You Are What You Eat (Book One)

Chapter 33

Marshall

It was nearly May and my mother was still avoiding me. I understand she's dying and scared but I'm scared too. I'm going to lose one of the few people that care about me and truly understand me.

I sent my mother pamphlets on different hospitals that specialize in cancer and women's cancers. Even pamphlets for hospice and retreats if she chooses not to treat it. Which I hate to think about but it's her wish.

She didn't come down for Morgan's 16th birthday. We understood but I knew Morgan was upset. I was at work. And this was starting to get to my job. Before break Carol walked in, sitting in front of the desk, seeing a pamphlet for a hospital in Florida.

She frowned. "Still nothing?" I ran my hands through my hair. "No. She's gone back to where she started. She doesn't return my calls, barely returns texts and never answers her phone. She's avoiding me." "She's scared." "She's ignoring me." "Because she's scared." I let out an annoyed breath. Carol sat forward to give me some kind of comfort. "Marshall, just imagine getting diagnosed with terminal cancer. You could be dead within the year. Do you want to tell your family and friends right away? If ever?" I thought about it a moment and sighed. "No. I suppose not." "Exactly. Maybe you could try talking to her in person, at her house without risk of family overhearing. She might open up more." I nodded. "I might. Maybe I can give her a surprise after work. Get her her favorite flowers or something." Carol smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

On my way to my mom's after work, I called Margret, letting her know what was going on. Told her I most likely won't be home tonight. I picked up my mother's favorite flowers, white roses and a large cheese pizza with extra sauce with pineapple. I parked and saw her car was in the drive way. I got out, balancing the pizza box and flowers. It was going on 7:30PM. I rung the doorbell carefully.

There was a quiet moment before she opens the door. Her in the door way in her pajama gown and pants with cats on them. She smiled but looked scared. "Marshall! What a surprise." I smiled, handing her the flowers. "I know you've been avoiding me and I'm sorry. I know you don't want to talk about your cancer or at the very least not when the kids are present so I thought I'd stop by so we could talk over pizza?"

She looked lost before gently taking the flowers, a pained look coming across her face a moment before opening the door more, letting me in. I walked into the kitchen, hearing one of her game shows on. "So have you talked to the doctor? Are you going to be getting treatment?" I started to get plates for us.

She looked nervous. "Oh. No. The doctors have been very busy-" I turned quickly as she placed the flowers on the table. "You're dying. Do they know that?" I walked over. "Mom, you don't have all the time in the world to wait." I went back to putting pizza on our plates. "I can talk to them if you like. Maybe get a rushed appointment-" "I don't have cancer Marshall." She said quickly.

I stopped, turning to her. "What?" She swallowed, looking lost and confused. "I don't have cancer. I...I... lied." I don't think I've felt so betrayed in my life. My heart feeling as though someone was ripping it out of my chest. "Mom, how could you lie to me? To Margret?" She walked closer. "Because it was a lie to cover an ugly truth." She looked away. Backing away. She was terrified. "Marshall. I saw your basement." I frowned. "What about it?" She looked up, eyes wide. "The other basement. I saw a dead body in there and so much blood. "

I froze. How did she know? She continued as I turned, feeling my breathing getting faster, my eye water. I gripped the sink in a vain attempted to calm down. I just kept envisioning her finding out my dirty little secret. Being disgusted. "Marshall. Are you really a killer?" I swallowed, closing my eyes. "Yes." She gasped. "Oh god....How could you? He was an innocent"