Goodbye to You All
The doctor's words came swiftly, "Late-stage stomach cancer. There's not much time left. All we can do now is manage the pain with medication."
Jack had known this.
But hearing it aloud, from the mouth of a doctor, still felt like a punch to the gut.
"I understand."
The doctor nodded, accustomed to these moments, to the quiet devastation that filled rooms like this. He left without another word.
Jessica drifted into a long dream.
In it, she was back in her school uniform. Jack was in his basketball jersey. She had waited for him after the game, handing him his favorite bottled water.
They walked around the track together, laughter light in the evening air.