Her Daughter's Last Gift

Mom frowned."I didn't get the memo—when did today become April Fool's? Gotta admit, that makeup job on Charlotte almost had me."Her eyes scanned my face. Just for a second, she looked scared.Then came the forced smile. "So what is this—meant to shock me, or... surprise me?"The host shot a desperate look at a nearby journalist.The journalist stepped up, grabbed the mic."Dr. Cooper, I'll answer that in just a moment."Then she turned to the crowd."Hey, everyone. I'm Elayne Tyler—journalist and co-organizer of today's event. We're about to play a message... from our cadaver."***The screen behind the stage lit up.There I was—sitting on a beach, looking straight into the camera."Hey, I'm Charlotte Stein. I love the sun, the sky, the ocean—look how pretty it is behind me. Always wanted to come here with Mom and Dad."But that's not gonna happen. It's cool, though. I brought their picture, so it's like they're here."I pulled a photo from my bag, held it up."Anyway,

[Filming Log: 2024-09-01]"Charlotte, it's your birthday. Got a wish?"Camera locked on the hospital room door.I stepped out.Yellow dress, curly brown wig."Elayne, let's hit the amusement park."I popped some painkillers on the low.Elayne saw. Didn't say a word—just turned away and wiped her eyes.On the carousel, I threw up a peace sign.Elayne aimed her phone. "Look here—smile. That's it, gorgeous."When the ride stopped, my legs quit on me. I hit the ground.Painkillers wore off.Back at the hospital, I got an injection ASAP.That night, I posted one of Elayne's pics.Camera zoomed in on my screen.A minute later, Dad liked it. Dropped a comment:[Happy birthday, sweetheart. You've lost weight. Make sure you're eating well.]Two minutes later, Mom sent me $300. Double last month.I wiped my face, tears hitting the screen.Blew out the candles."Please let Mom and Dad always stay healthy and happy."[Filming Log: 2024-10-06]"Charlotte!"Elayne rushed in, p

[Filming Log: 2025-02-28]"Elayne, does this outfit look okay?" I kept turning in front of the mirror, nitpicking every little thing."You look beautiful. Always have." She grabbed my wig and helped me put it on. "Come on, the driver's already waiting at the hospital entrance."Cut to a press conference.I had a mask on, just my eyes showing. Blended right into the crowd.On stage, Mom was walking everyone through their new research.After all the science-y stuff, the host asked, "Dr. Cooper, anything else you'd like to share?"Mom paused. Her voice dropped, sharper now."Charlotte, I know you're watching. Your dad's gone. You don't have to hide anymore. No one's forcing you."Elayne's hand shook a little as she held my wrist. "Are you okay?"I didn't look as wrecked as she thought I'd be."Did you see? Mom's put on a little weight. Her skin looks better too. Tia must be taking good care of her. That... that helps me breathe easier."I gave Elayne a soft smile."Let's just

[Recording: March 27, 2025]They sent me back to the hospital. Stayed there over two weeks. I could walk again, finally.This time, the ocean was in the background.Off-camera, Elayne yelled, "Charlotte, that joke wasn't funny! Do you know how scared we were? Pull that stunt again, and you're not leaving the hospital!"I gave her my best innocent face. "I just didn't want people feeling sorry for me when I die, so... thought I'd lighten the mood. Okay, I swear I won't do it again. Don't be mad."Elayne sighed, totally done. "Fine, fine. Whatever."I chuckled, wiped my eyes, and turned back to the camera."Mom, I don't know if you'll ever see this. But I need you to know—I really fought. I wanted to wait until I got better to tell you everything. But I'm not getting better. The cancer spread too fast. It's too late now."I don't wanna die. I'm scared. Scared I'll never see you again. Scared it'll hurt."Every time I said I was giving up, it was because I was scared of more bad

When Mom stood, Elayne rose with her."Dr. Cooper," she said, "about what you asked earlier—if this was a shock or a surprise—here's my answer. I think it was a surprise."The misunderstanding between you two is gone. Charlotte didn't turn her back on her family, and you never stopped loving her. You both cared—in your own way. And today, you're not standing on that stage alone. Charlotte's right here with you, helping move leukemia research forward."Mom gave Elayne a firm, heartfelt nod. "Thank you, Ms. Tyler."She walked back to the stage—steady steps, back straight, like she was carrying something bigger than pain.The seminar wrapped up flawlessly.Her skill and insight stunned the audience.She earned full praise from the medical community.***With Mom's permission, our story aired the next day as a documentary.It brought new attention to leukemia patients everywhere.In the epilogue, Mom shared excerpts from her journal:[May 4, 2024]We finally got the match resu