Broken Glass

Chapter 2: Emily's mother is diagnosed with lung cancer

Emily's mother had been feeling tired and exhausted for weeks. At first, she had brushed it off as stress from work and lack of sleep. But as the days went by, her fatigue only worsened. She would get winded just walking up the stairs, and even simple tasks like cooking dinner left her feeling drained.

Emily's father had been noticing the changes in her mother too. He would find her sleeping on the couch in the middle of the day, or see her struggling to carry groceries up the stairs. He had been telling her to go see a doctor, but she had been putting it off, insisting that she was fine.
But one day, Emily's mother couldn't ignore her symptoms anymore. She woke up with a sharp pain in her chest, and she knew something was seriously wrong. She made an appointment with her doctor, and Emily's father insisted on going with her.

Emily was at school when her parents went to the doctor's office. She was in her history class, trying to focus on the lesson, but her mind kept wandering. She was worried about her mother, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

When she got home from school, Emily's parents were already there, sitting in the living room, looking somber. Emily's heart sank as she saw the look on their faces.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Emily asked, feeling a sense of dread wash over her.
Her mother took a deep breath before speaking.

"I have lung cancer, sweetie," she said, her voice trembling.

Emily felt like she had been punched in the gut. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother, her strong, vibrant mother, had cancer.

"No, no, no," Emily said, shaking her head. "That can't be true."

Her father put his arm around her, holding her close. "We'll get through this, kiddo," he said. "We'll fight this together as a family."

But Emily was beyond consolation. She felt like her world was crashing down around her. She had always been so close to her mother, and the thought of losing her was unbearable.

The rest of the day was a blur. Emily's parents explained the diagnosis, the treatment options, and the prognosis. Emily listened, numb and disbelieving, as her mother's words washed over her.

As the evening drew to a close, Emily felt like she was in a nightmare. She couldn't wake up from this horror, and she didn't know how to make it stop.

She went to her room, feeling lost and alone. She didn't know how to process this news, or how to deal with the emotions that were swirling inside her. She felt angry, scared, and sad, all at the same time.

As she lay in bed, Emily couldn't help but think about all the things she wanted to do with her mother. She wanted to go on more picnics, have more conversations, and share more laughter. She wanted her mother to be there for her graduation, her wedding, and the birth of her own children.

But as she drifted off to sleep, Emily knew that those things might not be possible. Her mother's cancer had changed everything, and Emily's life would never be the same again.