Fire on Ice

Part 36

Nora's POV

I can hear the aggressive beep of the heart monitor before I can see it. The loud, continuous sound that indicates the end of a life. I watch, as nurses, doctors, and anyone that can try to force life back into my mother's lifeless body. My heart starts breaking piece by piece, and it feels like my body might collapse. It probably would if Nikolas wasn't physically holding me up. But then slowly, the continuous beep stops, replaced by short ones, and I feel like I can breathe again.

***

"Nora?" My mom's raspy voice says. I bolt up out of sleep and almost let out a sob. I jump up and tackle her with a hug, well as aggressively as I can, and she lets out a laugh.

"Lordy, I forgot how strong you are." I sit back in my chair, tears readily flowing down my face now.

"Oh sweet girl, don't cry. I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about." She tries to console me, but it doesn't work.

"Of course I'm worried. How long has it been getting worse like this?"

"Not long I promise, I just didn't want to worry you. You finally started living a life other than for me, and I want that for you sweetie. You deserve to not have to worry about me."

"Mom, I'm always going to worry about you. You're my mom." I try to wipe the tears, but it's futile.

"I'm going to get the money for your trial, I promise." She doesn't say anything in response, instead choosing to take my hand and hold it. I squeeze lightly and she smiles, "I love you, I always will."

"I love you too."

I'm finally able to calm down when Nikolas comes back into the room. He refused to leave last night and slept on the small chair in the room. In his hands is breakfast and coffee and I smile at him gratefully, not trusting my ability to talk. He gives me a small kiss on my forehead before sitting next to me, "Good to see you Stephanie."

My mom seems relieved that someone is treating her normally so she says, "You too, you've been treating my daughter right?"

"Trying, she's quite the handful." My mom nods in agreement and I swat Nikolas' arm. We all let out a laugh and it's an odd feeling, laughing about something in such a serious situation.

A few moments later, Doctor Brown comes in and asks to see me in his office. He greets my mom and Nikolas before following me out of the room. The walk to his office is silent and somber, and I'm worried about what he's going to say. Once we're settled in his office, he treads lightly, "How have you been?"

"Good. Training for the NIDC mostly." I respond, wanting to get the small talk out of the way.

"I'm sure you're very anxious so I'll just get right to it. Your mother isn't responding to the medications anymore." I take a deep breath in and he continues.

"We've tried changing her diet and giving her different forms of chemo in attempts to stall the progression, and it worked for a while but a few weeks back, the cancer started reappearing." My hands are gripping my knees so hard that my knuckles are white as I try not to burst into tears in his office.

"Why wasn't I informed when this started?"

"I tried to tell you, but your mother insisted that it wasn't necessary. She said that it was a good sign that you were visiting less and that I shouldn't worry you." What the fuck? That is beyond fucked up and I try to push past my anger towards Doctor Brown until the end of this conversation.

"So what are our options?" I gripe out.

"Well, right now our best bet is the clinical trial, but I know you said that's not an option for a while right?"