**I'm not supposed to be writing, but I'm not conforming to what my parents want me to do. Anywho, please don't hurt me. Truthfully, I don't want this story to be as long as I'm Here, but I have no idea what's going to happen. I'm just writing and seeing where it all goes. This chapter goes in a few directions, but it all leads to the same place: the end of the chapter**
Diana used to hate mornings, but since her diagnosis, they were more of a blessing than a curse. "Good morning!" Diana would say cheerfully every morning.
"Mom," Natalie said after a couple of days. "Why so cheerful every morning? What happened to the moaning and groaning and the beeline for coffee?"
"That's the old me."
"What made you change?"
"Uh…"
"Could you please tell me? I've got to get to school."
"I changed for the life of me."
"Now could you please be honest?"
"It's… nothing."
"Okay. Gotta go."
"Okay. I'm not gonna be here after school."
"Again? Jeez, do you have to see Dr. Madden again?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
"Whatever."
Natalie tossed her hair back as she left and Diana sighed. "I really don't know how I'm going to tell her… or Dan."
"What?" Dan said as he entered the kitchen.
"Nothing."
"No, what do you have to tell me?"
"It's nothing."
"Diana, you're lying through your teeth. I can always tell when you're lying. Your face is as red as a tomato."
"I'll tell you and Nat at dinner."
"No, you tell me now, Diana Goodman!"
"Okay, I'll tell you. Dan…"
Dan's watch beeped. "Whoops, I gotta go. I have a meeting in 20 minutes. See ya."
Diana watched him leave, feeling mostly relieved that she didn't have to tell him… yet.
(after school)
Natalie walked into the house and logged onto her Facebook. As she was looking through her News Feed, she saw Diana's status, which read "going to the doctor to discuss chemo options". "WHAT?" Natalie yelled.
"What's wrong, Natalie?" Dan asked as he entered the house.
"Did you read Mom's Facebook status?"
"No. What does it say?" Dan read it over Natalie's shoulder. "Chemo. I don't think chemotherapy. She'd tell us, wouldn't she? Chemo could be… chemistry?"
"Da-ad."
"Okay. But why didn't she tell us?"
"I don't know."
"We should talk to her sometime about keeping this a secret from us."
"Right. At dinner, we'll talk to her."
"Hey, can I comment on her status?"
"Not now. I have to get my Farmville crops."
"Okay."
(dinnertime)
"So, how was your day today?" Diana asked Natalie cheerfully.
"Tell me about yours first," Natalie insisted.
"Well, it was normal-ish, I guess…"
Natalie narrowed her eyes at Diana. "Oh really?"
"What are you getting at?"
"I'm getting at that you went to the doctor today… but it wasn't Dr. Madden, was it?"
"Uh…"
"And your Facebook status."
"You read it?"
"It was in my News Feed. Not my problem. I don't even know WHY you're my Facebook friend."
"Cuz I'm your mother."
"Not everyone is friends with their mothers on Facebook. Henry isn't."
"Does his mother have one?"
"Uh… I don't know, actually. But why didn't you tell me and Dad that you have cancer? Huh? I bet you told Gabe. You tell him everything."
"No, Gabe doesn't know either. I'm sorry, Natalie. And I'm sorry, Dan."
"I'm done eating." Natalie picked up her plate and left the dinner table.
"Dan, are you mad?"
Dan thought for a few moments. "No," he said finally. "How long did you know?"
"A few days."
"I really wish you told me and Natalie sooner. We would've understood. We love you, Diana… well, at least I do. Hard to say what Natalie is feeling."
"Yeah, I guess."
"If you ever need me, I'm here for you. Okay?"
"Okay? I'm sorry, Dan."
"It's okay. You know I care about you."
"I care about you too."
"You just focus on getting better. I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want you to lose me either. You'll always love me, right?"
"Absolutely." Dan kissed Diana. "I love you, always and forever."
**it may be awhile before I update since I shouldn't have done this, but I do plan on having a Gabe and Diana scene when I'm not on my forced hiatus (my mom found out about the late night updating and is really mad right now). I'm not sure when. Maybe next chapter**