Excerpt

I could not believe that the time had passed so quickly. Next, Emily walked through the door. Linda and I turned and gave her a big greeting. We both went over and hugged our daughter. We beckoned her to come into the living room. I then began to speak with her, “How are you Emily, sweetie?” I asked her.

“Yes, darling how are you?” Linda inquired as well.

“Oh, I’m okay, Mom and Dad.” Emily answered. She removed her sweater and we were shocked. I think we both knew that something was wrong, that Emily was in some sort of physical trouble. Emily had lost a lot of weight, she looked emaciated, and her cheeks were sunken in noticeably. Linda looked at me as her eyes watered.

“Come into the living room, Em, and sit down sweetie; take a load off.” I said to her. Linda and I looked at each other in distress.

“Emily.” I said, “Can I get you a drink or anything?”

“Yeah okay, Dad, could I have a glass of orange juice please?” Emily answered.

“Absolutely, dear, coming right up.” I said and then proceeded to get us each a glass of orange juice. I went about this task quickly as I heard Linda and Em talking.

“Emily, you’re not getting enough to eat dear.” I could hear Linda commenting distressingly to Emily.

“Ah Mom, Mom, I know I need to eat more.”

“Well, why aren’t you eating, Em sweetie?”

“Ah, Mom, let’s just wait for Dad to come back.” I overheard Emily say and then I knew that something was terribly wrong. I grabbed the juice and whizzed back into the living room.

“Here we go girls, nice and cold.” I commented. I gave them each their juice and I sat down. We began to talk with Emily about us and as well Susan and William along with a few other minor subjects, and then I interjected.

“So, Emily, you wanted to talk about something special with us, your mother was telling me?” I asked her with a big smile on my face while feeling uneasy inside.

“Well, Mom and Dad.” Emily said. Her eyes welled up.

“What is it Em?” Linda implored.

“Well, first I want to ask you Mom and Dad, Mom and Dad, I want to move back home and live here.”

“Of course you can, Emily, of course you can. And that goes without saying sweetheart.” Linda responded.

“Mom, I quit my job and I have no more money.” Emily stated and then she began to cry.

“That’s alright sweetie, you can always get another job.” I said.

“I can see you have no money sweetie, you’re getting a little thin.” Linda commented jokingly to try to cheer her up.

“I’m not going to be getting another job, Dad.” Emily said. Right then, I swallowed my tongue.

“Why is that Emily? What’s wrong my dear?” I asked her softly.

“Mom and Dad I haven’t been feeling well lately and I went to see a doctor.” She said softly. She wiped the tears from her eyes and then tears ran down Linda’s cheeks. She put her hand on Emily’s hand.

“It’s all right sweetheart we’ll always be here for you, what is it?” Linda beckoned softly.

“Mom, I’m very sick.”

“What’s wrong dear, what’s wrong?”

“I have lung cancer!” Emily squawked out as she cried.

I felt a huge shock go through my body, I felt a painful physical shock go through my body and tears began to run down my cheeks. We were overcome Linda and I.

“No, Em, no you don’t, you’re too young to have that!” Linda exclaimed.

“Mom and Dad, I’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer.”

“Oh no, oh no baby, no baby no…” Linda cried out as she wrapped her arms around Emily and I came directly over and wrapped my arms around her. We cried as we sat in the living room.

“Are you sure about this, Emily? Is the doctor you saw sure about this, Em?” I implored of her.

“Yes Dad, there’s no mistake, Dad.” She said as we held her.

“That’s why you haven’t been eating, isn’t it?” Linda asked in a whisper.

“Yes Mom.” Em answered and we held her more tightly. What else could we do for our eldest loved child who just told us she was deathly ill? My heart sank. We were devastated Linda and I by Emily’s news and we were at a loss as to where to go from there. It seemed that from here on in our fate was truly not in our hands any longer. We tried to get information from Emily as to how sick she was. We then made all the necessary arrangements to bring her belongings home and make her comfortable. Linda said she was going to take the week off work. Linda stated that her place was now at her daughter’s side. I would also take time off for Emily and we would be there with her to help her in any way that we could. As that day wore on my coincidence appeared again. It was God saying that He was there with me and I questioned God. “Why is this happening, God?” Of course, there was no answer, except that God was there with me. We got Emily’s room ready that day and she would move in that day as well. We knew that we would have to explain why Emily had suddenly moved back home when William and Susan arrived. We agreed that for the time being we would tell our youngest kids that Emily was moving back home because of a lack of funds and the closure of the building in which she lived. I would lie to my kids for the first time since my therapy began and I felt uneasy about this.