Sophie

Mom and I woke up super early and sat to have a conversation. To say that it was a pleasant conversation would be a lie. It was the complete opposite.

"Sit down, sweetheart. I need to talk to you about what is going to happen next. And I need you to be brave for me. I need you, Sophie, I need you here with me." Mom was making me really nervous. I sat next to her, allowing her to take my hands in hers.

"Mom. what is going on? Why don't you have breakfast first? we can talk about this right after." She nods in disagreement with her eyes closed. She takes a long sigh, looking away from me towards the ground.

"Sophie, as soon as we go into the hospital, the doctor will give me an overview. We'll see how far I have advanced, or improved with the new medication. Once. . . I am examined over by the nurse and the doctor, I will be taken in and admitted into the hospital, where I will wait until it is time for my operation." She said making my eyes go wide, and tears run down freely. She closed her eyes and looked away for a bit, sighing and shrugging her shoulders.

"What do you mean operation mom? You never mentioned this to me back home. Is it really that bad?"

"They will be removing my left breast entirely Soph. And, hopefully, if cancer has not spread so far, they will try and save my right breast. " She said making me gasp in shock, covering my mouth with my right hand.

"It's ok. It's ok, sweetheart. I'm ready. I have been speaking to my doctor throughout these days, unfortunately, on the last visit we made, we realized that this cancer is being very stubborn. Radiation is wearing me down. It's taking a big toll on my health and I feel like I don't have much strength in me."

"No, don't say that. You- you are strong. You are the strongest person I have ever met. You and grandma don't deserve this. You have to try your best mom, you just have to." My voice quivered as I tried to digest this sudden news. It was too much for me to bear.

"And I am, baby. I will fight this until I can no more, I promise you. You have to hurry up and finish college, get married, and give me lots of grandbabies. Ok?" She said making both of us chuckle through the many tears.

We talked for a while, embracing each other, crying and laughing all at once.

"Ok, come on. It's getting late. Time to go and be a big girl now. No more crying for any of us. Dad must have given the boys the news by now. They will probably talk daddy into coming over by tomorrow or so if they can find tickets being so close to Christmas." She pointed out. Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, and yet we were going to spend it in New York, inside a hospital room while mom recovered after this operation. So much for holy's and mistletoes, right?

*******

We sat inside the room where mom would be examined by the doctor, waiting for him.

She had gone in to change into those hospital gowns inside the restroom located inside the room. The nurse smiled and left us alone after she weighed my mom. After the nurse had taken notes of her vitals and weight, mom realized she had lost another ten pounds in just a few weeks.

Saying I was scared is an understatement, I was scared shitless, out of my mind. In just a few hours, mom was going to go under the knife and go through an extensively long and risky procedure to remove her left breast.

Mom kept to herself, I know she was scared too, even if she kept saying that she was already a big girl, I knew she was still scared. I couldn't shake off the feeling there is more to all this visit, I just knew there was something she hid from me. And now, I knew.

It wasn't long before the door opened with a low knock, and the doctor came in.

"Hello, hello." The doctor said, coming inside the room with a smile.

"Hey, doc." mom answered.

"Hailey. How many times do I have to tell you? call me Caleb. And, h-hi, who's this?" The doctor's face flustered making me feel a bit awkward. He smiled, looking between mom and me.

"Oh, Caleb, this is Sophie, my daughter." Mom answered.

"So, you are Sophie? It's so nice to finally meet you. You're even more beautiful than what your mom described." He said extending his arm for me to shake.

"Thank you. And likewise, it's nice to meet you." I replied, extending my arm and shook his hand.

"So, um, Hailey, I see you left Richard home this time." He said after staring at me for a few too long seconds.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's flying out here right now." Mom said making the doctor chuckle. "I wouldn't doubt it, Hailey."

"Anyway, how are we today, Hailey? Are we ready for what's going to happen next?" He asked mom, making her purse her lips and clear her throat. She was scared, and all three of us knew it, but she hid it very well.

