Hero.

A mother battling cancer.

My mother had always been my rock, my hero, my best friend, my confidante. A single mom, she worked extremely hard to support both of us. Yet, she always gave me time, she was open minded and always listened to whatever I had to say. She treated me as an equal, and she loved me immensely, as did I. She was my world, she was the one person I would do anything for. Her smile meant the world to me.
I was thirteen.
One day, I came back home, and instead of finding the door locked, I saw it was open.
My mom was inside, sitting on the couch next to the window, staring distractedly outside, her waist-long honey blond hair in a messy bun, with wisps of it hanging around her beautiful face. I wondered why she wasn't at work.
She saw me, and smiled her million dollar smile, but there was something different about her. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but for some reason I felt that something was wrong.
She hugged me and made me sit on the couch next to her and took my hand in hers.
"Haylie, I have to tell you something, sweetie."
I knew something was wrong. I just knew it.
She sighed, and said, "I have been noticing an unusual bump on my breast. So I went to the doctor today morning when you were at school."
She sighed deeply again, and looked at me with her big almond-shaped eyes. I felt as though the temperature had suddenly dropped ten degrees. I couldn't form words in my mouth - I just waited for her to say it.
"He said I have a malignant tumour."
"Cancer?"
"Yes, honey."
.................................................

My mom never cried about it. She never showed any form of distress, or despair. She was worried, of course she was, but outwardly she smiled and acted perfectly normal.
I could tell she was in pain.
It was pretty bad, the cancer. They told me, along with a bunch of other medical mumbo jumbo that I didn't know, and didn't want to know. I just wanted my mom to be okay. It hurt to see her in pain - and imagining life without her was unthinkable and I was determined not to think like that at all.
My mother was going to be fine, I told myself repeatedly.
My mom was actually more worried about me than she was for herself. I didn't want to go to school, or go out with friends anymore, I just wanted to spend all of my time with her.
The truth? I was terrified of losing her. I didn't want to ket her out of my sight for a minute.
And then when I finally admitted this to her, one day, after a small fight we had where she demanded I go outside with my friends, I broke down. After a while, she came and put her arms around me and we sat down together, both of us crying uncontrollably.
.................................................

She had chemotherapy and everything. The doctors were going to operate, and that day seemed like the most important day of my life.
My mom's mom, my Gammie, and Mom's best friends Lilly and Chris came over. I sat with them when she was getting operated.
Before going on, my mom looked at me weakly, but still smiled her beautiful smile and said, "I love you, Hails."
.................................................

It was the longest hour of my life.
I could practically hear my own heartbeat.
Chris' hands were wrung together and he stared straight ahead, occasionally giving me a wan smile.
Lilly was pacing, and Gammie had her head bent low. I thought she was praying. I was glad she was.
After half an hour, I just said it over and over in my head. Please let my mom be okay. Please let my mom be okay.
After an eternity, the doctor came out.
We jumped up. Chris asked urgently, "What happened, Doctor? Is Melanie okay?"
The doctor looked around at all of us, at last his eyes settling on me.
He smiled and said, directly to me, "Your mom is a fighter."

.................................................

My mom absolutely refused to give up.
Even when things looked so bad every one of the doctors gave up, she didn't.
And the doctors. The doctors were such amazing people, I will forever remain grateful to them.
My mom was okay.
The tumour was gone.
My mom was okay.
Everything was going to be just fine.
.................................................

My mother had almost died and come back.
She remained as strong, cheerful and positive as ever. Her smile gave me strength, inspiration and hope, and she taught me all that I know.
After some years, when I was seventeen, my mom found my stepdad, Trent, and she found happiness. I got along well with him, too, and three of us were a great family.
But my mom and I are the closest mother-daughter duo you'll ever find. Our relationship is special.
I still remember, when I was young, I used to love watching this TV series called Quantico, and I really liked the lead character, Alex. Once when I was watching the show, curled up on the couch, and Mom was folding clothes next to me, she asked me, "So this Alex girl is your hero, huh?"
I never really gave her a reply. But later I realised.
Alex was never really my hero. My mom was.

Author's Note

Hi. I'd just like to add here, that last month, I lost my grandfather to cancer. We were very close, and I was inconsolable. I still miss him a lot, and I hope this story gives strength to people like me. Admitted, Haylie's and our mom's story was different, a happy one, but I just hope people find strength and inspiration.
Please, please let me know if you liked it, and if there's any point you'd like me to improve on. I would appreciate that a lot. Thanks, God bless. :)

Reviews

[Monideepa]

Very well written. Keep it up. Just let me point out that good story telling involves detailing. A better description of the lady's illness and treatment could have made the story more realistic. The description of people's feelings is very nice. Your writing also has a nice flow. Great going Aatreyee.

[Aatreyee Ghoshal]

Thank you. :)

[Hirannya]

Hey, this us beautiful. :')

[Aatreyee Ghoshal]

Thank you. :")