The Letter

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions to be destroyed”

- Friedrich Nietzsche

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Lia cherished her time with Paisley, the rare escape from the turmoil she had grappled with. But as much as she tried to lose herself in their laughter, she knew that reality would make her face it sooner or later. The weight of the truth - her truth, loomed over her. Lia knew that Lucas's love for her was immeasurable, and that's precisely why telling him felt so daunting. A sense of disillusionment crept in, leaving her feeling powerless. The courage she had once found seemed to vanish in the face of overwhelming fear. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how she could hurt the man she loved with a truth that would change everything.

Lucas went through his day with thoughts of Lia - a constant companion in the back of his mind. There was still a subtle but constant anxiety weighing on him as his thoughts often returned to her safety, the threats lurking just out of his sight. He did everything he could to shield her from harm, but the fear never dissipated. It was Tuesday, their tradition of lunch at the Hush Bowl. These moments were sacred to him—just him and Lia, sharing something that felt untouched by the chaos of the world.

He watched her, captivated, as the sunlight through the window cast a warm glow on her skin. It was a sight that always stopped him in his tracks. The way the light danced on her and made her skin glow with such beauty reminded him of everything he loved about her. It made him fall in love with her as if it was the first time. Lucas felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude as the sunlight kissed her face and hugged her crown. He was in awe of her. There was a magic about her that left him speechless, and in the silence of his heart, he thanked God for creating her – just for him. His grounding force, his reason for joy.

The evening unfolded quietly, and after dinner, they started their journey home. On the way, Lucas noticed something was wrong when Lia stumbled. Her legs gave way, and a cry of pain escaped her lips. Lucas's heart skipped a beat, panic rising in his chest. "What's wrong? Tell me what you're feeling?" he asked, his voice thick with concern. Lia's mind raced, thinking of the letter she had received earlier that week. The one that had set her world off balance. She couldn't tell him now. She couldn't bear to shatter him with the truth – not yet. So, she smiled weakly through the pain, desperate to shield him from it.

"It's just a cramp," she said, forcing the words past her lips. "Give me a moment to shake it off, and then we can keep going."

Lucas, unconvinced, nodded and stayed close as she tried to regain her strength. After a tense pause, she signaled that she was fine, and they continued. But Lucas remained watchful, his eyes never leaving her for long – unease still in his heart. Lia, meanwhile, suffered in silence. The pain grew with every step she took. It helped her to reflect on the evening they'd just shared, trying to hold onto the happiness it had brought her. She used it as a shield to block out the weight of her secret and to keep the darkness at bay.

She had always been good at hiding pain. It was a familiar strength she had used countless times before to carry her pain and be strong for others. But tonight, she needed someone to hold her. She was bearing a burden no one knew she had to endure, and she was facing it alone.

When they arrived home, they went through their usual routine of getting ready for bed, even with exhaustion pulling at their limbs. They fell asleep instantaneously. The comfort of sleep was fleeting, however, when around 3 a.m., a piercing scream tore through the stillness of the night, wrenching Lucas from his sleep. Fear gripped him instantly, and he jumped out of bed without thinking. "Get dressed," he said, his voice urgent. "We're going to the ER."

Before he could say another word, Lia whispered that she was sorry and pointed at the drawer on the nightstand. Confused but desperate to help, Lucas rushed over and opened it, finding a letter from their physician. His heart dropped as he saw the doctor's name, but nothing could prepare him for the words that followed.

Lia was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer.

His chest tightened as his breath caught in his throat. But there was more. The following line left him reeling:

Lia was PREGNANT.

Lucas felt his world tilt as tears welled up in his eyes. His hands trembled as he reread the letter, disbelief clouding his mind. The silence in the room was suffocating, heavy with a truth neither of them had expected. But amidst it all, there was a single, undeniable truth: the woman he loved was fighting this battle in the quiet corners of her life, sheltering him from the weight she had been carrying alone. And now, with no more words to speak, nothing could capture the magnitude of their feelings. There was a devastating silence between them, filled with pain, fear, but an indubitable love that would carry them through whatever was coming next.

To be continued.

Kerique Hoo-Kim