"So, will you tell Matt?"
"I don't know, Carlos," Catherine sighed. "I don't want to freak him out."
"Whatever you decide," Carlos sighed. "I'm sure it'll be for the best. I better scoot. Don't want him catching me here. You know how he gets."
"Yeah," Catherine nodded. "I'm just scared. Cancer? That's a big deal. I...I don't want him to get upset."
"I know," Carlos frowned. "Call me soon, okay?"
"Okay," Catherine nodded, worry etched into her features. "If I don't-"
"Don't finish that sentence," Carlos begged, pain in his eyes.
"See you later."
—————
"When does Daddy get back?" Amelia pouted.
"In a few days," Mari sighed. Her phone began to ring and she answered it. "Hey, Cath."
"Hey. Can we talk?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Brace yourself," Catherine sighed. "I might have cancer. I'm...I'm freaking out."
Mari stared at the floor, her hand wrapped tightly around Amy's. "What?"
"Mommy, you're hurting me," Amy whimpered, trying to pull her hand away.
"I had an appointment today...it's a possibility," Catherine said quietly. "It's not for sure yet, but...Mari, my mother had it. I'm really, really scared. I have kids and- and Matt, and I can't...I don't want to die."
"Mommy," Amy sighed, poking Mari's arm vigorously, "Mommy, let go."
"Woah, woah, slow down. Amy, stop it. Go play," Mari stammered, letting go of her daughter's hand. "Catherine, is this a maybe or a for sure?!"
"It's just a maybe, but it's leaning towards yes since my mother died of cancer. Just...do me a favor and don't tell anyone, ay?"
"Cath-" Mari stammered.
"I know," she sighed, closing her eyes tightly in pain. "I have to go. Matt will be home soon and I don't want him to catch me crying."
"Okay," Mari nodded, silent tears running down her cheek. "I love you, Cath."
"I love you, Mari. I'll see you soon."
"Yeah...See you soon."
Catherine hung up and buried her face in her hands.
—————
Matt came through the front door with a grin. "Hey, Babe. Where are the kids?"
"In Lotte's room," Catherine replied, quickly drying her cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Matt asked with a furrowed brow.
"Nothing," Catherine laughed nervously. "It's nothing."
"Cath?"
"Hm?"
"Talk."
"I don't want you to worry. You'll freak out and get upset, and...and we don't even know for sure yet so there's no point in worrying-"
"Cath, I'm gonna freak out and assume the worst, unless you set me at ease."
Catherine sighed and pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Listen, Hon, um...I had an appointment today, and...Jack thinks that I might have cancer. I wish I had better news, but...Babe, are you okay?"
Matt stumbled backward into the counter, digging his nails into the underside as he attempted to steady himself.
"What do you want for dinner?" Catherine asked nonchalantly, trying to distract him.
Matt stared holes into the floor as a hoard of traumatic memories came rushing back to him, and he fell to the floor with a crash.
Catherine knelt down beside him. "Baby, talk to me. What are you feeling?"
"Y-you can't," Matt choked out.
"It's going to be okay," Cath said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."
Matt stared at her in shock, unable to get a grip on his emotions.
Catherine gently put a hand on his cheek. "I love you, Hon. Just- just calm down, okay?"
Matt grasped her wrist with desperate eyes. "I can't lose you."
"And you won't," Catherine said firmly.
"You don't know that."
Cath pressed her forehead against Matt's. "You will never lose me. You have my word," she whispered.
"They are no words here, Cath. Only statistics. Only facts," Matt said softly.
"Exactly. And we don't even know for sure yet, so we don't need to worry."
"I can't lose you," Matt repeated as his breathing grew ragged.
"Shh. It's okay. I'm going to be fine," Catherine said softly, kissing him gently.
"Y-y-you don't know that."
Catherine put a gently hand on her husband's chest. "Babe, just try to stay calm. Your heart is beating really fast. I don't want you to work yourself up over something that may not even be true."
"It could be true, though."
"And if it is, we'll deal with it," Cath shrugged. "Just be calm."
"Mommy?" Lizzy asked softly, her eyes fearful as she peered around the corner. "I need a drink."
"Come here, Sweetheart. I'll get you some water."
Lizzy rubbed her eyes and climbed on her father's lap. "Why are you sad, Daddy?"
"I'm not," Matt stammered.
"You look sad."
"He's sad because Mommy stopped kissing him," Catherine smirked.
"Ew! Gross!" Lizzy gagged.
"But it's true," Cath laughed.
Matt remained silent.
"Here," Catherine sighed, handing Lizzy a glass of water. "Now, go play."
Lizzy nodded and ran off.
Catherine helped Matt to stand up. "Are you okay, Hon?"
"I don't know."
"I love you. Always remember that."
"I know," Matt nodded tearfully. "I love you too."
Cath kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about me, okay?"
"Right," Matt said, still quiet. "Why would I worry?"
—————
Mari sat against the headboard of her bed, her knees held to her chest as she attempted to cry quietly.
"Mommy?" Amy frowned. "What's wrong?"
Mari quickly brushed away her tears. "Nothing, jelly bean. Don't you worry."
"Don't lie," Amy sighed. "Why are you crying?"
"I was just thinking. Nothing for you to worry about."
