It had been a week since nikki had started the daily routine. She was in the bathroom the morning before school brushing her hair when it started falling out. She cut her hair really short whilst crying.

Nikki had phoned in sick for the second day running. Sian knew she was going through it on her own but sian was there nearly every night for her.

"Nikki's phoned in sick this morning so were an English teacher down" Rachel said

"Again?" Tom asked "bloody women and there emotions" he sighed

Sian gave a look to tom "You think shes crying over you?"

"Its what women do right?"

"No tom…look" She said turning to Rachel "I saw her last night, shes not very well at all"

"oh so shes letting you into her flat and not me"

"what do you expect tom, you've accused her cheating when its far from from the truth"

"How was she last night?" Rachel said breaking the argument

"very sick, throwing up a little, main concern is shes bleeding quite heavily, she hasn't eaten in about 3 days now, yes shes been to the doctor. Look I cant say anymore im not allowed im sworn to secrecy"

"fine okay" Rachel said "moving on"

At breaktime. Tom was in the shared office staring at his phone, sian opposite he picked it up and rang nikki.

"hey"

"hi"

"you okay?"

"feeling a bit crap what about you?"

"im okay"

"the girls?"

"there fine yeah, Nikki whats going on, this is your second day off sick its really unlike you"

"I know tom, I wont be in tomorrow, in fact I don't know when im gonna be in again"

"Why?"

"Look I'll come to the school, I need to explain to Rachel anyway, I don't want the girls seeing me okay, I'll meet you in rachels office at lunchtime…I want sian there"

"alright, im sorry"

"its okay its not what you think though" Nikki said putting the phone down.

"Was that nikki?"

Tom nodded "shes coming up, to speak to the four of us"

"shes brave"

Lunchtime came nikki had managed to sneak in unnoticed with her hood up.

"you take your hoody off and get back to class" Rachel said looking at the figure in the office

Tom walked in just after. "you heard her"

Nikki put the hood down and looked at them both "im not a student though"

"nikki…look you better come in" Rachel said looking at her

Tom looked at her all her hair cut short, Sian walked up and went and hugged nikki. Nikki held her back. "it will be alright"

"hope so"

"Nikki whats going on darling?"

"I don't know when I'll be back at school at the moment…" nikki breathed out looking down "I attend hospital every morning for…" she paused a second and looked down to the floor again

"Nikki take your time" sian said

"for radio and chemotherapy" she whispered

"Oh nik" tom said trying to contain his emotion.

Rachel sat there listening.

"I now know why I couldn't have a baby, ive got cervical cancer" she cried "its hard for me, I can't tell my girls this, I cant say that in 8 months you may not have a mom I cant do it anymore" Nikki broke down.

Tom moved over and held her tightly "im so sorry baby" he cried "I cant believe I accused you of cheating when you were suffering in silence" he cried rocking her.

Nikki cried into him loving him back in her arms.

"look we can tell the kids here" Rachel said "so you've got everyones support, should it clear"

"it should In a few months, there gonna operate and we go from there, if it comes back ive got weeks possibly months to live. Ive just gotta keep going. Get the kids up here, we need to tell them and I want you all here"

Tom held her he was shaking like a leaf.

Nikki put her hood back up, as sian went out to get the kids