Jean raced through his door and immediately saw his mom laying there with her eyes closed.
"Maw!" He ran up to her and hugged her. She hugged back.
"Jeanie, dear, what has you so worried?"
He was speechless. What did she mean?
"Maw, you just had surgery! Do you not remember? Don't you feel better?"
His mom looked puzzled.
"No, dear, I feel the same. Are you ok?"
Jean opened his eyes wide.
"You don't feel any different?"
"No, in fact, I think I feel a little worse..."
Jean checked his mom's pulse. It was beating rapidly, sometimes going off beat.
"Maw you're sick! What did they do to you?!" He hugged his mom tight and cried in her arm.
"Jean, honey, I'm fine! Why are you so scared?"
He lifted his head and faced her, eyes red from tears.
"They lied, they said they got rid of it! They only made it worse!"
"I know, but you have to live with it. It happens, Jean. You'll live."
Jean looked at her like she was some kind of monster.
"Maw! How could you say that!?"
"Don't worry about me Jean, I'll still always be here..." she pointed to his chest. "In your heart." She smiled at him and slowly drifted away, away from Jean. Jean cried and cried. She was gone. Forever.