Life - Message From The Past

25-No Answers

"These are the days we, doctors dread most." Madeline touched her colleague's shoulder. "But we can't give up." She had an idea. "Check in with that doctor in Toronto again. See if what happened to Gwen is happening to the other patients."

Inside Gwen's Room

Gwen did not hear her kids walk into the room because she had been crying into her pillow. She knew the writing on the wall. The cancer now felt as if it were squeezing the life from her. The pain is unlike anything she had ever felt.

"Mom?" Chastity broke the silence as the three children approached their mother's bed. "Are you awake?"

Gwen nodded a few times wiping her eyes before showing her face. "Uh-huh. Yep." She took a deep breath before turning over with a smile on her face. "Hey guys!"

The look of emptiness in the children's expressions made her feel she had let them down and the guilt set in.

"You can't tell us, everything is going to be okay." Chastity spoke with with an honesty in her voice. "Your doctor looks like a ghost."

Austin didn't pull any punches either. "You're dying, aren't you?" He did not look away and wanted an answer. Gwen could not say it even though she felt it.

"So now what? Aunt Liza and uncle Bobby?" Chastity rolled her eyes.

"They love you! They will not let you get torn apart!" Gwen fought back. "It's the best I can do!"

"You promised, mom." Chastity pointed at her mother. "You promised!" She walked towards the door.

"Chast baby, don't walk out!" Gwen called to her eldest child grabbing Madeline's attention.

"Or what, mom? You'll ground me?" She walked to the door with attitude in her step.

Madeline ran to the door and in a muffled voice she spoke. "Hey hey hey! This is a clinic. Be respectful or we will have to leave." The doctor then pointed to the visitor's chair. "Take a seat."

Chastity defied the doctor.

"Take a seat Chastity! Now!" Madeline felt the need to step in and provide a calming voice in the midst of storm. "Please sit, Chast." The teen decided to take the seat.

"Harmony, Austin sit with your mom." Madeline tried to think of something poignant to say and calm the family but her mind drew a blank. The two younger children crawled into bed with their mother. "I know you want to hear something brilliant from me but I have nothing."

Chastity folded her arms in front of her chest and rolled her eyes. "Figures. No one has any answers here."

Madeline nodded in agreement. "I know Chast, and you know what? You have a right to be angry...but not at your mother." Tears were coming to the doctor's eyes. "I have known you guys since when? May? You are great kids! All I ask is you love and support your mother. She didn't make the cancer come back."

Chastity felt the guilt and ran towards Gwen and her siblings. She reached out to her brother and sister as her mother pulled her close to repeatedly kiss her time after time. The mother began wiping tears from her children's eyes as Dr. Fraser stepped back into the room.

"Madeline." Michael spoke softly to the doctor taking in the family moment. "Maddie, Toronto's on Zoom. I really want you to sit in on the call."

Madeline pressed her lips together then looked to the heavens. "Could use a little help down here." She sighed then followed Michael out of the room.

Zoom Call

Michael spoke first as Madeline wheeled an office chair to the computer. "Dr. Corber is here. Could you repeat what you have found in your two patients, Doctor?"