LAST HEART

XXV

Amor struggled with holding back her tears as she sat in her balcony, with a mug of coffee in her hands and rocking back and forth in her chair. She had been sitting in the same spot for over an hour, since Caleb told her the truth. Amor had asked him to give her some space while she tried to process everything.

' Do you still need space?'

' No you can come in. Caleb how long have you known and why wait so long to tell me? You say you were getting treatment, did you stop? And if you did why? Was this trip part of your treatment and who else knows?'

She bombarded him with questions before his butt even touched the chair cushion.

' Almost nine months now. Like I said I wanted to tell you but I just couldn't find the right time or the right way to tell you. You have to believe me, I wanted to and tried so many times. Then when we found out you were expecting and things just got harder. My parents, your dad and Robert knows.'

' Robert?! My ex husband Robert, you managed to inform him before me. Robert knows more about what's happening in my marriage than l do. Were you even out of town this week?! You know what!, that doesn't even matter now. Since you've been getting treatment, is it working and what are the doctor's saying?'

' The truth is I was out of town but for treatment and on the days you didn't find me when you came to the office or tried to get hold of me, I was actually attending therapy. I am still waiting on results for the recent chemotherapy and they will be out in a few days.'

For the first time since Caleb had told her about her pancreatic cancer diagnosis, Amor broke down in tears. Caleb held her in his arms and she cried till she started hiccuping. He feared that she might go into premature labour and he tried his best to calm her down.

' Baby, listen I know that this is hard and I am sorry for not telling you sooner but you need to calm down. Think about CJ and the doctor said that my therapy has been having a good effect and when this recent therapy does not help, they can surgically remove the affected area.'

' Why didn't you go for that option in the first place, doesn't it save us the pain and heartache and waiting?'

She sat up from his shoulder and tried to calm herself but the tears would not stop. The thought of her losing her husband,her children losing their father and having to raise them on their own and giving birth to this one on her own made it hard for her to stop crying. Just when she thought all of her life troubles were over, the only man who truly loved her might die soon.

' We have to stay positive babe and I was not ready to walk around with a colostomy bag. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal but shitting through my stomach was not an option for me.'