Wish List
'I'm so sorry Ms. Nixon. Is there someone who you can call? Perhaps a family member?'
'Yes.' said Sam, wiping the tears from her cheeks. 'Yes, I'll call my daughter. I'll be ok. Thanks you.'
She stood up to leave the doctor's office.
'Before you go, I've some leaflets here, with some phone numbers you can use, should you feel you need to. There are some counsellors, and my phone number is on there too if you need any information, to help you make your decision. On your way out, my receptionist will make another appointment for you to come back in two weeks, so we can put the plans in place if you decide…'
'Yes, thank you' Sam cut her off sharply.
The door to the office slammed behind her as she passed a small desk. A dim looking receptionist mentioned something about a phone number to call if the appointment needed changing. Sam took the card, shoved it into her handbag, and walked towards the door with her head held high.
She reached her car in the car park and suddenly burst into tears. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. 'Cancer?' she thought to herself. Surely she was too young to have cancer. She was only 39 after all. She had 40 years left, at least. Didn't she? She'd lived her life healthily enough. Never smoked, or taken drugs. Only drank in moderation. Eaten a balanced diet and monitored her weight. Fair enough, stress had gotten to her at times, but she was never majorly unhealthy. She couldn't have cancer.
She dialled Abi's number.
'Hello?' came her daughter's voice from the other end of the line.
'Hi darling, it's me. Mum.' Sam's tone was slightly shaky, but she held it together.
'Oh, hi' said Abi. Sam knew it had been a while since she had called, but this warranted a call, didn't it?
'How are you sweetheart? What have you been up to?
'I'm fine. We're just on the motorway. We're taking Jared to the Lake District for the weekend.' Abi sounded distant.
'How is he? It seems like ages since…' Sam's voice faded. Hugh was in the background, asking who was on the phone.
'He's fine too. Mum, do you mind if I call you back tomorrow? My battery's going to die. I'll charge it when we get there but it will be late by then. Speak tomorrow, bye.' Before Sam had time to reply she was cut off.
The one person she hoped to talk to was too busy to listen to the fact her mother was dying. Sam had no one to talk to. No one to confide in. She hadn't really made that many friends at work, even though she had been there four years. Jack looked out for her, but then he did so for everyone on the team. Jo was in Manchester, or Sheffield, or Nottingham. Wherever she was she was too far to drop everything to come and comfort the friend she hadn't seen in almost two years. There was Phil, but, well he was Phil. They joked, they flirted, they argued. He didn't like her, she didn't even know if she liked him.