The serene white sandy beach glowed under a bright, crystal clear blue sky. It was lined with palm trees calmy swaying at the mercy of the warm breeze. The scene called to her. It was easy to picture oneself on a lounge chair holding a fruity drink, with one a cute little umbrellas. Already the sound of waves crashing had a relaxing effect.

Peace. Tranquility. A true destination vacation.

All things Brooke needed desperately.

Someday.

Flipping the page in the magazine, Brooke let out an annoyed sigh. Her mother sat calmly next to her in a chair, her eyes rolling closed as she dozed. They had been waiting over half an hour to be called back to see the doctor.

An unsettling feeling bubbled in Brooke's belly. While bloodwork was routine, especially for a patient like her mother. Usually a phone call sufficed for any news once the results were processed.

No, this was different. Being asked to come in for bloodwork results wasn't routine. Something was wrong. That was why the Doctor called her mother, Adriana, in. Brook just happened to be visiting for spring break and was able to go with her mother.

Brooke set her magazine down with an impatient plop and gave a long, absorbing look to her mother. She had her eyes closed sitting in the armchair in the waiting room. So much had happened and taken its toll over the last few years. Adriana had always been a strong woman. She bravely took on whatever hardship came at her with grace and courage. Brook could see the physical and mental changes her mother was undergoing because of her age. More wrinkles on her forehead, gray hairs were now closer to white and dark circles more prominent under her tired hooded eyes. Adriana was slower, fatigued, and seemed to have aged more in the last year than the last twenty.

"Adriana Johnson," the nurse called from the open door.

"Here," Brooke answered, raising her hand and eyes toward the nurse. She stood, gathered her purse then roused her mother. "Mom, that's you."

Adriana woke with a start. Her lips spread into a slow, yet warm smile. Brooke helped her mother stand on shaky legs. It created fissures in Brooke's heart seeing her mom struggle to even stand on her own for the first time ever.

"Hello, Mrs. Johnson," the nurse smiled warmly. She ushered the duo through the door.

"Hello, Patty," Adriana answered tiredly.

"Right this way ladies."

The nurse gestured to the right toward the offices. Routinely, they would go to the left for vitals and then be taken to an exam room.

Brooke wrinkled her brows and swallowed the lump down to moisten her suddenly parched throat. Seeing the sign on the door that said Dr. Taylor, Oncologist confirmed this was not your typical blood work follow up.

The nurse knocked three times. She opened the door after hearing the gruff, "come in". The nurse gestured for Brooke and her mother to enter. Dr. Taylor, an older gentleman in his 60's stood and smiled warmly at the women. His salt and pepper hair was styled perfectly. It seemed to highlight the friendly gleam in his honey brown eyes.

"Hello Adriana," he stood and greeted them smiling brightly. "Brooke! How lovely to see you again! Please, ladies, sit."

Brooke and her mother each took a seat along with Dr. Taylor in one of the arm chairs across in front of the doctor's desk. He leaned back, lacing his fingers before placing his arms on the desk. The smile remained, but shrank from friendly to remorseful.

Dr. Taylor let out a sigh, meeting both ladies in the eyes before beginning. "Adriana, I received your bloodwork. The results are why I called wanting to speak with you in person."

"It's back, isn't it, Doctor?" Adriana interjected meekly.

Another sigh as Dr. Taylor nodded. "Yes, Dear. Your blood results showed an elevation in the vectors we have been watching. That indicates your cancer has returned. Most likely metastasized and spread."

Brooke gasped. She squeezed her eyes shut to banish the tears threatening to spill. This was her worst nightmare coming to fruition.

"I would like to run more tests to find out where the tumors are and measure their size," Dr. Taylor explained. "From that point, we can form a treatment plan. Chemo and radiation are-"

"No," Adriana interrupted. She squeezed the handles on her purse, and sat up straight in her chair, chin lifted high in confidence. "I don't want chemo or radiation again."

"What?" Brooke questioned. She pivoted toward the older woman. "But Mom-"

Adriana held up a hand to silence her daughter. "I can't go through that again. Not at my age. If it is my time to go, then it's my time. God has been good to me."

"Then the next option is hospice, Adriana." Dr. Taylor's smile tilted higher in understanding. "I would still like to run more tests to determine how far the cancer has metastasized. That will give us an estimated time frame."