"I um, well, what can I say? This big girl is not backing away. Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

"Hailey, I know the news from the last appointment took you by surprise, but you need to realize that this is a very serious matter, we need to stop the spread before it is too late. Let me take a look at you. Sophie, would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes while I examine your mom please?" He asked turning towards me with a smile and leading me out the door.

"How bad is it doctor? Be honest with me, please?" I heard her ask as I walked out the door.

While I sat waiting, I turned my phone on to call dad and let him know we were already in the hospital but it took me right to voicemail. I tried calling my brother Aaron as well, but it took me to his voicemail as well.

There was a big knot in my throat building since the second we entered the hospital doors, and I didn't know how much longer it would be until I finally broke down. All I knew, that for now, I had to do the same thing as mom, and be a big girl. To endure the pain and suffering, to be there for her, to stay strong so she had someone waiting here for her once she got out of that room. She was certainly going t need someone here for her, and I was going to make sure of that.

*********

Richard's POV (The previous night)

"Ma'am please, I am begging you, I need to get to New York ASAP. My wife is going through surgery in just a few more hours as we speak, my boys and I need to be there, please." I begged the receptionist.

To top it off, my phone keeps going off making me irritated, and I decide to answer it as I begin to lose hopes of finding three last-minute tickets for my boys and myself.

I glance at my phone and see Logan's number, I pick it up, knowing he never calls unless it's urgent.

"Logan? What's going on son?"

"Mr. P, where are you guys? I've been trying to call Sophie all night and she's not answering. It's almost three in the morning and you guys are not home, is everything ok?"Logan asks making me sigh.

"No. Logan. Sophie and my wife are probably already in New York, I'm at the airport myself trying to get tickets but this young lady here is of no help at all." I say, averting my gaze towards her, intentionally.

"Wait, Sophie is where?" He says, I run my hand through my hair and motion my boys to go and take a seat. I was not going to leave here without tickets, even if everyone behind me was pissed off.

I then proceeded to tell Logan about my wife's surgery tomorrow and he quickly answered me "Ok, Mr. P, don't worry, I got this. I'm on my way to the airport, don't move from there. I'm getting in you in a plane to New York with your boys tonight."

Then, he just hung up, leaving me dumbfounded.

It only took Logan about twenty minutes to get to the airport, he smelled of sweat as he gave me a hug and greeted my boys.

"Sorry about the smell Mr. P, we had a huge game tonight. So, are you guys ready to go? I will be right back." He said walking to the line where he would try to buy tickets for us.

almost a bit over an hour after waiting in line and talking to the girl, he finally came back and sat next to me. I could tell he was exhausted by his attire and the way he slumped his body on the seat next to me.

"Ok, all set, it is-" He glances at his watch, "Almost five in the morning. Our flight will be taking off at eight in the morning so we have a good three hours before boarding. How about a coffee?" He says making me surprised.

"Wait, how did you? She didn't want to sell me the tickets, she said they were all booked. How did you pull that off?" I asked as my boys and I followed right behind him towards a cafe inside the airport.

"They were sold out, but she said that the only way to travel there now or within the next two weeks was to either wait until someone canceled their flight, or-" he said gesturing to me to take a seat and wait for the waitress.

"To book a private jet out there, and since they still had three private jets available, I took the liberty to book one for us. I hope. . . . it's ok if I tag along?" He said making my eyes water. My boys immediately jumped off their seats and hugged him thanking him for what he had done.

"But how? Logan, a private jet is too expensive, I promise Logan, I will pay you back. Soon as we come back I will look for a way to pay you, son."

"Mr. P, it's fine. I need to be there too. I need to talk to Sophie, it's very important that I be there too. Mrs. P is just as important to me. You don't need to pay me back for anything."

How is this possible? Logan had managed to get us a private plane to get us to New York. It was as if a miracle had happened to us. I was going to be able to be with my wife after all.

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