Meredith's sister

37

Mia's POV

It wasn't until later that evening, when the hospital had quieted down and the halls were emptying, that I found myself standing outside my sisters' apartment, my hand frozen on the doorbell. I had been putting it off all day—delaying the moment when I'd have to face the truth with them.

Maggie, Amelia, and Meredith—my three pillars. I couldn't imagine facing this alone, but telling them, hearing the shock and pain in their voices, made it feel real in a way that was terrifying. The diagnosis, the word "malignant" echoing in my mind, felt too much to bear.

But I couldn't keep it from them. They deserved to know, even if it was the hardest thing I'd ever done.

The door opened before I had a chance to ring again. Meredith stood there, her face lighting up when she saw me, but the smile faded instantly when she took in the look on my face.

"Mia?" she asked, her voice soft, but with a hint of concern. "Are you okay?"

I couldn't answer right away. I just stood there, staring at the ground, my hands trembling by my sides. How was I supposed to tell them? How could I tell them that their sister was sick in a way that couldn't be fixed with medicine or a procedure?

"Mia?" Meredith said again, her tone more insistent now. "What's going on?"

I swallowed, taking a deep breath, and finally forced myself to look up at her. Her brown eyes were filled with so much love and concern, and I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"I—I need to talk to you and Maggie and Amelia," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Meredith nodded immediately, stepping aside to let me in. The apartment was quiet, cozy, the faint sound of the TV playing in the background where Maggie and Amelia were sitting on the couch, talking. They stopped when they saw me, both of them exchanging a brief look of surprise before standing up.

"Mia? What's wrong?" Maggie asked, her voice laced with the kind of worry that only older sisters can have. She moved toward me, reaching out to pull me into a hug. I let her, needing the comfort of her touch for a moment.

When I pulled back, I felt the tears welling up again, but I fought them off. I couldn't break down now—not in front of them.

"I have something to tell you," I began, my voice trembling with the weight of the words. "The results... they came back."

Maggie's expression shifted, her smile slowly fading as she processed my tone. "Mia... what results?" she asked, a little less certain now.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. "I have cancer," I whispered, the words feeling like they came from someone else, as if they weren't even my own. "It's malignant."

There was a pause—a long, painful silence—before it seemed like all three of them took a collective breath, their faces draining of color. I could feel the weight of their shock, the moment stretching on as they tried to process what I had just said.

Maggie was the first to move. She stepped toward me again, her hands reaching for mine, her voice low but steady. "What do you mean? What exactly are you saying, Mia?" Her gaze flickered toward Meredith and Amelia, who both stood frozen, their faces pale.

"I found out today," I explained, my throat tight as I fought to keep my composure. "It's a mass in my brain, pressing on my optic nerve. They said it's malignant. They're going to run more tests, but..." My voice faltered, and I had to pause, the reality of it all crashing over me. "But it's cancer."

Amelia blinked rapidly, like she couldn't quite process the words. "Wait, so... what does that mean? What's the next step?" she asked, her voice full of confusion and fear.

"It means we have to act quickly," Meredith said quietly, her hands at her sides, her voice calm but filled with an undeniable sadness. "We need to get a clear picture of what we're dealing with—how far it's spread, what treatments are available."

I nodded, my stomach churning. "I—I don't know what to expect yet. I don't know if I'll need surgery or radiation or anything else. But I can't do this alone."

"You won't," Maggie said fiercely, pulling me into another hug. "We're going to get through this together, Mia. I don't care what happens, we're here. You hear me?"

"I'm scared," I whispered into her shoulder. "I don't know what's going to happen."

Meredith stepped closer, her voice soft but steady. "None of us do, Mia. But we'll figure it out. One step at a time. You don't have to be strong right now. You don't have to hold it all together."

Amelia reached out, her usual boldness replaced by something much softer. "You're not alone, Mia. Not in this. Not ever."

And just like that, the weight of it all felt a little bit lighter. It wasn't gone—no, the fear, the unknown, the cancer itself were still there—but for the first time since I'd heard the diagnosis, I wasn't facing it alone.

For the first time, I felt like I could breathe again. And with my sisters by my side, maybe—just maybe—I could fight this.