Chapter 8

The afternoon sun bathed the Blackwell mansion in a golden gentle glow, and the gentle scent of spring after the rain filled the air.

Lily Monroe skipped across the yard her ponytail bouncing as she clutched a big purple bow in her hands. She walked past the entrance to the side of the house and climbed up the ladder that led up to a balcony.

With practiced ease, she swung her legs over the railing and landed inside the bedroom.

“Ethan! Ethan!” She called out as she tumbled inside, “I brought you a gift.”

A boy’s voice mumbled something from under the blanket. 

Lily’s lips curled into a mischievous grin as she clumsily stood up and jumped on the bed.

“Wake up sleepy head, it’s 2 in the afternoon.” She yanked the blanket off him.

Ethan Blackwell, barely fourteen years old groggily opened his eyes. His messy black hair stuck up in odd directions, his blue eyes still hazy with sleep.

Lily turned to sit beside him, grinning as she shoved the bow in his face. “For you.”

Ethan sighed and turned away. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Lily huffed and moved to his other side, turning her hair to face him, to show him the pink bow clipped in her brown hair. “See? It’s pretty.”

Ethan scowled, swatting her hand away. “No thanks.”

Lily pouted, “Come on,  I brought the purple one for you,” she leaned over and clipped the bow into his still messy hair and beamed.

“Handsome. Very handsome”

Ethan rolled his eyes but didn’t remove the bow. 

He never could win against her.

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Ethan and Lily have been inseparable since before they could walk. 

Their mothers had been best friends, married within a month of each other, pregnant at the same time, and even giving birth within weeks of each other.

Their cradles had been placed next to each other when they were babies and as they started to walk they became even closer, toddling around hand in hand.

They went to school together, played together, and even got sick at the same time. 

Everyone in the upper-class circles knew them as the closest peas in a pod.

While Ethan was quiet and reserved, Lily was loud and adventurous. No matter what Lily had to say, Ethan listened. And they got into trouble often following Lily’s ideas.

Their personalities couldn’t be more different but they always stuck together.

It was always Ethan and Lily.

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Ethan and Lily sat on the floor of his bedroom, controllers in hand, as they played the newly released mortal combat game on his desktop computer.

“Are you cheating?” Lily asked as ‘Defeat’ flashed across the screen for the 5th time. “You keep beating me”

“I’m not,” Ethan said smugly, “You just don’t have the skills. Let’s do something else.”

“No,” Lily said defiantly, “I want to win. New game, don’t go easy on me,” she turned to Ethan with a frown.

The next round almost came to a close, when Lily suddenly jumped on Ethan, and she started to tickle him.

“You’re the one who’s cheating” Ethan managed to say between giggles as he tried to escape Lily’s hands.

Lily used her free hand to manipulate the controller and defeat Ethan. “It’s called strategy.” She grinned triumphantly.

“Madam! Madam!” The urgent call from downstairs drew Ethan and Lily out of their play.

They exchanged glances before rushing out of the room, their feet pounding against the polished wooden stairs as they hurried down the stairs

The living room was chaotic as maids and the butler crowded around a couch in the living room, murmuring anxiously.

“She’s burning up–someone call an ambulance,” the maid by his mother’s side announced.

Ethan and Lily pushed through the crowd and he froze.

His mother lying unconscious on the couch. Her face was ashen.

“Mom?”

“What happened to Aunty Wendy?” Lily asked. 

Ethan moved to his mother's side and called anxiously, but she didn’t respond.

His mother had never been sick before. 

The next moments passed in a blur.

The ambulance arrived. His mom was lifted onto a stretcher. Lily’s mom arrived and ushered them both into her car driving behind the ambulance.

Ethan sat stiffly in one of the waiting room chairs, tears falling down his face.

 His father arrived soon after, a deep frown on his face as he spoke to the doctor.

Ethan could only catch bits and pieces of the conversation.

“... cancer…. advanced stage… limited treatment options… we would try our best…”

Cancer?

His mother had cancer?

Was she going to die?

His world felt like it was tilting, breathing felt hard as his chest tightened.

Lily sitting beside him, reached for his hand. Her fingers sent warmth flowing through his cold ones.

“Aunty Wendy would be okay, don’t worry.”

Ethan squeezed her hand tightly as if holding on to his only lifeline.

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Ethan sat by the hospital bed, his gaze focused on his mother’s face. The doctor had assured them that she was just sleeping now and no longer unconscious. His father had gone back to the office to sign some documents, while Lily’s mother went to get them dinner.

Lily sat beside him, her chin propped on her hand as she stared at the IV drip. It was the first time they had ever been in a hospital for something serious. 

They sat in silence as the day turned into dusk.

Then–

A soft, rasping cough.

Ethan sat up straight in his chair as his mother’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Mom.” His voice was barely a whisper as tears started to roll down his face again, but it carried the relief he felt as his eyes met hers.

His mother’s lips curved into a small, weak smile. “Sorry for making you worry sweetheart.”

Ethan shook his head, trying to reassure her, “Mom are you okay?” His fingers gripped the edge of the bed so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Her eyes, though tired, were filled with warmth as they landed on him. “Hmm, I feel better already.”

Ethan didn’t reply, his gaze traveled across her face as if trying to find something.

“Don’t worry,” she said gently as she reached out a hand and rested it on his head, smoothing down his messy hair. “I just have to listen to the doctors and I'll be okay.”

Ethan’s throat tightened.

“Promise?” His voice cracked.

His mother hesitated just for a second before nodding. “I promise.”