Swan Song

Twenty

I saw the way she looked into your eyes
And I promise if you go, I will make sure she's alright.
—————

A week after the competition, Jake and I were all moved in to my house. He had decided that he wanted me to continue to live across from Bradley, especially since Bradley knew me better than almost anybody and I needed that kind of support.

Once we brought the final boxes inside, Jake kissed my head before leaving to the gym with Coyote. I slowly began to go through his boxes, putting his clothes away and hanging his uniforms and flight suits before stopping.

"Not my stuff, not my problem," I muttered to myself with a breathy laugh.

Just as I was finally about to settle onto the couch, my phone rang and I saw Oliver's name flashing across the screen.

"Yes, Oliver? How can I be of assistance to you today?" I laughed.

"Bring me a coffee and maybe a large leaf to fan me with," he joked. "Nah, mom just called me and wants us to come over to their house. Want me to swing by and pick you up?"

"Sounds like free dinner. I'm game."

"Be there in five," he replied before hanging up on me.

"Goodbye to you too."

Within minutes, Oliver was blowing his horn outside of the house and I quickly locked the door before jumping into the passenger seat.

"What do you think they're making for us tonight?" I asked with a smile.

"Mom's been making nothing but pasta lately. My bet is on lasagna."

"With homemade garlic bread," I replied, my mouth beginning to water. "What are you waiting for? Drive!"

Within a half hour, Oliver and I were pulling into my parents' driveway and I hopped out.

"Mom, dad," I called out. "Oli and I are here!"

"Your dad wanted you in his office," mom called out from their room. "Be right there!"

As Oliver and I entered dad's home office, we heard him coughing.

"Oh great. You invited us over to infect us with the flu. Need me to get you some cough drops and vicks," I teased, laughing at myself before my face dropped at my sudden realization. "Oh shit."

"Odette, Oliver," my dad sighed, his voice gruff as he waved us over to him.

"Dad, please don't," I frowned deeply. "Please don't tell us what I think you brought us here for."

I looked to Oliver, panic filling our eyes as he looked back to me. As we exchanged glances, our mom slipped into the office and her face had been red and blotchy so the reality of the situation sank in that much faster.

"Dad?" Oliver questioned as we both turned our attention back him.

"How bad is it?" I followed up.

"There's nothing left that they can do."

My heart broke at my dad's admission and I didn't know what to do anymore. My dad's cancer was back and this time there was no going back.

As I broke down into tears, I moved to my dad and hugged him tightly, not ready to let go anytime soon. Our family was just learning how to live with the grief of Owen dying and I wasn't sure how we were going to add our dad into the mix and still move forward.

For my entire life, he was the rock of our family. He taught my brothers and I to fly far before we were of the legal age to do so. He taught Owen to play football and Oliver how to cook as well as he did. He taught us all how to ride a bike and fish. He was there for all of our first days of flight school and was there the day the ship docked from the uranium mission. He was there through every heartbreak, sports game, choir concert, and skating competition and he taught us all so much but the thing he never taught us was how to live without him and I was scared to find out.

"How long have you known?" Oliver questioned.

"Since the day after Owen's funeral," he admitted. "We weren't sure how to tell you kids."

"How long, dad?" I questioned.

"I just told you—.."

"No," I cut him off. "How long?"

"A few months at best."

"Dad," I breathed. "You have that much time and didn't tell us? I spent all that time skating and dealing with Jake drama when I should've been here instead."

"No, don't do that to yourself, Odette. I wanted to watch you do all of the things you love. I want you to have that memory," he encouraged me before turning to my brother. "Oliver, I need you to take care of mom and Odette for me."

We all knew that Oliver's time at North Island was coming to an end within the next year but luckily my squadron had found a permanent home at North Island so I would always be around to take care of my mom unless we were gone for missions.

"We will both take care of mom," I chimed in.

I glanced to Oliver and he was speechless. Just like me, he had barely began to process that Owen was gone and soon our dad would be too. It was clear to see that he didn't know how to take his newly given role in the family and the pain on his face showed it all.

"But we're not there yet. So let's not worry about it," I finally added to fill the painful silence. "I'm so sorry, dad."

"Me too," he sighed.

I looked at my parents and didn't know what to do anymore. My dad was sick and there was no stopping it this time. From five Kazansky's to three in a matter of weeks.

—————

"Hey, I made us dinner," Jake called to me as I slinked through the front door, unintentionally slamming it behind me.

Jake peeked out from the kitchen and saw my bloodshot, swollen eyes before wiping his hands on his shorts as he walked to me, pulling me into his arms.

"What's going on?"

Jake guided me towards the couch and sat down, sitting me down beside him.

"Odette, you're worrying me," Jake muttered, his eyes searching mine for answers.

"My dad's cancer is back," I sobbed, curling up against Jake's chest as tears began to flow from my eyes once more.

He pulled me into his lap and ran his fingers through my hair, allowing me to feel my emotions.

"I don't know what to do," I cried. "I already lost Owen. I can't lose my dad too, Jake. I don't know how to live with that."

"You are so brave and so strong. You, Oliver, and your mom can and will figure it out and I will be there for all of you in any way that I can."

I nodded and rested my head against Jake's shoulder as I cried, unable to get myself to stop.

"You know, Dette, your suffering hasn't been pretty but watching you survive through it all has been the most beautiful thing I think I've ever seen," Jake said softly as he ran his fingers through my hair. "You will make it through this too. I promise you."

I stayed silent as Jake soothed me.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?