A FAMILY

Around 11 in the morning when mom wakes up. Mom’s eyes look tired, the dark circles have been getting bigger and bigger for the past few days.

“Angel?” Mom smiles lazily as she looks at me.

I smile back at her as I walk over to the bed. “Mommy, I’ll help you sit on the bed.”

Mom is so light that I think I could carry her like a baby. She loses too much weight while battling cancer. I sit mom in the bed and put a pillow on her back to make it comfortable.

“Mom, what do you wanna have for breakfast? I’ll cook it for you.”

“Angel, what’s wrong?”

I look at mom in confusion. She stares into my eyes in concern and I slowly get what she’s trying to ask about. “Nothing mom, my eyes were itchy earlier that I had to scratch them a little hard.” I smile forcefully, hoping mom will believe my lies.

Mom heaves a sigh. "You have to take care of yourself, sweetheart.” Mom reaches out to my cheek and softly rubs it with her fingers. Her hands are cold like ice.