"Yes, of course," Adriana conceded, eerily calm. "When?"

"As soon as possible," he answered.

Silent tears of fear and grief poured down Brooke's cheeks. She buried her face in her hands. Here they go again.

Dr. Taylor admitted Adriana into the hospital thee same day to run the diagnostic tests. Brooke left once her mother was settled into her room, promising to be back later once the first battery of tests was run.

At first, Brooke sat in her car in the parking lot of the medical building, sobbing until she ran out of tears. She watched her dad go through hospice after being diagnosed with cancer. Now she would do the same for her mother. Thoughts of how that would work ran through her mind like a hamster wheel.
Brooke lived in Chicago. Her job was there. Her life was there. Melody's friends were there. How could she tear her daughter away from her friends? Hopefully Brooke still had strong enough connections from her dad's involvement at her alma mater elementary school to get her a job locally. Moving to California, or rather moving back, had always been a dream, but nothing ever taken seriously. Until now.

With shaky hands, Brooke took out her cell. She scrolled through the contacts until she found one who possibly would come through for her in this crisis. Teaching jobs in California were highly competitive, but hopefully this string being pulled would work.

"Hi, this is Brooke Johnson," she answered as soon as the the chipper sounding secretary answered. "I'm wondering if you have any openings coming available for next school year?"

****

Toward the end of the week, Brooke was gearing up to return to Chicago from Los Angeles. She bravely faced what this sudden shift in her life would do to further toss up the fruit basket, so to speak. She needed a night out with the one person who had always been there for her with unwavering support.

"Hey!" her ever cheerful voice called while waving a hand.

"Hi Leena," Brooke smiled. She greeted her best friend with a sad smile Her eyes shimmered from unshed tears threatening to already ruin this dinner.

"You said it was an emergency?" Leena pushed. She was always one to cut straight to the chase or read better than anyone when Brooke was emotionally down. They linked arms and headed into the restaurant.

"Two please, in the bar, in a corner," Brooke directed the hostess who led them toward the bar.

Once the two friends had settled then ordered their poisons, Leena reached across the table. "OK, spill."

Brooke sighed, twiddling her thumbs nervously. "I'm moving back," she announced.

At first, Leena squealed, grinned and clapped with delight. She sombered up noticing Brooke wasn't happy. "Why? What happened?"

Not that she would ever not want one of her best friends back in their home city. Leena knew Brooke had been happy and successful in Chicago for the last several years. She was well aware it would take something very grave to cause Brooke to return and not be completely stoked about it.

With glistening eyes, Brooke looked into the questioning eyes of her dearest friend. "It's back," she whispered. Her lower lip quivered.

Leena gasped. Her eyes glistened with mirrored shock and sadness. "I'm so, so sorry," she murmured. "How bad? How long?"

She knew of Adriana's previous battle with cancer. She prayed right alongside Brooke and everyone else that it would never return. They all knew well that cancer in remission was only a hibernating beast.

"It's everywhere," Brooke elaborated. "Dr. Taylor helped us choose a hospice company yesterday. I'm going to finish out the school year in Chicago then pack up and move back into Mom's house to care for her."

Leena blinked. She leaned back as the drinks were placed on the table. Brooke took hers immediately. She stirred then taking a long, well needed drink of her sangria. The berry smoothness warmed it's way down her throat to her belly giving her mock strength to continue.

"What about your job?" Leena inquired. She sipped her beer. "You love it there!"

Brooke nodded, twirling the chilly glass while staring at the colors mixing. "I really do, but what choice do I have? I uh...called Dr. Smith the other day...interviewed yesterday."

"And?" Leena asked, smiling again as she leaned forward.

She recognized that name as the principal currently in administration at the elementary school they both attended. It was also no secret that Brooke had always wanted to teach there, being close to her mom, grandpa, and friends where things were familiar. Her family name was well-known in their community..

"I'll be teaching Kindergarten starting next fall," Brooke answered, a ghost of a smile tilted her lips. This was a long time dream. She just wished it had been under happier circumstances.

"So," Leena continued after taking another long sip. "When do you go back?"

