black coffee | remus lupin [2]

53. losing you

｡･:*:･★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"YOU'RE...SICK?" Claudia asked Hope in a whisper after Remus had stormed up the stairs.

"No," Hope said as she immediately came forwards and brought her into a hug. "No, I'm not sick."

"But he just said you are-"

"I was sick," Hope explained as she broke the hug just a little bit to look at Claudia. "My doctors cleared me just two days ago. I'm healthy."

"But...what?"

"I got diagnosed with cancer early this past summer," she explained, catching a glimpse at her husband who was standing nearby them by now. "It was stupid of me, but I decided not to tell Remus. It has, after all, been a hard year for him. I wasn't sure if he could take it."

"I..."

"You don't have to say anything, my dear," Hope said with a sad smile. "I had cancer, but it is gone now. Surgery went well and it hasn't spread. I'm okay. I'm healthy. I don't feel unwell at all. In fact, I believe I'm stronger than I've ever been."

"But..." Claudia breathed, looking between Hope and Lyall. "I, uh...why didn't you tell me?"

"Same reason I didn't tell Remus," Hope said with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Claudia. But it's over. There's no need to worry about me. I think, if anything, I am the one who needs to worry about you and my son."

"Oh, no-"

"Yes," Hope nodded. "It hurts me so to see you two like this."

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't say that to get your apology. I said that to tell you that you need to talk to him. That you need to sort it all out, because you two fighting doesn't do anything good for any of us. And most of all, it ruins you both. I've never seen you two so miserable in each other's presence before. So please, since my son is the world's biggest prick at the moment, will you try to make him understand what it is that you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell him what you think he wants to hear," she said softly. "Tell him what he needs to hear. What you need him to hear."

"Now?"

"If you want to, yes," Hope replied, receiving a nod in response from Claudia. "But before you go anywhere I need to know that you're okay."

"I'm okay," Claudia said quietly with a smile that didn't look all so genuine. "I'm okay."

She received a look from Hope that showed that the woman didn't believe in her lie one bit. Yet, even so, Claudia soon walked up the stairs and into Remus' childhood bedroom.