Turning Tables ✔

Part 11

JENNIE

As I left Lisa's house, I looked down at my phone and reread the text several times.

"When will you be home? Your mother got her results today."

Despite the argument I'd just had with Lisa, I couldn't think about her right now. All I could focus on was the health of my mother.

I did feel bad for not telling Lisa the truth. I could see the hurt in her eyes; she felt generally betrayed. And I suppose I understand; she loved my parents and she was trying to get closer to me. If the shoe were on the other foot, I wouldn't be too happy if she kept such a big secret from me either.

But it really wasn't what she thought. I didn't do it because I wasn't committed to her. I was, completely, and I understood that meant you supported each other through hard shit. Really, I got it, and I always planned to have that relationship with her.

But for the past few months, Lisa had been my escape. When I was with her, I was able to avoid thinking about all the bullshit in my life and become consumed with her. When it was just us, I was happy.

Then I went home and I watched my sick mother worry about the condition of her cancer and my heart broke. I saw my father look at her, and knew his heart was also breaking. And the house was filled with this air of despair that I became desperate to escape once again.

Telling Lisa the truth was going to break that bubble. If she knew, I'd never be able to escape it. That was the real reason I never wanted her to come over. It wasn't that I wasn't serious about her and it wasn't that I was embarrassed to tell my parents we were together. It was that I wanted my happy life and my sad life separate.

Of course, in doing so, I may have altered my happy life. Obviously, Lisa made me promise that if we were going to be in a relationship together, it would be serious and completely truthful. I broke that.

At the moment, though, my guilt only ran so deep. There were more important things for me to worry about it, like my mother's test results.

I texted my father that I was coming home right away and then threw my cell phone into the passenger seat. I sped the entire way home, my mind preparing for the worst news... That her cancer hadn't lessened. That it had spread. That she was now terminal.

Fuck.

I got home in record time. When I rushed through the door and into the living room, my mother and father were nowhere to be found. I immediately headed to my mother's room.

My father wasn't there, but she was. Laying down in her bed.

"Hey, sweetheart," she said.

"Hey, Mom..." I pulled up a chair next to her.

"I thought you were going to be gone until later tonight?" she asked curiously.

"Well, yeah, but then Dad texted me that you got your test results..." I said nervously.

She rolled her eyes. 'That man. He didn't need to do that. You didn't need to rush home."

"I wanted to," I said seriously. "Why didn't you tell me the results were coming back today? I never would have left."

"I honestly didn't know. I just got the call from the doctor. I was expecting them sometime this week, but had no idea when." my mom said.

I nodded. My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt like I was going to puke.

"And? What did the doctor say?" I asked, almost tripping over my words with anxiety.

She gave a soft smile. "I'm in remission."