In Due Time

Chapter 17

"So how was the reunion?" my mother asks standing at my door the next morning.

"It was ok." i say glancing at my clock.

"That's good honey. Once you're up come downstairs. Your father and i would like to discuss something with you." my mom says with a small voice.

"Is everything ok?" i ask sitting up in my bed.

"Just get dressed and come down." she says walking away.

I get up and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I wonder what could be going on. Maybe they're getting a divorce, they had seemed kind of distant lately. Oh my goodness, i hope no one cheated. My thoughts raced as i slid on my slippers and rans down the stairs.

"So what's up guys?" i ask sitting on the couch across from my parents out of breath. "Lay it on me."

"Well it's no easy way to say this." my mom says slowly.

"I have cancer!" my dad blurts out.

I look between the both of my parents stunned. "What?" i ask.

"And it's stage four." my dad finishes quietly.

"What?" i ask again.

"We wanted to tell you sooner but we thought the chemo would work." my mom states sitting on the edge of the couch.

"Chemo?" i ask standing up. "How long have you guys known?" i ask angrily.

"A little over a year." my dad says looking down at the ground. 

"Things have been going so well for you, we just didn't want to burden you or turn your world upside down." my mother says trying to fast talk me.

"Oh right! Like what's happening right now!" i say angrily. "That was really selfish! I could've moved back home! I could've been here! How dare you take that choice from me?" i scream while pointing at my mother.

"You will not talk to your mother in that tone!" my father snaps. "It was my decision. This is happening to me and you don't have the right to dictate how i navigate this!" he says sitting back. "Do you think it was easy keeping this all in? From you? From the media? It wasn't but it was what was best. I know this may come as a shock to you but it's reality. The doctors say i have less than 6 months left." he says looking at me.

I sit down.

"Your mother and i have decided to go ahead and transfer the business to you." he says putting his hand on my mother's knee.

"What?" i ask shocked. "I'm not ready. Plus i have my own business now. Why can't you give it to one of your assistants or something?" i ask.

"Carissa you knew this was coming." my mom says quietly.

"Yeah! In like 20 years mom!" i say throwing my hands up. "I've been busting my behind trying to grow my brand."

"We didn't expect it to get that big, we thought it was just a hobby, a phase." my dad said looking at me.

"Wow." i say getting up and heading to the front door.

"Where are you going?" my mother asks.

"For a walk." i say heading out.

I head down the familiar street trying to absorb what my parents had just told me. Talk about a real nightmare. My dad was my favorite out of the two and the thought of losing him literally ripped my heart in two. I had no idea how to run his media marketing business. Sure i had the knowledge but it took more than that. I didn't have the connections that he did. Admittedly i could've made some by now had i not removed myself from that circle but it was all i could do to ensure i never ran into Jason ever again. 

My chest began to hurt from all the brisk walking and i decided to sit on a nearby bench. I put my head in my hands and tried to catch my breath. Obviously i would have to pull myself together. If this was what my dad wanted then i would do it. I could easily have my assistant run my business for me since she was always handling important matters anyway. I could still be in the loop from afar, i thought trying to calm myself down.

I get up to start walking back to my parents house thinking of what I'm going to say to them. Of course i needed to apologize. I sigh. My poor mom will be all alone.

I walk back in to find my parents exactly where i left them. I look at my father closely for the first time in a long time and i see that he looks tired and frail. He has deep dark bags under his eyes and he seems to have lost quiet a bit of weight. I even notice he has a few patches in his once full head of hair.

"Look, i'm sorry guys." i say walking up to them.

My father holds his hand up to silence. "We could've and should've handled things differently but there is no instruction manual that comes along with cancer. It's all water under the bridge."

I wrap my arms around my dad and i can feel his bones. I adjust so i'm not squeezing him hard and began to sob. My dad was a good man, why would this happen to him?

"Tomorrow we'll begin." my dad says quietly.

I stand up straight and wipe my eyes. "Okay." i choke out.

"I'll still be here to help you honey, you won't be on your own." my mother says grabbing my hand.

"I know mom but it won't be the same without dad." i say beginning to cry again.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur as i made arraignments for my own company back in New York and looked for an apartment near my parents home in Beverly Hills. I wanted my old apartment to be packed and my items shipped to my new place by the end of the week so there were a lot of moving parts. I told Mel and of course she was bummed that i wouldn't be living in New York anymore she understood. We knew his day would come where i had to take over the reigns just never this soon.

Scrolling through apartments i found the perfect studio and immediately emailed the owner whom was eager to let me see the property the next day at noon. Lucky me. I closed my laptop and got in my bed. I couldn't believe that i would be living in California again. I hadn't lived here since leaving at 18. I got a thrill out of leaving and forming my own identity. I loved "slumming it" with normal people who had other things to worry about than status. The best part was that i rarely had to worry about paps, i was almost normal. Almost. Tomorrow everything would change, again.