Meet the Howlters

What Happened?

YEAR: 2036

[Phil's POV]

"Come on guys, Dil's gonna be late," I yelled.
"Dad," Winston mumbled. "Why can't I just stay home?"
"You really should be there to support your sister,"
"But dad-"
"But what?"
"I don't wanna go to the football game..."
"Look, I understand that you're still upset about your accident but you need to get over it. Now come on, get your shoes on, we gotta go,"
"Fine!" he yelled as he threw the Xbox controller.
"Hey!" Dan budded in. "Stop it!"
"Or what!"
"You know what," I sighed. "Just stay home. Come on Dan, Delilah's waiting,"
"I'll be there in a minute,"
"M'kay, I'll be in the car,"
"Alright," he smiled as I walked out. "I hope you're happy Winston,"
"Shit," he mumbled.
"Watch your mouth,"
"Sorry..."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to...we'll be home around five. Be safe,"
"Kay..."

***

"I'm so fed up with the way Winnie's been acting," I whispered.
"Me too," Dan added, not breaking his focus from Delilah's game.
"We really should do something about it,"
"It's just a phase, let him work it out,"
"Yeah, you said that about your homosexuality," I teased.
"Oh, that was low," he chuckled.
"I love you," I smiled.
"Fuck off, you spoon. Just watch the game, we'll discuss it later,"
"Alright," I sighed.

We sat there, stuck in a sea if cheering parents and peers. The game was going well, Delilah made a few goals, and her team was up 5-2. In the middle of the third quarter of the game, we saw someone in a large huddle, on the field, fall to the ground.

"Who just fell?" a few parents murmured.
"Hope it wasn't my kid," a few whispered.

Then, out of nowhere, I felt Dan's hand latch onto my arm.

"Ow! What?"
"What number is Delilah..."
"26. Why?"
"Move!" Dan yelled as he started pushing parents aside.
"Dan," I gasped as I followed him. "Dan! What's wrong!"
"Sir, you can't be out here," a referee said.
"I'm her father, let me see her!"
"Sir, please do not go near her, she just needs some air,"
"Phil, call 999,"
"Already on it," I mumbled as I bit my nails.
"Dil, honey, please wake up," Dan mumbled as he cradled her. "Dilly, wake up," I cried.
"The ambulance will be here soon," I said. "Is she still breathing?" I asked as I felt for a pulse. "Okay...she's not dead...that's good. So what happened? Did someone hit her?"
"No," the coach shrugged.
"She wasn't dehydrated...she literally had water ten minutes ago," I mumbled. "And it's not hot...what the hell happened to her!"
"Phil," the coach said, "please remain calm, I'm sure she'll be fine. Now, has she ever passed out before?"
"No, never,"
"I'm gonna take her somewhere, not so sunny," Dan mumbled as he picked her up.

Dan and I sat under a tree for a few minutes waiting for the ambulance to show up; eventually, they arrived and rushed Delilah to the hospital. It was a long, excruciating drive to the hospital; god, I hope my little girls okay. When she got to the hospital, Dan and I weren't allowed inside her room, something about having to run tests on her, so, Dan and I just moped around the waiting room.

"Hey," I whispered.
"Yeah?"
"Should Winnie be here or should we not worry him?"
"Well, when we come home at fucking midnight without his sister, I'm gonna guess he's gonna be kinda worried,"
"Okay then..."

Phil: Hey Louise
Louise: Hey, what's up?
Phil: Dil's in the hospital. By any chance could you drop Winnie off?
Louise: Oh, yeah, of course
Phil: Thank you
Louise: NP...so what happened to Delilah?
Phil: We're not sure yet. She was in the middle of her football match and she just passed out
Louise: Oh, that's not good. Well, I hope she gets better. I'll be there in 10
Phil: K, thank you

"Winnie will be here soon..."
"Okay..."
"Dan, Phil," the doctor called.
"Yes?" We simultaneously said as we stood up.
"Please follow me,"

I immediately took Dan's hand and began following the doctor; he led us to Delilah's room.

"Dad? Bear?" she whispered.
"Hi princess," I cried as I hugged her.
"Hey kiddo. How are you feeling?" Dan whispered.
"Fine...why am I here?"
"You passed out dear,"
"Oh yeah...can I go home now?"
"Um, well, Delilah...since you became unconscious rather suddenly, it only made sense to run a few tests to make sure everything is okay,"
"So everything's okay? Can I go home?"
"Um...well..."
"Just get on with it!" Dan yelled impatiently.
"Delilah, you have been diagnosed with Sarcoma,"
"What's that?" she asked.
"You have cancer..."
"Oh my god..." I cried as tears crowded my eyes.
"No..." Dan whispered. "No! Run the tests again! There is no way she has cancer! There's...there's-"
"Dan," I cried as I hugged him. "Shhh... it's gonna be alright...she's gon a be fine...right?" I let go of Dan and gave Delilah a tight hug. She hugged me back and began crying into the crook of my neck.
"Well, it's too early to tell but-"
"Delilah!" Winston yelled as he ran in the room.
"Winnie," Dan mumbled, "your knee," he reminded.
"I don't care!"
"Who is this?"
"Our son,"
"What's wrong? Is she okay?"
"Where is the sarcoma?"
"We don't know yet. We were gonna have her spend the night and run a few more tests so we can see where it is in the body and how aggressively we need to treat it and of course we need to find out if it's, uh...terminal,"
"Bear, what's wrong with Dil?"
"I have cancer," she cried.
"What...no you don't...no...no you're suppose to have the better life...no!"
"Dan, take him out," I cried as I held Delilah.
"Come on," Dan sighed.
"No!" Winston yelled as he ran over to Delilah and gave her a tight hug. "I don't wanna leave her!"
"Winston Alexander Howlter, let's go,"
"No!"
"Let him stay," Delilah whispered as she hugged him.
"Actually, you all have to go. We want to treat her as soon as possible," the doctor said.
"Oh...okay," she frowned.
"I love you," Winston whispered, giving her one more tight hug.
"I love you too," she cried.
"We love you Dilly," Dan and I kissed her forehead. "We'll see you as soon as we can,"
"Okay..."
"Come on."

I pat Winston's back and began leading him out of the room. The car ride home was silent and depressing; no one said a word, we all just cried. When we got home, the dogs were waiting for us by the door; they quickly sensed our mood and started whining. Dan fell to the floor, curled up into a ball, and cried with the dogs by his side.

"Come on, let's leave bear alone," I cried as I brought Winston upstairs.
"Hey dad,"
"Yeah?"
"Is Dil gonna die?"
"I hope not..."
"Does cancer run in the family?"
"No...not that I'm aware of,"

Then it clicked. Jess...

"Go to bed. We'll talk in the morning,"
"Okay...night," he pouted.
"Night..."

I closed his bedroom door and ran into my room. I pulled out my phone and immediately scrolled down to Jess' name; I've never hit the call button faster in my life.

"Come on, come on, come on, pick up..."
"Hello?" she yawned.
"We need to talk."