Chapter Two - Shattered

After dinner, Angela, Damian, Alex, and Adam watched a movie together. It was past mid-night when they went off to sleep. The next day was a Friday and they would catch up on sleep during the weekend.

Their mom returned at half-past twelve, haggard and drowsy. Angela heated her dinner for her. "Why do you need to overwork, mom?" she asked her. She was worried about her, but her mom hardly listened to anyone. Angela usually went to bed by the time she arrived, but tonight strangely, she couldn't sleep. She had just walked into the kitchen for some warm milk when she heard her mom enter.

"I won't anymore, honey. I've resigned from my job today. I can't pull it any longer. I'm not feeling well for the last two months," sighed her mom. Angela noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she was ten years older than her actual age. She looked stressed, tired, and unwell. It was the first time Angela really saw how vulnerable and tired she really was. She knew only one person was responsible for the state her mom was in. Her dad. The strained relationship between her parents bothered her a lot, but she was helpless.

"Go to sleep, mom. I will take you to the doctor tomorrow," Angela promised, feeling guilty for not noticing her mom's condition earlier.

"I'll go with you Angie, but please don't tell your father anything," she said with a painful sigh. Angela nodded, clearing the table and washing her mom's plate and cutlery. She knew that even if she told her dad, he wouldn't be interested in anything to do with her mom. To him, she didn't exist, it seemed. Her mom dragged herself to her room. She slept in her own room while her dad slept in his. They hardly talked and avoided each other like a plague. Angela had always seen them like this, and his brothers were as clueless as she was. They didn't know why they lived together when they couldn't even sit in the same room together.

Angela went up to her room to sleep. As she opened the door and went in, she collided with Damian's chest. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, locking her door in case Adam woke up.

"I came to check your math homework. I forgot to do it, " he said as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to his body. He felt electric tingles all over. Angela sighed with contentment, leaning her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his torso. She was used to being held this way. Damian always gave the best hugs. She loved his warm body. It felt so comfortable that she could remain wrapped in his arms forever.

"Mom's sick, Damian. I need to take her to the doctor tomorrow. She has resigned from her job today, " she informed him as he stroked and played with her hair. There was nothing hidden from him. She always opened her heart out to him. It made her relax.

"Have you told uncle Gerry?" he asked her with curiosity. He knew everything about her parents just like she knew about his.

"Mom requested me not to. You know they don't talk or even look at one another," sighed Angela, helplessly.

"I know. Even my parents are the same. I don't understand why they married one another. Do you want me to come along too?" he offered. He was always there for her, and Angela was thankful.

"Yes," she said, inhaling his cologne. "You smell so good," she added, and Damian smiled, doing a happy dance in his head. He purposely had dabbed a lot before entering her room. He wanted her to appreciate it and cuddle more with him!

"I'm glad you like it, Angel," he smirked, his mission accomplished. Kissing her forehead, he sighed.

"Go to sleep. It's already late." He reluctantly released her and going to Adam's room.

Angela lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling with a frown on her face. She was extremely worried about her mom, but was now faced with a dilemma. Should she inform her brothers about her mom's health or not? Maybe tomorrow, after returning from the doctor's chamber, she could decide better. She dozed off to sleep at last.

Next morning, Angela woke up to find that the boys were still fast asleep. Her mom was also asleep, and she didn't want to disturb her. She quietly freshened up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was just 6 o'clock in the morning and she knew her dad had left for his morning walk.

A sleepy Damian walked into the kitchen, wearing only Adam's sweatpants, riding low. Angela was used to this look, having seen him shirtless a million times. He came over and peered over her shoulder, his body touching hers.

"What are you making? It smells so good," he asked, nearly crushing her with his body. Angela smiled, knowing how much he loved everything she made.

"Go home and take a shower, Damian. We have school today, don't you remember?" she reminded him, poking him in the ribs.

His arm went around her waist, and he pulled her to his chest. Her back hit his torso, and he embedded his face into her neck. “I don't want to go home, Angel. I want to stay here with you. I'm tired of living alone," he confessed in a muffled voice. Angela's heart went out to him. She wished he could live with her forever.

"A few years more, Damian. When we grow up, we'll all live together in one big house," she promised, and Damian turned his head to look at her. She looked so angelic from so close. He couldn't believe that he was so lucky that she loved him, although only as a friend. Or was it?

"Do you mean that?" he asked her, inhaling her rosy smell. She felt so good against his bare body. He didn't want to let her go.

"Yes, now sit down and have your breakfast," she ordered, and he left her reluctantly and sat down to eat. Adam walked in, yawning.

