Meet the Howlters

Jess

YEAR: 2036

[Phil's POV]

"Please answer the question, dear," she said. "Are you Delilah?"
"Dad," she mumbled. "I think I'm gonna-" Was all she was able to get out before she threw up.
"Go to the car, honey," I whispered.
"Okay," she murmured. She wrapped my coat around her and slowly walked to the car.
"Stay away from her," I gritted my teeth.
"I wanna help, Phil,"
"You had your chance, Jess. Stay away from my daughter,"
"Really? You're gonna send me away and let your daughter die?"
"If she dies, it's your fault! You were the only person compatible for surgery and you said no! Now...now most of her body is infected and there's a small chance she'll actually survive..."
"What about your son?" she whispered.
"What about him?"
"He had to have some of the same, bone marrow? Is that what you need?"
"Yeah..."
"They're practically the same person...he had to be compatible,"
"He is..."
"Then why wouldn't you use him?"
"Do you know how much that poor kid has been through! He has been undergoing surgeries since he was five! I'm not gonna make him go through more of that..."
"You're joking right? You're practically saying that you'd rather have your daughter die rather than put your son in the hospital for a few weeks. Oh and keep both your kids! How fucking stupid can you be!" she yelled. "Y'know what Phil," she sighed. "If you need me, call me. Goodbye Phil..."

She said as she stormed towards the hospital. I let out a sigh and slowly walked back to the car.

"Hey, where were you?" Dan asked.
"Yeah dad," Delilah whispered, "who was that woman?"
"Wait, what woman?"
"Jess," I mumbled.
"Wait..." Winston said. "Like, surrogate, Jess?"
"Yep..."
"What did she want?" Dan asked, driving us home.
"She wanted to help Dil..."
"Really! That's awesome!" she cheered. "So, she's gonna help me...right?"
"We don't know yet honey,"
"How do you not know!"
"We have to see how much the cancer is spread and if we need to find more than one person,"
"I'll do it," Winston mumbled.
"No," everyone simultaneously said.
"I can't ask you to do that," she whispered.
"Why not guys? I wanna help her! Throughout this entire thing I've been useless...I wanna help her in some way..."
"You've helped me by remaining optimistic," she smiled.
"That is a bunch of bull, Dil, and you know it...I wanna help you,"
"We'll see," Dan interrupted, "okay?"
"Okay."

***

"And his four walls declared him insane," Delilah sang. "I found my way, right time, wrong place, as I plead my- crap," she mumbled.

Dan and I were downstairs, rewatching a few Game of Thrones episodes, when we heard, through the walls, Delilah try and play her ukelele. She kept singing the same verse over and over again, trying to get it right. Eventually, she gave up and came downstairs.

"Hey honey," Dan smiled. "You sounded great,"
"Liar," she coughed as she shook her inhaler. "Ukelele is harder than I thought," she sighed.
"Honey, go to bed," I smiled. "It's late,"
"I guess I should," she said, hugging us. "Merry Christmas guys...and thank you,"
"For what?"
"For making my last Christmas a memorable one,"
"Don't talk like that," Dan and I said.
"Why not? It's time to face the music...it's too late for me...I'm gonna die," she cried.
"Stop saying that!" Dan yelled. "You are not going to die! Do you hear me?" he cried. "Go to bed," he mumbled, wiping a few tears away.
"Night," she scoffed.
"What's going on down here?" Winston asked as Delilah stormed upstairs. "What happened?"
"Nothing, go to bed," Dan mumbled.
"But bear-"
"I said go to bed!"

***

"Mr. and um... Mr. Howlter, thank you for coming in so soon,"
"It's no trouble," I said. "Why'd you want to talk to us?"
"Well, Jessica came in a few days ago for testing and she is officially positive. She's ready for surgery whenever Delilah is,"
"I'm sorry?"
"Jessica said she's ready for surgery,"
"Jessica Campbell?"
"Yes," he nodded.
"We'll tell Delilah," Dan smiled.
"Terrific," he smiled. "How does a month sound?"
"I'll be away," I whispered.
"What?" Dan mumbled.
"I'm always up north the last week of January, you know that,"
"Oh shit, that's right. And you're turning 50...we can't miss that. Do you have anything sooner?"
"I'm afraid not,"
"Fine, we'll do it then. I'll stay in town...you and Winnie go up north,"
"You sure? Cause I'll gladly stay, I don't need to go up this year,"
"No, see your family," he smiled, "we'll be here when you get back,"
"Okay..." I sighed. "Quick question, does Delilah have to go to chemo anymore?"
"If you want the cancer to be tamed then yeah, I suggest she keeps going,"
"Oh, okay..."
"See you guys then,"
"See you then."