Too little, too late

"What if I told you I discovered a suspicious lump on my breast, and when I went to the doctor they said it’s metastasized… and I have three years—maybe months—left to live?"

Aubrey spoke with her back to her husband, watching his reaction through the kitchen window’s reflection. Her fingers worked nervously at her necklace, her words spilling out too fast.

Daniel’s eyes widened, confused.

"Is this one of those hypotheticals where you say something wild and I say I love you no matter what… or did something actually happen?"

He stepped toward her slowly, brows furrowed. When he turned her around, Aubrey kept her gaze down. Daniel searched for words, his heart thumping so loudly it drowned out everything else.

"When did this happen?" "How?" "I… I don’t understand. Is this new?"

He stumbled over every word, running his hands through his hair, trying not to panic.

Aubrey’s head hung low. She shook her head, disbelief tightening her shoulders.

"I don’t know how this could’ve happened. I did everything right."

She sniffled, stomping her foot in frustration.

Daniel sat heavily at the table, looking up at her with a pained, confused stare.

"How long have you known, Aubrey? Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I—"

He dropped his head into his hands and began to cry.

"I’m so sorry, Aubrey. We’ll get a second opinion. Just… how long have you known?"

His eyes begged her to say not long. Instead, she said the one thing he never expected.

"I’ve known since I was seven that it was genetically possible for me to get cancer."

Daniel reached for her hands, squeezing them as she continued through sobs.

"A year before I met you, I started having chest pains. I ignored them for months until I couldn’t anymore. After all the tests, they confirmed it was breast cancer."

"The doctor said if I stayed consistent with treatment, I could live a normal life. And for a long time, I did. I met you… and the pain stopped."

She took a shaky breath.

"A few months after our wedding, I was getting refitted for bras and felt several hard lumps. I was terrified. I didn’t want to admit it."

Her body collapsed into Daniel’s arms, and he held her tightly, silently fighting back his own screams.

The next morning, Daniel was in the kitchen humming “Cherry Pie” while scrolling through medical websites. Tab after tab filled his screen:

how long can you live with breast cancer

breast cancer statistics

best oncologists near me

natural remedies for breast cancer

Aubrey, still in her robe, walked into his office. She paused, watching him work—his focused brow, the way he shifted in his chair when he hit a dead end. She folded her arms, soaking in the moment before he noticed her.

"Morning, love."

He looked up with a warm smile, kissed her forehead, then her lips. Aubrey kept her eyes closed a moment longer, breathing him in.

She exhaled loudly.

"Okay. Let’s get this over with. Ask your questions."

Daniel cleared his throat, ready to fire off a list—but only three came out.

"What can I do for you?" "Are you in pain?" "And why would you keep something this heavy from me? I’m your best friend… your partner… your husband. That really hurt."

Aubrey took his hands.

"Treat me like nothing is wrong. That’s how you can help me. I didn’t want to be a burden. I was scared you’d treat me like I’m fragile. I don’t want to do this alone anymore."

Tears threatened her eyes.

Daniel swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in his throat.

"Should we get a second opinion?"

He tried to sound calm, but he’d never felt more helpless.

Aubrey shook her head.

Daniel’s face flushed red. He needed air.

Outside, he paced the backyard, dragging his hands through his hair.

"Calm down, Daniel." "This isn’t about you." "Aubrey’s dying. She kept this from me for two years."

His steps grew harder, faster. He didn’t know what to feel or how to process any of it.

When he finally returned, he cleared his throat.

"I… I need to go for a walk. Just a moment. Some fresh air."

He kissed her forehead gently and left.

Aubrey rushed to the window. She watched him walk away—the stiffness in his shoulders, the tilt of his head. She wished she could freeze time.

It was nearly midnight before Daniel arrived back home. He burst through loudly, drunk, and stumbling toward the couch. He didn't notice Aubrey sitting at the kitchen table. She waited all day for him to come home, worried about him. She approached the couch where Daniel scrambled to take his shoes off.

"Someone had a good time."

Aubrey giggled softly and helped Daniel untie and remove his shoes. Daniel stared at her with a blushed grin.

"I love you Aubrey! Yur the most beautiful girl I ever met. Yur soul is gracious."

Daniel had his hand raised like he was giving a toast. He smiled and hiccuped as he spoke.

"I never wanna lose you Aubrey!"

Aubrey felt her heart punch out of her chest at those words. She wanted to cry, but she had spent all day crying, there were no more tears willing to release right now.

Daniel had passed out on the couch. Aubrey stepped outside to enjoy the early morning sky.

She took a big, deep inhale, swelling her nostrils, filling them with the cool freshness of the air. The sweet aromatic smells of the flowers danced around her, causing a smile to creep on her face.

Aubrey fidgeted with her fingers, nervous of the rest of her unspoken truth. She stretched towards the clouds then immediately folded over in pain. Though she didn't want to admit it, she was running out of time.

Aubrey rushed upstairs.

She began rummaging through her closet, then drawers and gathered paper and pen.

Daniel my love,

You have been the best of everything I have ever experienced. Thank you for choosing me and know I would choose you a thousand times over. I'm sorry I kept this from you. Just like you always want to protect and care for me, I wanted to do that for you. Forgive me for not telling you. It was not out of a lack of trust, purely instinctual fear. Your love has soothed my pain in the best ways possible, and I know you feel helpless, but I survived this long because of you. I wish we had more time together. I wish I didn't wait until the end to tell you. I love you more than anything. Even in death I shall be with you in the passings of the wind and the slow creaks in the faucet. I will never leave you alone until I know you're okay.

Forever you..

Aubrey felt a pain so sharp she thought it pierced her heart. She dropped the pen and clutched her heart. She tried to call out for Daniel but the pain consumed her quickly. She fell out of the chair and curled into the fetal position, crying for Daniel softly until her eyes close.

"I don't know how long she's been out, but please HURRY!"

Daniel is pacing back and forth on the phone.

"Please, don't do this! Hold on Aubrey!"

Daniel kneels down beside her, careful not to touch her per the dispatchers instructions.

"Dr. Allen, I'm Daniel, Aubrey's husband. I woke up and found her passed out, she was barely breathing!"

Daniel explained to Dr. Allen everything that has transpired in the last two days. Dr. Allen's faced twitched a bit when Daniel said that Aubrey mentioned having 3 months to live.

"Daniel, I'm sorry this may be hard to hear, but Aubrey's condition is spread a significant amount. She's at the point where the cancer is spreading and stripping at her bone marrow. She is in a great deal of pain and unfortunately she may not even have 3 weeks left."