My Assistant.

Chapter 22

I felt like the entire room had disappeared and I was floating in a void. My brain couldn't comprehend what my eyes were seeing.

"Clara?" My fathers voice pulled me out of the darkness.

I looked into his sunken face and saw desperation there. I still couldn't find my voice.

"I'm sick princess. I've been sick for a long time." He said motioning me to come towards him. "It's....... Its cancer."

He's been sick for a long time. I played those words over in my head for a while still not moving or speaking.

"Clara please stay something."

I shook my head and took a step forward.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I said and my voice cracked.

"I didn't want you to worry about it till you needed to." He spoke softly. I felt tears threaten my eyes.

"That's bull shit." I said angrily and took another step towards him. I have never cursed around my father in my life but I don't care anymore. "You shouldn't have made that decision for me. I should've been told. If not because I'm your daughter but because I am your successor." I glared at him letting one tear fall. He shifted in his bed and he looked so uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Clara." He said softly again.

I glared at him for another minute then walked over to his bedside and took his hand. I was still upset but I didn't want him to suffer alone anymore.

"How long have you known?" I said not meeting his eyes.

"Since January. I went to the doctor in December because I felt like I had no energy and I didn't feel like eating. They thought it was anemia." He gave me a small chuckle. "They sent me on my way with some medicine.......... It wasn't until I collapsed a month later and was hospitalized that they told me I had been misdiagnosed and I actually had cancer in my bone marrow, stage 3...." He stopped to catch his breath.

"You have known since January! Father. I should've been told." I said no longer hiding my tears.

He shook his head and gave me a light smile.

"I didn't want it to effect your senior year. You did so well."

"You didn't even come to my graduation. How can you say you cared about my education?" I snapped.

He frowned at me "I planned to princess....... I boarded the plane to fly  there a...." He coughed a little. "...... and surprise you....... But I fell unconscious and was hospitalized again."

I stared at him in disbelief. I couldn't find any words again.

"I have been receiving treatment once a week at a world renowned oncology specialist facility in Colorado........" he continued. "It was working........ I thought I was beating it. Until a few weeks ago...." My father started tearing up. "They told me they didn't know how long I had left." He shrugged.

"That's why you took me to Cancun......... isn't it. I knew something was wrong.............."

"Honey please. We can't change the past...... I can only prepare you for the future." He coughed and cleared his throat. "That's why I asked you to come home and start helping me out a little this summer......"

"I get that.......... Father. I am not ready to take over the business. I haven't even finished college yet! I'm not ready for you to die." I broke down crying and fell into the chair next to his bed.

"Princess. It's okay. You don't have worry about anything. I have it all taken care of." He said calmly.

I looked up at him barely able to see from how much water was in my eyes.