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“That’s what I want to see,” I say.
“Is it going to be okay?” Ethan asks me.
I don’t ever, ever lie to kids.
“I’m going to do my best, Ethan. That’s all I can do.”
“That’s good.”
“You be strong now, okay? I need you to be the superhero I know you are.”
I glance back up at his parents. Nate and Vicky both nod at me. I nod back.
“You’re going to go to sleep now, Ethan,” I say to the boy. “But we’ll all be here when you wake up again.”
71
EMMA
My mom smiles warmly at me when I walk into her hospital room, but despite her nice greeting, it’s still so weird for me to see her lying on the bed so vulnerable. The child in me hates to see her like this. I just want to rush over and help her in any way I can.
“Hello, Mom.”
“Hello, Emma.”
I take a seat by her bed and try to pretend everything is normal like she’s doing.
“How are you?” I ask. “How are you feeling?”
Mom continues to smile at me, really clearly faking it. She doesn’t want me to see how much she’s in pain.
“I’m going to be okay, Emma.”
I smile weakly back at her and take her hand, squeezing it tight. It’s good to feel her. We hold each other for a minute.
“I’ve been thinking about you,” I say, my words floating aimlessly in the air between us. “I’ve been worried.”
“Emma, you really shouldn’t,” Mom says softly. “I don’t want you to waste your life worrying about me. You’re young and beautiful and talented. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Mom...”
She squeezes my hand even tighter, making me stop.
“Wait, Emma. Please give me a moment to let me say this to you. Ineedto say this to you, so listen.”
“Okay.”
“You are talented,” Mom says. “I know I’ve never really said that enough to you, but I do think you are. Emma, you are an amazing dancer. A natural. Sometimes I look at you and I get sojealous. That’s the honest truth.”
“Mom, you don’t have to say...”
“I’ve really been thinking about this for the last few days, and I don’t want you worrying about me and instead focus on your dreams,” Mom continues. “Okay? You hear me? I don’t want you throwing it all away because of me. I’ve been thinking, and I’ve made up my mind. I really want you to spend your savings onyou.”
A tear runs down my cheek. Mom has always been so stoic and hard-working. She’s never been a woman who lets her emotions or her thoughts out freely like this. She’s rarely handed me a compliment my entire life and has certainly never said anything about my dancing before.
It’s quite a big moment for her to say those things to her daughter, and it hits me deep in my soul.
But she can’t stop me from helping her, no matter what she says.
