"Hey, kiddo. What's up?"

"What's going on? Why is mom crying?"

"Oh. Well, I'm gonna assume my dad called her with the news."

"The news?"

"It's not good, Reese. She does have cancer. And there's really nothing they can do. They even contacted other hospitals and oncologists to look at her scans. Specialists even. And no one will touch the tumor. So she's got about six to nine months left."

"Oh shit."

"Yeah."

"And how are you dealing?"

"I'm staying strong. The kids all need someone brave to look up to and Dad and Care need someone who can handle all of this, can think clearly and make decisions without breaking down."

"Rey..."

"Reese."

"You can break down if you need to, you know. No one will blame you. You're going to lose your baby sister."

"I know. And so are Keegan and Abi and Ameri. Keegan won't even spend time with the girls, only me. Abi and Ameri keep asking scary questions, like where she's gonna go when this is all over and how long they have left with their sister. I don't have time to break down."

"Keegan won't spend time with them?"

"Nope. Really want to smack some sense into him."

"Oh dear Lord."

"What?"

"Mom is looking at flights to Australia and hysterically sobbing."

"Jesus."

"Would you like to talk to her?"

"Yes. Give her the phone."

"Reyna?"

"Hi, Mommy."

"Stop crying, you're gonna make me cry even harder."

"I'm crying because you're crying! You stop!"

"I don't know how to stop!"

"Okay, well, Reese says you're looking at flights?"

"Yeah?"

"Book a flight. Come. I need my mom. And I think Dad and Caroline need you, too, honestly. And maybe you'll be able to help Keegan. We need you. So please, come."

"Oh honey. Okay. Booking a flight for a week from now. To give me time to get time off of work and all that fun stuff."

"Okay. Text me and let me know what time your flight is getting in and everything. I'll pick you up from the airport."

"Thank you, Rey. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom. And thank you!"

"Are you done making Mom cry more?"

"Yes."

"... Are you crying?"

"What? No. Of course not. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Oh, Mommy, I need you! Come make everything better."

"Okay, listen here, slut-"

"Moooooom, Reyna called me a slut!"

"You little bitch."

"Got you to laugh."

"I hate you sometimes."

"And yet I'm still the favorite sibling, so."

"Whatever. Love you, Reese. Talk to you later?"

"Sure. Tell everyone I love them."

"Will do."

"Bye, sis. Love you."

"Love you, too, slut."

"Rude."

"Oh well."

"Why do I even like you?"

"Because you have to! Ha. Bye bye!"

"What a rat, she hung up on me. Moooom, Reyna was being mean again."

"Did you expect anything less?"

"Okay, true."

•••

posting this so i'm motivated to finish the next chapter and update again. which will be a mixture of humor and serious.

[ 9.19.17 ]