Chapter 3

Amber leaned forward and watched her foster mom with concern. This was the third day she had been bedridden with a ‘cold’. The other day, she was coughing up blood into the kitchen sink. Whenever she questions her about her health, Mrs Bryce just responds with a weak, “I’m fine honey. No need to worry, it’s just a cold.” Yet she had been losing weight steadily for the past three days. She now looks so frail compared to her old self.

Mrs Bryce senses Amber’s gaze from across the sofa and tries to reassure her with a weak smile. Not reassured, Amber returns the smile albeit haltingly. She gets up quickly and offers her a glass of water. Mrs Bryce waves it aside and beckons on Amber to sit closer to her on the sofa.

She begins, “Amber honey, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you …”

“...What is it mom?”

Eleanor Bryce closes her eyes in weak resignation. What she was about to do wasn’t easy, but she had run out of options. She had given a great deal of time thinking about it and had come to the conclusion that it was her only move. She was about to do the one thing every parent dreaded. Yet, she felt as if she had no alternative.

“Amber, honey…I want you to know that I have absolutely enjoyed being your guardian these past few years…”

Slow, sinking dread filled Amber’s heart at these words. It sounded like she was about to be kicked out of a home she had come to love and cherish. Her heart beat so fast as her mind raced with a variety of thoughts.

“...my husband and I have done our best in taking care of you and I want you to know that we have no regrets whatsoever…” Eleanor paused for a moment and thought about how best to proceed with her next statement. She hesitated to ask for so much from someone so little and vulnerable but she was at the end of her rope.

“I have cancer”, she said simply. Amber gasped and fell to her knees, wailing “What? No, no!”

A tear escaped from Eleanor’s eyes and she continued shakily, “Yes, we discovered it some months ago and I was completely devastated. I saw the pain you went through during your long stay in the hospital and I would never wish that on an enemy, talk less of myself.” She paused to catch her breath and sip some water. “I need to commence treatment immediately”, she finished.

Amber was speechless. It felt like her entire world was crumbling right before her eyes. She had never had a stable home, being passed on from one family to another because of her poor health. It was only the Bryces’ that had taken a risk and chosen to take her in despite her scary medical history. They had worked tirelessly with her social worker to make sure she got treatment, sometimes even contributing financially to make sure she got the best of treatments. It was so unfair that this loving and caring couple would be plagued with this kind of trial as reward for their good deeds. Perhaps, Amber mused, she may be the bad luck their daughter, Hilary believed her to be. Tears fell from her eyes and she felt so useless.

Mrs Bryce held her hands and squeezed it. “I don’t want you to blame yourself. Or feel like you are responsible in some way…However, I need you to do something.”

“What is it?” Amber asked.

“I need you to contact your mom.”

“My mom?”

“Yes, your biological mom.”

“What? How? I don’t know her, how do I even begin to go about that?”

“Okay…” Mrs Bryce paused, considering how best to say what she was about to next. “There’s something we have been meaning to tell you, we just didn't know how to go about it.”

Amber’s eyes narrow as she looks at her foster mom. What on earth was she talking about? Her biological mom? What had she got to to do with anything happening over here? She didn’t know what it was that she was about to hear but her gut warned her that she would not like it.

“When you were sick, your biological mom contacted us…” Amber’s eyes widened in incredulity and she slowly stood up and sat back on the couch.

“...she claimed she was ready to take custody of you. But when we told her about your health, she didn’t seem as eager. She promised to give us $10,000 towards your treatment and recovery. We must have been naive and desperate because we believed her and made certain commitments to your healthcare.” Mrs Bryce paused and tears filled her eyes. “Harry took out a second mortgage on the house and of course, we couldn’t go on that vacation we planned. We had to pull out money from our savings and even Hilary’s college fund took a hit because we couldn't bear to see you in pain.”

Amber was beyond speechless. They did all this for me? Her legs began to shake and she collapsed to the floor again. They were in immense debt! A second mortgage on the house?! Hilary’s college fund?! Oh no! Hilary already hated her, if she knew about this, she would probably murder her in her sleep! She buried her face in her palms and wept furiously. The situation was not just bad, it was terrible! She should have just been allowed to die peacefully, rather than to subject this gentle family through the emotional and financial turmoil they must be experiencing. She felt like a heavy burden.

At that moment, a car rolled into the driveway. Harry Bryce, husband to Eleanor and father of Hilary solemnly climbs out of the car. Eleanor looks at Amber and whispers, “Please, Harry…he musn’t know that I have told you about the debt…”Amber nods weakly. Still trying to process all the information she had been startled with and quite speechless, she stands up shakily. “I’ll be in my room upstairs”, and disappears out of sight.