and closes her eyes, she thinking of how to put this and I just want to know the truth. "Mom, tell me now." My voice is stern, and that surprises me and my mother. She looks up and there are tears welling in her eyes.

"Sweetheart I have got Pancreatic Cancer, an-and they have only given me a f-fee-few weeks to live." My mouth drops to the floor. Cancer, my mom can’t have cancer. She is the healthiest person I know.

"No you don’t." That’s all I can say.

"Yes I do honey, I have called your dad and he is coming home early from his trip." I start shaking and my vision blurs. My mom can’t have it. There has to be a solution. Right then my mom’s doctor comes in. He’s a young tall blonde man, he smiling. How can he be smiling at a moment like this?

"Well hello there, I take it your Rowan." I nod. "I am Doctor Martin, I am sure you have questions."

"How can you only give my mom a few weeks to live? HOW DARE YOU!" My voice is practically at screaming.

"Please Rowan calm down or I will have to ask you to leave."

"There has to medicine for this. I mean come on." My voice is lower but I know it was rising, what else can you do when a doctor tells you that your mom only has a few weeks to live.

"Well Pancreatic Cancer is called a silent disease and once it is detected it is very far advanced. Surgery isn’t possible and chemo never seems to help. I am very sorry for you."

My mom squeezes my hand, but I can’t look away from the man standing there telling me my mother is going to die.

"Baby its going to be alright."

"No its not." I get up and storm out of the room and run to my car as fast as I can. I get in close the door and cry. I am not normally a big crier but how can I not be now. I turn on the engine drive home. Once I am home I run upstairs close the door and pass out on my bed.

I wake up to my cell phone ringing. I check out the time on my phone. Its 12:30 at night.

"Hel-lo." My voice cracks in the middle.

"Hey Rowan are you alright I have called your cell and house phone like a million times." Its Audrina, I want to tell her but I can’t.

"Yeah I am fine, just tired."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah ill see you at school tomorrow ok."

"Ok bye." I hang up with out saying goodbye. I go to the bathroom and change into my pajamas and brush me teeth and go back to bed. This is just a bad dream and ill wake up from it tomorrow.

My alarm is blaring at 6:30. I get up and get ready for school. I head down stairs when I hear foot steps in the kitchen.

"Hello." I call out.

"Hello Rowan." It’s a mans voice, my fathers voice.

"What are you doing here?" His dark eyebrows rise.

"Well I live here and your mother called me and told me the news, which I assume you know." He is wearing his normal outfit that I always see him in, a suit and tie.

"Yeah."

"Why don’t you stay home for a couple of days?"

"No I want to go to school." His dark eyes probe my face.

"Well come straight home afterwards." I nod and walk out the door to my car. I start the engine and head towards school. My parking spot is taken but today it doesn’t bother me as much, it seems pointless. I park next to the Dodge Charger again. I get out and head to the gym stairs. I am finally at my locker when Audrina pops up at my side.

"Umm Rowan babe, do we need to talk about your wardrobe choices?" I look down to see what I was wearing, grey sweats and tennis shoes. So I am not miss fashionable today so what does it matter I never am.

"No."

"Are you ok Row?"

"Yeah, why?" I turn to face her.

"You don’t look ok."

"Whatever." I walk into my class and go sit at my computer. Audrina follows me and sits beside me and stares. I don’t want people to know that my mom is dying because then they would treat me different, they would feel sorry for me. I don’t want that, I want everything to stay the same as it is now. The bell rings and Mr. Myall comes in. Thank god it is Friday, I want the weekend and I want it now.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, turn in your essays and start working on a power point." Mr. Myall Pauses as Jake Ryder strolls in late. I forgot how amazing he looks. He takes his seat beside me, I get a whiff of what smells like mint sugar. It smells amazing. "Tardy Jake. As I was saying, make a power point about cancer awareness. It can be any cancer you choose."

"Is this a joke?" I blurt out and all attention comes toward me. Oh shit what did I just do?