A Sequel to 'Strong Enough' based on the alternate ending of that story

Chapter 11

"I'm fine Mom, watching Netflix" he said his eyes never leaving the iPad.

"I'll be right back" she told him.

She could hear Nancy's muffled cries, she gently rubbed her back, "What is it?"

Nancy had a sweet little girl named Mia, fighting relapsed neuroblastoma for the third time in her short four years of life.

She looked at Kim, "They discharging us, palliative care and Hospice is taking over her care" she was drained, if she didn't have an older boy at home she didn't know if she would survive the death of her daughter.

Kim released a sigh, "Nancy I'm so sorry" the words felt hollow, that nothing she could say would help Nancy and Mia.

But for the grace of God, go I.

That simple phrase echoed in Kim's head, "Please know that Adam and I are here for you, whatever you need no matter the time."

Cancer Moms were a close knit group, it was amazing the bond they shared. That in each of their darkest moments they found their best friends. Someone who travelled a similar path they had, someone to share the burden with.

The reunion between Adam and Dani had left both Adam and Kim in tears, they played happily all night and both crashed in little Adam's room during a movie.

"You want me to put Dani in her room?" Adam asked after turning the television off.

"No" Kim waved him off,"leave them together, it's too sweet to disturb" she wiped a tear that slipped from her eye.

Little Adam's arm draped over his sister's waist.

Adam pulled Kim against his chest, "That might be the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes, aside from you obviously" he teased as he kissed the top of her ear.

She ran her fingertips down his arm, "I spoke to Nancy today"

Adam thought for a minute trying to place the parent with the correct child, "Mia, right?" He was fond of the little girl, she had the most curls he'd ever seen on a little girl.

Kim nodded, "That's her"

"What did she have to say" Adam led them from the doorway of his son's bedroom, he wasn't sure about Kim, but he felt as if he could sleep for days.

He stripped down to his boxers, as he waited for Kim to come out of the bathroom, as soon as he saw her his heart shattered.

"What, baby?" He rushed to her.

Kim grabbed a hold of him standing on her toes, her arms wrapped around his neck her hands on his freshly shaved head, "Mia has been released to hospice, they don't think she'll last the week" her voice turning into sobs.

Adam didn't know how to respond, he tightened his grip on her. He pushed thoughts of little Adam heading down the same path from his mind.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Things in the Ruzek house were quickly approaching some semblance of normalcy, "Mom when does my next round start?" Adam asked as he picked through his cereal looking for marshmallows.

Until that question.

Kim finished putting their dinner in the crockpot and turned it on, replacing the lid before she turned to face her son.

"Next week" She told him, his chest exposed the central line dangling against his slim chest, no matter how long it had been there her eyes still lingered on it, wishing she could swap places with him. It was painful to see how apparent his ribs were, he couldn't have weighed more than fifty pounds down from the seventy two pounds he weighed before all this started.