Chapter 3: No News Is Good News…I Think?

As Ana sat at the kitchen table looking at her teary-eyed mother and her stoic looking father and the family doctor, she knew something was terribly wrong.

"Mom, Dad? What's going on? Why is Doctor Carmichael here? I already washed my hands when I went to the bathroom." Doctor Carmichael giggled a little and decided that Ana should know about her father and his condition.

"Ana, there is something very important we need to talk to you about."

….

Meanwhile, at the Thomas Residence, Jack was just walking in the door. "Dad!? I'm home!" Mr. Thomas called from his office, "I'm in my office, Jackson."

Jack walked into the office and found his father grading papers from the day's lessons. "Where have you been, son?"

Jack sighed and said, "I gave Ana Finster a ride home. Is that a crime?" Mr. Thomas closed his eyes, dropped his pen on the desk, took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I just asked where you've been. You don't need to give me an attitude."

Jack shook his head and replied, "Yeah? Well, maybe if you'd been a little nicer to Ana in class maybe I wouldn't give you an attitude. You didn't have to talk to her the way you did."

Mr. Thomas looked at his son and said, "That girl is a troublemaker and doesn't listen in class! You don't need to associate with girls like that!"

Jack glared at his father and yelled, "THAT'S FOR ME TO DECIDE! I DON'T NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHO I CAN AND CAN'T HANG OUT WITH!" It was Mr. Thomas's turn to yell, "YOU DON'T NEED TO YELL AT ME LIKE THAT! I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR YOU!"

Jack kept his glare and looked his father in the eyes, "I don't need you to look out for me! I'll be in my room."

With that, Jack stormed out of the office and went up to his room and slammed the door.

….

Ana kept a blank expression after the news she just heard. Dr. Carmichael squinted and asked, "Ana? Did you hear me?"

Ana didn't respond. Chuck looked at his daughter and asked, "Sweetheart? Are you okay?"

Ana snapped out of her trance and looked at them and smiled as if nothing had happened and said, "I spoke to Colt Williamson today. He asked me to the prom. I said yes. It was fantastic!"

Angelica knew her daughter was too much like her and knew she was purposely avoiding this sensitive subject, "Ana? Did you hear what Dr. Carmichael said?"

Ana deflected again, "I almost forgot! I need to meet Sara so we can go shopping for our prom dresses! I'll see you guys later."

She walked quickly out of the room, leaving everyone stunned until Chuck looked at Angelica and said, "She took that better than I thought."

….

In his room, Jack sat on his bed and stared at the wall. A tear rolled down his face as thought, 'I wish Mom was here. She was never as stubborn as Dad is. I could talk to her about anything. Maybe she could've helped me to try and win Ana's love.'

Jack closed his teary eyes and thought, 'I miss you, Mom.' He reached under his bed and pulled out his mother's picture.

On it was his mother holding a baby Jack in her arms and his father's arms around her smiling.

Jack started to sob at this sight, wishing he could have that day one more time. He put the picture back under his bed and decided he was going to go visit his mother.

He didn't want his dad to know where he was going, so to avoid any questions, Jack snuck out his window.

….

Ana was walking on the sidewalk to no particular place. She lied to her parents about where she was going.

The truth was, she had to get out of there. She had been walking for almost an hour thinking about how she should feel.

She didn't even notice that Jack was climbing out his bedroom window onto the roof of his house and down the side.

When Jack finally made it to the ground, he noticed Ana walking by. Her expression gave him the idea that she wanted to be alone so he went the opposite direction, to the cemetery.

Ana continued walking until she came to the DeVille Residence. She went up to the door and rang the doorbell.

The door opened and Phillip DeVille, Sara's father answered. "Hey Ana. Your father just called and said you might be coming here. Sara's in her room."

Phil motioned Ana to come in, so she did. She knocked on Sara's bedroom door and Sara opened it. "Ana? What are you doing here?"

Ana looked at Sara and said as if it were not important, "My dad has cancer. Dr. Carmichael said there was nothing anyone can do. No big deal."

Sara stood there with her hands to her mouth and was surprised how Ana said that her dad had cancer as if it were nothing. "Ana, I'm so sorry."

Ana glared at Sara, "I SAID IT'S NO BIG DEAL!" Sara was surprised at Ana's sudden outburst. "Ana, take it easy. I know this is hard for you."

Ana just rolled her eyes and turned around, "I think I made a mistake coming here. I'll see you later."

With that, Ana left the DeVille home.

….

Jack had been thinking of the look on Ana's face when she walked by. He didn't even notice the cemetery until he walked by it.

He walked through the entrance and kept walking until he came to a gravestone that said:

HERE LIES

SANDRA MARIE THOMAS

BORN AUGUST 17, 1967 – DIED DECEMBER 24, 2008

BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER

MAY THE ANGELS REST WITH HER

Jack started to sob at seeing the words on the tomb.

He got down on his knees and looked at the tomb as he spoke, "Hi Mom. I wish you were here. It seems like our family crumbled after you were gone. Dad's become emotionally distant and I don't know how to talk to him anymore. I feel like I lost both my parents the day you died. I feel lost."

Jack took a moment to wipe away his tears until he spoke again, "I gave Ana Finster a ride home today. She was so beautiful. She seems bothered about something. She told me during the ride that she was worried about her father. My guess is that maybe I was wrong about the flu thing before. Maybe it's worse. I don't know. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe she's just paranoid and making me paranoid. It's really none of my business. Well, I guess I better be going. I'll see you later , Mom. I love you."

Jack put a hand on the tombstone and left without another word.