"Okay...What did Aunty Cath say to you on the phone?"
"Just that- well, you know how you get sick sometimes? Really sick, and we have to see Uncle Jack?"
Amy nodded.
"Well, Aunt Cath might be sick. And Mommy was just thinking, if Cath was sick, how would Mommy feel. And then she missed Daddy very, very much."
"Daddy will be back soon," Amy nodded, wrapping her tiny arms around her mother as best she could.
"I know, baby...don't tell him I was crying, okay? I don't need him worrying about us."
"Okay," Amy said softly. "Will Aunty Cath be okay?"
"I don't know yet, jelly bean," Mari said weakly. "Would you sleep in my bed tonight? I've got an empty space that's just begging for someone."
"Okay," Amy grinned.
Mari helped her into her pajamas.
Amy snuggled up beside her mom. "Daddy will come back, won't he?" She frowned.
"Of course. No bad dreams tonight, ya hear?" Mari sighed. "I'm right here."
"Am I ever going to have a sister?" Amy sighed.
"What?" Mari asked in surprise.
"Are you and Daddy going to have another baby?" Amy asked, poking her mother's stomach.
"Amy, don't do that," Mari chuckled. "And as far as I can see, no. We've talked about it, but we've decided that you're enough for us."
Amy pouted. "I want a sister. Logan begged me to take Lizzy. Can we do that?"
"I think Lizzy's taken," Mari nodded.
"Logan doesn't want her," Amy shrugged. "She doesn't seem taken."
"Well, her mother and father want her," Mari chuckled. She looked at are with worried eyes. "Are you lonely? If you're lonely, you can always tell me, Sweetie."
"Shh. I'm sleeping," Amy whispered with a giggle, shutting her eyes tight.
"Just like your father," Mari sighed, shutting off the light.
—————
Matt bit his tongue and tried to steady his hands as he rested his back against the headboard of the bed, trying to be careful to not wake his wife.
The day was done. At last he could let out his tears.
Catherine stirred and looked over her shoulder at him with tired eyes. "Matt, what's wrong?"
Matt turned his face away from her.
"Babe," Catherine sighed, putting a hand on his arm, "what's going on?"
"I have to not freak out when the kids are around, I have to be strong for you, but Cath, I can't go through all this again," Matt said brokenly, his voice quavering.
"Honey, you never have to be strong for me. It's okay to be upset," Cath said softly, sitting up.
Matt touched a hand to her cheek. "I can't protect you from this."
Catherine dried his tears gently. "That's alright, Baby."
"No, it's not," Matt stated firmly. "It's not!"
"There's only so much that one person can do. It's not your fault. You can't protect me from everything. It's not possible."
"I know," Matt whispered as more tears slipped down his cheeks. "I know."
Catherine pulled him into her warm embrace as he sobbed softly into her shoulder. "Shh. It'll be alright, Honey."
"I can't lose you, Catherine," Matt cried, clinging tightly to his wife. "I love you. I love you more than anything. You're my world, my best friend, my one-"
He was cut off by Cath's lips being pressed into his. "I love you too," she whispered, putting a hand on his chest. "I will always be right here. No matter what."
—————
"Where're my girls?!" Josh yelled, thrusting the front door open, and tossing his keys onto the counter.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Amy grinned, running over to him.
"There's my peanut!" Josh roared triumphantly, flipping her backward over his shoulder. "Where's Mommy?"
"Crying in the bedroom," Amy shrugged.
Josh's features flooded with concern. "Why?"
"Something about Aunty Cath."
Josh set her down and briskly made his way to the bedroom, not bothering to take off his heavy, tan trench coat.
The rain had soaked him into a thoroughly ragged, desperate looking individual.
"Mariah?" He called, peering around the corner. "I'm home."
Mari quickly dried her eyes. "Honey," she grinned, "I missed you."
"What happened to Cath?" Josh frowned, his face filled with concern as he slowly dripped puddles onto the hardwood floor.
"She called me and...and she might have cancer," Mari whimpered, shaking her head.
Josh made his way quickly to the bed and grabbed her hands. "Is Jack sure?! Did she go to Jack?!"
Mari nodded. "She went to Jack. She said that she'll know for sure by the end of the week, but it's leaning towards yes. It's what her mother died of, so unfortunately, there's a chance that she has it."
Josh wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Everything's going to be fine."
"You don't know that. She could die. We could lose her."
"And if we did lose her," Josh said firmly, "everything would still turn out okay. We'd get through it. All of us. But we don't know that's what's going to happen."
"Everything wouldn't be okay," Mari scoffed. "Matt would lose his wife, those three children would lose their mother, and I would lose my best friend."
"I know, I know. But life would go on, Mari. Let's not worry until we know for sure, alright? Come here."
"I'm sick of your optimism, Nerd Boy," Mari mumbled, wrapping her arms around him.
"Wow. Nerd Boy?" Josh chuckled. "Haven't heard that one in ages!"
"It's making a comeback," Mari smirked. "I love you."
"God, I missed you," Josh sighed.
"Me too!" Amy yelped, jumping into his lap.
"Take it easy," Josh laughed. "I'm breakable, you know."
"Yeah, yeah," Amy shrugged.