He sat down beside Damian. "You kicked me so many times at night, dude," he complained sleepily.

Damian grinned. "Oh! I was Ethan Hunt in my dreams, doing his stunts," he said, remembering the lead character from the movie, Mission: Impossible-fallout, that they saw last night. Adam groaned, and Angela giggled.

Their dad walked in and washed his hands, and sat down to have his breakfast. Alex was doing his assignments while sipping his coffee in his room. Angela left them to check up on her mom.

She found her running a temperature. "Mom, you need to eat something and take your medicine. You have high fever," she said. When she didn't respond, Angela tried again and again to revive her, but failed. Worried, she rushed down to get some warm milk.

Damian had left for his home, and Adam was sitting alone with his mobile phone. Their dad had gone to his room to get ready for his university. "What's wrong, Angie?" he asked worriedly, seeing her fidgeting beside him, her face looking pale and worried.

"Mom came home yesterday after midnight. She had resigned from the hospital. She'd been feeling sick for the last two months, Adam, but didn't tell us anything. Now when I went up to her room to check, I found her unconscious and running a high temperature," said Angela, in a panicked state. Adam jumped to his feet after hearing everything.

"Oh my God! Angie, this is serious. I'll have to call Arnold. Don't give mom any medicine. It might not be just a fever. Get mom's ID proof, previous medical reports ready. We might need to take her to the hospital immediately," said Adam as he walked towards Alex's room.

Angela rushed to do as she was told. After five minutes, Alex and Adam came into her mom's room. They heard their dad yell, "See you, princess," before leaving for his university. The door clicked shut and Alex turned towards Angela.

"Didn't you inform him?" he asked. Angela shook her head.

"Mom asked me not to. I had to promise her," she sighed.

"Arnold has asked us to take mom to the hospital where he's doing his internship. So, let's not waste any more time. Adam, take your car out and park it in front of the gate. I'm bringing mom," said Alex.

Adam picked up his car keys and ran to the front door. Angela picked up her mom's wallet. It had her bank cards and money, too. She knew her code as her mom gave it to her many times to buy anything she needed. She locked the house as Alex carried their mom to the car waiting in front of the gate.

Damian peered from his main door. He locked up his house and came rushing. "I'm coming along too," he said, rushing forward to help with the car door.

They all nodded, too nervous and worried to argue. Alex drove as Angela and Damian sat at the back with their mom, and Adam sat in front with him. Arnold's hospital was twenty minutes away. Alex parked the car in front of the gates and Adam called Arnold to inform him they had arrived. He was waiting with his staff near the entrance. They came forward and carried their mom on a wheeled stretcher towards the emergency unit.

They all followed Arnold and their mom inside. They were asked to wait in the lobby while Arnold spoke to a doctor. The doctors would conduct some tests and scans before starting the treatment. Panic settled in Angela's heart as she waited for Arnold to emerge. After six long hours, Arnold walked out of the emergency department. He was visibly shaken and came and sat down with them.

"What happened to mom, Arnie?" asked Alex with a solemn expression. All of them were too scared to even ask.

"Mom has Glioblastoma. It's a very aggressive type of brain tumor which spreads fast. It's in its last stage. We need to operate as soon as possible. The tests are being conducted. We'll have the operation tomorrow if all the reports are clear," he informed, his face white as a sheet of paper.

Adam, Angela, Damian, and Alex just gaped at him. They couldn't believe that it was so serious. "Will the operation cure her, Arnie?" asked Adam, in a small voice.

"I don't know. It doesn't look very hopeful," he confessed.

A sob escaped Angela, and she hid her face in Damian's chest and wept.

"Why did she not tell us before? We could have saved her," said Adam, running his fingers through his hair, his face distraught with worry.

"Maybe she didn't have any wish to live," said Arnold and they looked at him.

Alex sighed. "Maybe. So what do we do now? Did she regain her consciousness?" asked Alex.

"No, she hasn't. There's not much to do. Damian, can you take Angela home? We're here," said Arnold.

"No, I won't leave mom and go anywhere," said Angela with conviction.

"Do we inform dad?" asked Adam.

"Try. He won't take your call when he's at the university, " said Arnold, and it was true. Adam tried ten times, but their dad's phone was switched off.

Arnold went inside to check with the rest of the test results and they waited impatiently. It was six o'clock in the evening and they all waited eagerly for the doctor to inform them about the surgery.

The doctor and Arnold came out of the emergency unit. The doctor took off his head cap and so did Arnold while they looked on, horrified and panicked.

"She's no more. I'm sorry, the tumor spread fast and burst before we could treat her," said the neurosurgeon.