Tattoos // Z.M A.U

Chapter 17

ALISON'S POV

"You met Daniel yesterday?" Clare asks with her tone full of surprise.

Another day of work has been finished, so we were walking to Clare's car.

H&M was quite busy because there is massive sale that started today which means Clare and I was much more productive today than yesterday.

"Yes and he wants me back." She rolls her eyes in annoyance. "No surprise there." "Yeah. I told him that I moved on and that I'm happy then Zayn called while I was Daniel." I mutter and Clare gasps.

"What?!" "Yes! I didn't answer and I was getting irritated with Daniel, so I left."

"But the fact Daniel wants you back, he seems desperate." "I know. I told him to grow up." Clare looks at me, nodding in agreement. "I absolutely agree with you, but why is he here?"

"He transferred from Manchester to here to study." All of a sudden, a frown appears on her face. "That is odd. Don't you think? Why would you transfer?" I shrug. "I don't know."

"Something is up Alison. I can feel it."

¤ ¤ ¤

"Mother, I'm home." I announce while Clare enters the living room with me. "Hi Lisa." Clare hugs my mum and she hugs her back half-heartedly.

I can see my mum is deep in thought, over thinking about something. She looks like she has been crying because her eyes are bloodshot and puffy while her cheeks are red.

Something is not right.

"Mum, what's wrong? I can see something is bothering you. You have been crying too." Mum sighs, looking down at her lap. "Ali, I have some bad news."

Bad news was something our family rarely had and now that my mum has something bad to share with us, I feel my stomach knotting.

"I am so sorry that I kept this from you but this has been happening for a while now and it has gone to a serious matter. We have tried everything and nothing is working out."

"You have to understand that we had no idea that this would happen so fast and now it's been confirmed. Don't hate me for what I have been hiding." My mum whispers, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mum-" I say and she shakes her head. "Your father uh... he has cancer in his pancreas and it's spreading. Rapidly. All over his body." She cries out while tears stream down my mother's face as she confesses.

All of a sudden, my heart stops. Everything feels like it has stopped around me.

This can't be happening to my father.

That's what the late night going out meant. Some nights, dad and mum would go out late and when I come back from work, they would be back. They probably were going to the hospital.

Not to forget, dad has been getting sick a lot and little did I know what was happening.

How could they keep something so serious like this away from me?

My dad has cancer.

"What about chemotherapy?! That always works!" I say frantically and she shakes her head. "He isn't responding to it. Like I said, nothing is working out."

"How much time does he have left?" I ask the burning question, scared of the answer that will come out my mother's mouth.

"Two weeks." I pierce my lips together, squeezing my eyes tightly shut once she said the time.