Chapter 4 - 3. Her Mother's last wish

As Al drove towards home,she was lost in thinking of her past and all the things that had brought her here to this point in her life.

6 years ago...

Eighteen year old Al was feeling great and looking forward to her college life.She had just received her scholarship and acceptance letter from a prestigious university of her choice and was excited to share the news with her mother.Her mother was her only family in this world.She did not remember her father who had passed away when she was a mere baby. Though he had left them at an early age,he had invested his savings well enough for the mother and child to live well for the next many years and they had at least not suffered financially and her mother was able to continue her small knitting business at her own pace.

She entered the kitchen and was planning to bake a cake and a feast to celebrate this joyous ocassion with her mother.She loved to bake and was so good that she could go professional if she so desired.But she wanted to study finance and investment as her father's knowledge in these was what had saved them from a life of destitution.

As she started preparing the ingredients,the kitchen phone rang.She answered with a cheery "Helloooo".

But when she heard what the person on the other end had to say she was shocked and her face blanked out for a few minutes before she could react.However she quickly recovered from her shock and wrote down the address of the hospital her mother was admitted into.

She rushed to the hospital and after asking at the reception, was directed towards her mother's room on the upper floor.The Doctor was just leaving the room so she asked about her mother's illness.The old doctor gravely explained,"Ms Alicia,your mother's cancer has progressed at a fast pace and we have only the option of chemo-therapy to treat her.It has reached last stage and with her heart problems the therapy is going to take a toll on her.However if she is able to survive this then her life can be prolonged for some time.But Mrs Lu has repeatedly refused therapy and now we don't think she will be able to survive long..Please help her and try to get her to choose therapy.

She had tears in her eyes as she heard the doctor's prognosis..How had the best day of her life turned into her worst nightmare?

She opened the door to the room and rushed to see her mom.Her always strong and beautiful mother looked frail lying in the hospital bed with so many tubes attached to her to help her breathe.

A young man with beautiful brown eyes and muscular body was sitting in the corner and observing the beautiful Al's grief and heartbreak over her mother's condition.

After looking at her for a few minutes,he slowly went towards her and turning her around took her into his arms so that she could cry her fill and gain comfort from him.This man was Alan Xu,the son of her mother's best friend and her childhood friend.

Alicia leaned on him for comfort and waited for her mother to become conscious.Alicia had always been a book worm and preferred the company of her books over other people.She had only two friends, one was Alan and the other was her childhood friend Jui who had recently left the country to pursue further studies.She called them friends only because she knew them since childhood.She did not have a close bond with them.

Early in the evening,her mother opened her eyes slowly and looked at the worried face of her daughter.She beckoned her closer and opened her arms so that Alicia could hug her.

"Mother...why did you not tell me of your illness?Why did you hide it?But whatever your reasons,don't worry I have made arrangements for you to get the chemo therapy so that you can get better soon.."

Mrs Lu sighed and interrupted her daughter's nervous rambling.."Alicia, I have already informed the doctor of my decision to not undergo therapy.There is no guarantee that my heart and body will survive the radiation and I do not wish to waste what little precious time we have making rounds of the hospital."

"But mother.."

"No Alicia, please listen to me and don't interrupt..I know you have always wanted a big family and I want you to have that before I leave this world to join your father.Your Aunty Xu has always loved you like her own daughter and asked for your hand in marriage for Alan.I am sure you have already met Alan since he was the one who brought me here.My dear daughter, Alan is a good man and I am sure you will love him eventually as I came to love your dear father.He will care for you and with this marriage you will gain not only a husband but loving in-laws and a younger brother- in law also.Please take this as my last wish and consider marrying Alan."