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When I pull up in front of my childhood home, my mom is waiting at the front steps, a look of worry on her face.
"Mom, what's going on?"
Tears well up in her eyes. "Maya, it's your father."
I follow her into the house, trying to stay calm. My mom and I sit down on the familiar old couch in the living room.
"He's sick, Maya." The words hang in the air. "It's cancer," my mom continues, her voice barely above a whisper. My heart drops into my stomach and a shiver runs through me. The room seems to spin as I try to take in the devastating news.
I pull my mom into a tight hug as she starts crying and tears fall from my face too. "Mom... Dad is strong. He's one of the strongest people we know. And he's going to fight this." My voice doesn't waver, the certainty within me spilling out.
"And... the survival rates, Mom.... They're high, especially if it's detected early. He's in good health otherwise, right? He'll be okay." The words feel strangely comforting, even as they hang heavily in the air.
Mom sniffles, wiping her eyes and looking at me. "Oh, Maya," she whispers, "I hope you're right."
"Did they tell you what the plan is moving forward for his treatment?"
"Your father's doctors...they're optimistic. They want to start him on a course of chemotherapy and radiation therapy as soon as possible. They think it's the best course of action given the stage and type of cancer." Her voice trembles a bit, but she holds it together.
"That's good news, Mom. It will be okay..." I try my best to convince her and myself.
After a few moments of silence, she shifts the conversation, trying to lighten the mood. "Anyway, enough about that for now. There's not much more we can do at this point anyway.... How's your job, dear?"
Panic surges through me as I scramble for words. "It's... um, it's good, Mom. Just... Just work, you know. Same old." I can feel my throat tighten as I struggle to keep my voice steady. The last thing I want is to let her sense any hint of what happened. "Hunter is... He's a good boss. Really professional." I force a smile, hoping it looks convincing.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. You don’t need any more drama right now," she adds, oblivious to the irony of her words.
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. If she knew what was going on, it would throw her over the edge.
"Mom, I'm sorry, but I need to get going. I have a big project due tomorrow." I stand from the couch, avoiding her eyes. "I promise to call in the morning and help you out with anything you need." I exit the house, eager to escape her impending revelation of my reckless behavior.
* * *
I dragmy feet through the glass doors of the office the next morning, my outfit screaming of sleep-deprivation. When I reach my desk, I see a note from Hunter.
It reads, "My office. ASAP."
Shit. I'm getting fired.
My heart stops for a second. I take a deep breath, push open his door, and step into his office.
"Hunter. Good morning. What can I do for you?"
His lips curl up into a smirk and my heart starts beating again. He looks at me with his piercing green eyes that seem to see right through me. He walks forward until he is standing inches away from me.
"I've been wanting to talk to you."
He's been wanting to talk to me?
I don't understand. This feels different from the usual banter we exchange in the office.
"Okay. Let's talk. What do you want to talk about?"
"We'll discuss tonight."
A thrilling blend of fear and desire knot in my stomach. My mind races, tripping over questions.
Is this a business meeting?
