Not Always What It Seems

Telling Charlotte

Mike and I walk through the front door to our home in Brentwood, Tennessee. Charlotte wasn't home from school yet so Mike and I had some time to relax.

Charlotte's POV

I walk inside the house and place my book bag by the door. I see both of my parents asleep on the couch and smile. I quietly walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. I pull out an apple and began to chop it up.

I heard some footsteps coming into the kitchen, it was my dad.

"Hey kid, how was school?" He asked me.

"Good, not a lot of work to do so it was a chill day." I laughed.

"That's good." Mike grabbed a beer from the fridge. "Your mom and I have to talk to you today, I'm gonna wake her up, okay?"

I instantly worried, what did I do wrong?

"Okay." I mumbled.

The talk...

Carrie's POV

"Hey, sweets. Sit down." I requested from Charlotte.

"What did I do?" Charlotte asked as she looked at me, then Mike.

"Nothing, Charlie. We just need to have a little family meeting." I sighed and pressed my lips together.

"Okay..." She scrunched her eyebrows.

I looked over at Mike, begging him through my eyes to take the lead.

"Your mother and I went to the doctors today, as you know. We got some news." Mike grabbed my hand.

"I have a rapidly growing cyst in my brain, Charlotte. It's cancerous and they want me to start with chemo therapy to see if it will shrink. Then we will talk about surgery." I stated, playing with my wedding ring.

Charlotte let a tear roll down her cheek, "What?"

"Right now, the surgery would be too risky." I stated.

"Isn't it already risky?" She cried.

"Umm... Yes, but the risk will be lower if it shrinks. The doctor thinks he can get it out afterwards. But I'm going to be okay. I'm strong and I'm not alone through this. I have you guys." I forced a smile even though I was upset.

"You can't say that. No, you don't know that!" Charlotte got upset.

"Honey, we need to stay strong, okay?" I begged.

"I just... I can't lose you, mom. I can't." She got up and hugged me tight.

"Hey, now." I pulled her away and placed my hands on the sides of her face, "you will not lose me. No matter what happens, I will be with you physically or mentally." I promised.

I knew this was going to be hard, but I didn't realize it was going to be this difficult. I told my daughter, now I needed to tell the world. That isn't something I'm looking forward to.