The Meyers' Estate

Chapter 2

After twenty minutes of being in the car, encased in my own thoughts, I wanted to get out.

Danny silently came over and opened my car door for me and I climbed out. He wrapped his hand around mine and led me to the door. He did this sometimes, especially when I was upset. I never asked him why, but I was grateful for it.

We walked up my porch steps in silence and when we reached the front door I pulled out my house key and unlocked it.

My Aunt May was sitting in the living room, like always, but her oxygen tank was hooked up and I heard it buzzing before she quickly turned it off.

"Hello Danny dear!" She put her hands out in front of her and Danny quickly walked over and gave her a hug.

"Hey Aunt May, how's it going?" He had a smile on his face and so did my aunt, almost like old times again.

"Abigail?" I snapped out of my daze and looked up at Danny who was standing no more than a six inches away from me.

"Sorry, I just zoned out for a moment." I smiled sheepishly as Danny laughed

"Well Aunt May it was nice talking to you, but sadly I have to run." He kissed my Aunt on the cheek after giving her another hug and walked over to me. "See you later Abby." He wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug and walked out of the living room, I heard the door softly close a couple seconds later.

I turned to my aunt, "Do you need anything Aunt May?"

"No dear, but thank you."

"Did you take your pills at dinner?"

"Yes dear."

"Did you make dinner?"

"Yes Abby, I heated up one of those frozen meals you keep in the freezer."

"Alright well did you-"

"Abby honey, why don't you sit down. I'd like to talk to you about something."

"Oh yeah sure." I took a seat on the small couch across from her and looked up at her expectantly, I was really confused.

"Alright Abby, I know you don't want any watered down stuff." My Aunt May and I had an agreement ever since she was diagnosed that we would give it to each other straight. Nothing watered down, nothing sugared up.

"Yes." I had no idea where this was going.

"Well I went to the doctor's office today." That was nothing new, she went to the doctor's office practically every other day.

"And Dr. Fraunz gave me the run-down, and it's not looking very good." Oh. That's where she was going with this. Her tone didn't sound very good, it scared me actually.

"He told me that the cancer is moving faster than they had expected. The chemo won't do very much." She took a deep breath and let it back out shakily. "He said I won't make it to the end of the summer."

I took a long slow deep breath and fought the feeling of my chest caving in. I blinked slowly and pushed the knot in my throat back down. I had to stay strong for my aunt. If I was strong, she was strong. If I broke down, she would break down and I don't think I could handle that.
I opened my eyes and looked over at her. At only 34 years old she looked 70. Her eyes were sunken and her skin was tinted greenish brown. She wore a bandana everyday because the chemo caused her to lose her hair. Her hands and feet were bony, but she still always painted her nails.
She always had a smile too. No matter what was going one she was always kind and caring. She said I was the center of her world, and not to boast, but it's true.

We were each other's family. We were all each other had, and the thought of her finally leaving me after battling cancer for 3 and a half years is my worst fear come true.