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I’m brought back to the room by another round of Mom’s violent coughing fit. I offer her the glass of water again and pat her back until she finds her breath again. It’s so bad.
“Maybe you should see someone about that cough, Mom. Your doctor...”
“It’s just more money,” she replies in a bark. “More and more money. Taking up insurance I don’t have. Spending money I don’t have.”
“I worry about you, Mom. I’m so far away from you. What if something goes wrong?”
“I’ll be fine, Emma,” she says. “Don’t you worry about me. Live your life and I’ll live mine. I chose to be here, out of your way.”
My phone vibrates with a message. I check it.
Diana.
She’s saying her new date is taking her on a surprising outing and if I can cover her late-night shift tonight. I’d have to get back to the city right now to make it.
Yeah, I couldjustmake it if I leave right now.
“Mom, I’m sorry, but work has just come up. I should go. I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave you like this...”
“Go, Emma.”
“You sure? I can cancel.”
“There’s no point to that,” Mom replies.
“You didn’t tell me how bad things had gotten,” I whisper sadly.
“There’s been no need,” Mom says.
“I’m sorry, I have to go.”
She waves my concerns away.
“Yes, you go, Emma. Make your money. Don’t you worry about me. Go live your life.”
I do go, but all the way home I don’t stop worrying about Mom or her cough.
28
AUGUST
“How’s my bravest superhero soldier doing?” I ask as I burst into the hospital room.
Little Ethan Parker, sitting up in bed hooked up to a million medical machines, manages a weak smile in my direction. It’s good to see he’s putting in the effort, despite how he must be feeling.
“Okay,” he whispers, obviously very fragile and tired.
I can’t blame him. I’ve seen his tests and diagnostics.
“Okay?”
“Yes, I’m doing okay.”
“Only okay?” I ask the boy as I take a seat next to him in the hospital room. “Yesterday you were full of energy, and you were so bouncy that I couldn’t get you down from the ceiling, where’s that superhero I saw then?”
“The medicine has made me feel bad, doctor. My tummy hurts and my head feels heavy.”
I rest a hand on his tiny shoulder.
