The Fault Within Us

There in the consultants room sat two very ordinary people. Or so you would think. They had four children, Jamie who was nineteen, Chris who was sixteen , Ross who was fourteen and Kira who was six. All four were at home waiting for news. Kira didn't fully know why but she understood it was important. Matt held his wife's hand as the Doctor looked over the tests. Jolene had been ill for months yet no-one could tell her why. Though deep down she knew.
"Well Mrs. Parsons I'm afraid its not good. Your scans have shown tumours in the stomach and on the kidneys. There are secondary tumours on the bowel and the brain. And it is now in the bones. I'm afraid it is terminal cancer. There are treatments to help with the pain and I suggest you admit yourself immediately so we can start them."
"How long?" She smiled looking into the Doctors eyes.
"Its hard to say..." He responded averting his eyes. He knew, had she been diagnosed sooner the prognosis wouldn't be so grim.
"So soon hey." She smiled again. "I think I would rather go home and spend the remainder of my time with my family."
All the while Matt sat there trying to make sense of it all. Last week the nurse thought it was something simple like kidney stones. Now they had to tell their children that their mom probably wont make it to Christmas. How had this happened. They shook the consultants hand and left together. Both wondering how they would explain it to the children.
"Kira wont understand. Darling you're going to have to explain it....when the time comes." Jolene said turning to face her husband to which he nodded. He was still coming to terms with the fact he was losing the love of his life. His child-hood sweetheart.
The car journey was silent. Both thinking about the not to distant future that awaited. They pulled into their drive and sat in the car, neither one wanting to enter the house.
"I'll tell then if you want." It was barely a whisper, but he couldn't look at his wife, knowing.
"No I have to. But you'll be there. Right?" Again Matt just nodded.
Once all four children were sat on the sofa Jolene perched herself on the edge of the table, with her husband at her side staring at her as though once he looked away she would disappear.
"Well? What is it mom?" Jamie's eyes were flicking between her mom and dad. Knowing something was wrong.
"Well my darlings. I'm afraid its not what we hoped. You see I'm very sick. And the doctors don't think that medicine will make me better."
"How long?" Came Chris's gruff voice. He didn't like to show emotion but even he couldnt hide his tears.
"Not long my darling."

It was two long painful months before jolene was bed ridden, and two weeks after the syringe driver went up, signalling the end was near. It was a week shy of Kira's ninth birthday that the lost her and from that day on the family unit crumbled