all the what could've been

CHAPTER XI

Life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them. It was a Wednesday evening, and I was just finishing up a meeting when my phone buzzed with a call from Lucas. His name on the screen usually brought a smile to my face, but this time, something felt off.

"Hey, Lucas. What's up?" I answered, trying to keep my voice light.

"Cali, can you meet me at the hospital? It's urgent," he said, his voice strained and barely above a whisper.

My heart dropped.

"Of course, I'll be right there. What's wrong?" I asked carefully.

"It's my mom," he said, and then the line went dead.

I grabbed my things and rushed to the hospital, my mind racing with worry. Lucas's mom, Mrs. Fletcher, had always been like a second mother to me. The thought of something being wrong with her was unbearable.

When I arrived at the hospital, I found Lucas pacing in the waiting room. He looked up as I approached, his eyes red and filled with a pain I had never seen before.

"Lucas, what happened?" I asked, pulling him into a tight hug.

He held onto me for a moment before stepping back and taking a deep breath.

"My mom... she's been diagnosed with leukemia." He said as tears started forming in his eyes.

"God! I hate to see you like this, Lucas."

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. I felt a lump form in my throat as I struggled to process the news.

"Oh, Lucas, I'm so sorry." I said, trying to contain my emotions.

"She's been feeling unwell for a while, but we thought it was just fatigue," he explained, his voice breaking. "The doctors confirmed it today. They said it's aggressive." He said looking down, shaking his head while sobbing. I held his hand, squeezing it gently.

"What do they suggest? Is there a treatment plan?" my voice as gentle as it could be.

"They're starting chemotherapy immediately," he replied, his gaze distant. "They're hopeful, but it's going to be a long, hard fight." Tears falling from his eyes.

"I'm here for you, Lucas. Whatever you need, I'm here," I said, trying to offer him some semblance of comfort. He nodded.

"Thank you, Cali. I don't know what I'd do without you." his eyes filled with gratitude.

We sat together in the waiting room, the beeping of hospital machines and the hushed conversations of doctors and nurses providing a surreal background to our shared silence. Every now and then, Lucas would run his fingers through his hair or clench his fists, his anxiety showing.

After what felt like hours, a doctor approached us. "Mr. Fletcher, your mother is stable and resting now. You can see her, but please keep the visit brief." He said, offering a slight smile. Lucas nodded and turned to me.

"Do you want to come with me?" I nodded.

"Of course," I said, standing up and following him down the sterile, white corridor to his mother's room.

Mrs. Fletcher was lying in the hospital bed, looking pale and fragile. Despite the tubes and machines around her, she managed a weak smile when she saw us.

"Mom," Lucas said, his voice choked with emotion as he took her hand.

"Hi, sweetheart," she replied softly. "And Cali, it's so good to see you."