Brooke paused, taking another drink before answering. "Our flight is tomorrow. I'll be packing on the weekends. Boxes and supplies have already been ordered. They should be at my apartment by the time we get home. The moving truck picks up our stuff the second Monday in June. I'll be here by the end of that week."

"This is gonna happen really fast, huh?" she murmured.

Brooke nodded. She licked her lips then flicked her eyes back to her friend. "Promise me something, Leena?"

"Anything."

"Will you guys keep an eye on my mom until we are moved back?" she requested.

Leena reached across the table, laying both hands on her friends.

"Of course."

****

3 months later

Brooke took one last look at herself in the reflection of her car before turning and striding toward the bustling restaurant. On this much needed girls night out, Brooke chose a gray blue sundress adorned with black and white abstract flowers peppering the fabric. It came to a modest knee length but the back hung longer to the bottom of her calf. The daring v-neck gave a teasing glimpse of more to be explored. Her favorite black stilettos gave an extra kick of femininity.

The thin straps left her shoulders and upper arms bare, something Brooke swore she'd never do. Brooke hated her arms. Despite the weight she'd lost under all the stress over the last three months, her arms never seemed to shrink in size. It was far too warm a late June summer night in Los Angeles to wear the usual black shrug.

Black clutch in hand, lips adorned with mauve lipstick and auburn hair in bouncing ringlets, Brooke made her way to the door. A handsome man in his early 30's stood just outside the door with a cell phone pressed to his ear. He had a fist deep in his pocket. His brows were furrowed causing wrinkles. With a wicked smirk,she approached the unsuspecting restaurant patron. Brooke lightly touched the man's shoulders.

He spun, brows raised to see who touched him. Brown eyes sparkled with recognition. A wide smile broke across his lips, revealing a bright white smile.

"I'll see you soon," he told the person on the phone. "An angel just came straight from heaven." Brooke rolled her eyes but grinned. "Hello, gorgeous!" he greeted after pocketing his phone and stretching his arms out wide.

"Hi Trenton," Brooke grinned, embracing her oldest friend. "It's so good to see you!" She hadn't seen him since Christmas. There had been no time to catch up on her last visit over Spring Break with all her moms medical stuff.

"And you, too!" he replied. He gently guided her backwards but kept a hand in his own. Lifting her arm, Trenton twirled her around letting out a low appreciative whistle. "You look amazing!"

"Aww, thanks," Brooke giggled. She cast her eyes down shyly. "It's this new diet I'm on. It's the latest thing in my life. I call it the 'stressed cause your parent is dying diet!'"

"Brook, hun," Trenton's voice. His smile and their arms dropped. "That's not funny."

"I know," Brooke's faded as well. "I have to try when and where I can to make light of the situation or I may go completely crazy."

Trenton wrapped an arm around Brooke's shoulders, drawing her back to his strong chest. "I know. It's not fair." He placed a brotherly kiss on her temple, comforting his friend of over 20 years.

They met when they were only in 5th grade. Brooke's friendship with Trenton was only overshadowed by her sisterhood since diapers with Leena. The three of them finally all became an inseparable trio in high school. Trenton and Leena fought an attraction for 15 years until finally beginning to date just last year. Brooke couldn't have been happier for them.

A playful smirk and chortle escaped Brooke's lips after the affection on her temple. "Does your girlfriend know you're out here kissing other girls?"

Trenton winced and feigned being afraid of getting in trouble. "Oh! No, she doesn't! Let's get out of here before she catches us!"

"OK," Brooke shrugged. She linked her arm with his. "Let's get dinner first."

"Oh alright," he groaned playfully then tugged open the restaurant door. He paused then turned with a furrowed brow at Brooke. "How did you know it was me when you approached?"

Brooke smirked then shrugged. "Leena texted that you were waiting for me outside the restaurant."

Clicking his tongue and shaking his head, Trenton replied a playful, "Tattletail. I was calling a friend of mine who is coming tonight. He wants to meet my beautiful, single, long time friend."

Brooke rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic groan. "You guys set up a blind date?"

"Yeah!" he defended. "Leena said you were serious to get back out there and meet someone, finally have fun for a change! This man is your guy. He and I have been great friends since college."

"Oh alright," she grumbled, hesitantly conceding. "I trust you."