Page 51 of I’m Already Gone

“I don’t want to see you get sick anymore, Mom,” he whispers brokenly.

“It’s part of the treatment, sweetheart. I have to get sicker to get better.” I pull back and cradle his face in my hands. “I am not leaving you or your sister or Ollie. You got it?”

He hesitates, searching my eyes as if he’s looking for a promise he desperately needs. I pull him back into my embrace, holding him tighter than before, burying my face in his hair. “I love you, Jake. I love you so much,” I murmur over and over.

I pause, my hand hovering, then give a soft, hesitant knock. “Maddy?” I whisper. “Can I come in?”

Silence.

I wait, counting the slow seconds before I whisper, “I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk. I love you.”

Still nothing.

With a heavy sigh, I turn and walk to my own room. I go through the familiar motions of getting ready for the night. I pull back the covers, looking forward to sleeping this day away, when Maddy appears. She’s standing in the doorway, a small, fragile silhouette against the dim hallway light, her face a canvas of worry.

“Hey, sweet pea.”

She shuffles inside the room. “Can I sleep with you, Mom?”

“Of course. Come here,” I reply, pushing the covers back.

She hurriedly climbs into bed next to me, and I turn off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Facing her, I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and ask, “Are you doing okay, sweet pea?”

“Mom, are you dying?” she asks instead of answering my question.

I close my eyes for a fleeting second, gathering my strength, remembering my promise always to be honest. “Not today, sweetheart.”

A choked sob escapes her. “I don’t want a new mother,” she whispers.

My arms tighten around her, pulling her closer. “You’re not getting a new mommy, ever. I will always be your mommy, Maddy. Always.”

“Even when you’re gone?” Her voice comes out small.

I swallow past the lump in my throat, nodding twice. “Even when I’m gone.”

We lie together, and our breathing is the only sound; it is oddly comforting until a voice shatters the quiet.

“Can I join the party?” Jake asks, standing in the doorway, a mischievous grin breaking through his earlier sadness.

A soft, watery laugh escapes me. “Of course.”

Without warning, he launches himself at full speed, landing on the bed with a booming thud, the impact sending Maddy and me bouncing. Startled, almost hysterical screams tear from our throats.

“Jake!”

We burst into helpless, gasping laughter as Jake wriggles until he lies opposite me, his arms finding their way around my waist. “Love you always, Mom.”

This. This is what I am fighting for.

Ethan

Marcus settles into the leather chair in my office and places the folder on the desk. “This, my friend, could be our biggest win of the year.”

I lean forward and open the folder. “Joint Financial Holdings,” I read the name aloud. They’re a US-based metals dealer that converts retirement accounts into physical gold, silver, and platinum.

I scan the detailed specifications, my eyes tracking the list of requirements. “Wow. They’re asking for the full works,” I comment, tapping a finger on the page. “High-strength, reinforced vaults. Advanced biometrics, multi-zone motion detectors, full 24/7 CCTV surveillance with off-site monitoring, and armed, on-site security personnel.”

“And it gets better,” Marcus adds. “They’re requesting high-security, climate-controlled vaults.”