October is always my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin patches, hot chocolate, sweaters, cinnamon,

bonfires, bundling up, Halloween, high school football games, baseball games and all of the best

things in the world. I'm in such a good mood no matter what when it comes to this time of the year. Fall

in Chicago is beautiful. The colors of the leaves are bright yellow, orange, and fiery red. I love the

crunch of the leaves when I walk down the street to my house. I love bundling up just to go out to the

grocery store. Being able to see my breath in the cool air as I walk up to the school bus in the morning

is the best feeling in the world. School just started two months ago and everything is going great! I’m

in high school now; I have good grades, new friends, I made the cheer team, and my family is

supportive of me no matter what I do. I mean what more could I ask for? Not much, I am probably one

of the luckiest girls alive. I have everything I have ever asked for, and have done everything I have

ever wanted to do. Everything and everyone is on my side, and I hope it stays that way.

Today I came home from school and no one was home. Dad was at work but where was mom? Today

we were supposed to go running. Thursday is our day to run around the lake. I was really looking

forward to a relaxing run and a hot chocolate with my Mom at The clubhouse because I had a long day

and talking it out was exactly what I needed. However, she wasn't at home. I called and said “Mom,

where are you?” She said “Oh no, honey I forgot. I will be home in an hour but I don't think we will be

able to go on our run, sorry love.” I said, “That’s okay, see you tonight.” I hung up knowing that she

didn't just forget our afternoon run. She didn't even give me a reason to as why she wasn't home. She

obviously didn't just forget, and she wasn't out shopping for Christmas presents. She was somewhere

but wasn't telling me. I've noticed that mom and dad have been spending less time with me. Dad forgot

to buy tickets to the baseball game last Saturday. I knew something was going on that my parents

hadn't told me. But what were they hiding? I was their only child, and my mom told me everything. She

is like my sister. So what's going on? Why is my family suddenly ignoring me? Why are they barely

home anymore, and why do they walk past me with a gaze hardly realizing that I'm there. My parents

used to complain that I never told them enough about what was going on with me, but now it's the other

way around!

Mom came home at 7:30 p.m. and brought Panera Bread with her. I loved breakfast for dinner and I

think it was sort of her apology for missing our run. I didn't dare ask, but I would rather have an

explanation than bagels. As I went upstairs to take my shower I heard my dad coming home. I wasn't in

any mood to say good night. So I showered, finished my homework, and went to bed. But as I was

doing all of those things I could still hear my parents’ hushed voices. I even thought I heard someone

crying but I wasn't exactly sure. I had another bad day at school and didn't know what to expect at

home. However, what I didn't expect was both of my parents waiting for me at home. “We have to talk,”

they said simultaneously. Thousands of thoughts ran through my head as I heard those words. “Let’s

cut the small talk, we should just get to the point,” said my dad in a tone I had never heard from him

before. My mom had tears in her eyes saying “Honey, as you may have noticed, I haven’t been home

as much lately.” She stopped. “The reason why is… I have breast cancer”, she said shakily. What had

I just heard? What did she mean? Out of all of the things in the world that could happen to her, never

would I think it would be this. So I ran up to my room because I didn’t know what else to do.

Just last week I was wearing pink bows, and pink socks for my cheer game. Everyone in the stands

was giggling at the sight of the big, tough, scary football players wearing pink cleats, wristbands, and

socks. A week ago I was doing it to fit in for the spirit days. Not once had I ever really thought about

what it meant and why we were wearing pink. We were wearing pink in memory of those who had lost

their lives to Breast Cancer. Because Breast Cancer can be deadly, we were wearing pink and saying

fight for a cure in order to raise money for a cure. There is no certainty that my mom will live, the truth

of the matter is that my mom might die. Two days ago I had my best friend, my mom. I thought I was

the luckiest person alive. Now I don’t even know if my mom will be able to see me graduate from High

School. How can so much change from one day to another? But I suppose locking myself in my room

won’t help anything get better. I have to go downstairs. But what will I say?

As I walk down the stairs I feel guilty. I was so busy thinking about me and what this meant to me, I

never thought about how my mom must feel about it. She must be so scared. She didn’t choose to

have this brought upon her and her family. When I get downstairs I ask, “Does this mean we won’t get

to go on our Thursday run anymore?” “Of course not honey.” she said stumbling. I hate seeing her so

sad. “Well, I don’t really know what all this means, but what I do know is that we need to go on our runs

more than once a week. Also, I will start coming to every one of your cheer games even if it

embarrasses you when I scream the loudest for you” she says in a half laugh and half cry. “All I know

for now is that it means we need to take care of each other no matter what. We have to be brave and

not let this control our lives. We have so much living to do and not enough time to do it” she says. I

pause and think about all that she’s said, and she interrupts. “And always remember that I love you no

matter what happens.”

“I won’t ever forget it mom.”