He arrived, but the results weren’t out yet.
Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer had also arrived at the hospital. Coleen was still complaining about her husband, “Why did you tell your parents about my illness? It’s just a minor ailment. There’s no need to worry them.”
Grandma Aubree quickly responded, “Coleen, you can’t take this lightly. Last year, your Aunt Betty had breast cancer, and it was a terrible ordeal.”
Coleen smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m young and healthy. It’s probably just the stress from launching our new product line during the change of the seasons that caused me to faint.”
Kendrick reassured his wife, “Molly has classes during the day, so having Mom here at the hospital provides some company. Besides, it’s nice to have someone around when you need to use the restroom during your IV treatment.”
Chad showed up, looking winded. He’d had to wait a long time for the elevator because everyone was going out for dinner at this hour, so he’d decided to take the stairs instead, running all the way from the first to the thirteenth floor.
Pushing open the door, he saw his mother already dressed in her hospital gown. “Mom, how are you feeling?”
Coleen looked at her son. “Chad, weren’t you busy? Why are you here?”
Chad entered the room and looked around, not seeing his sister anywhere. “Where’s Molly?”
Kendrick answered, “She went out to get some food for your mom.”
After understanding the situation, Chad sat down, studying his mother’s slightly pale face. A pang of worry was stirring in his heart.
Coleen knew her son was concerned about her health, so she patted his shoulder. “I’m fine, honey.”
Chad didn’t dare to take this lightly. “You should delegate some work to your deputy for now. Consider this hospital stay as a sort of vacation.”
Coleen nodded, “I’ll listen to you.”
As a son, the worry Chad expressed was only a fraction of what he felt in his heart. No matter how hard he tried to prepare for the worst, seeing his mother in such a state made it impossible for him to put his feelings into words.
“Have you eaten yet?” Coleen asked her son.
To prevent his mother from worrying, Chad lied, “Yes, I have.”
His mother had always been concerned about every little thing at home and at work, so overworking could have been a contributing factor to her condition.
Before long, it was time for Chad to leave. Chad didn’t get a chance to see his sister, so he left a message for his father, “Dad, when Molly comes back, tell her...”
Before he could finish, Molly returned. Molly, carrying two bags of takeout, walked into the room and saw Chad. “Chad?”
Molly put down the food, and Coleen smiled. “Whatever you need to tell Molly, just tell her now. That way, she won’t have to ask you a million questions when she finds out you’re gone.”
Chad nodded, “I was just about to leave.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Molly washed her hands and followed Chad out the door.
There were still many people waiting for the elevator, so Chad decided to take the stairs again since it was faster. “How did Mom’s check-up go today?”
Molly’s eyes welled up with tears. “The initial results indicate that it’s high-risk.”
She continued. Her voice was choked with emotion, “She underwent a biopsy today. The results won’t be out for a few days, and only then can we confirm whether it’s cancer.”
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