Chapter 005: The News Gets Worse

                                    

                                          
Ethan sat nervously in the doctor's office, his foot tapping against the floor. The room was too quiet, and the air felt heavy. He had been here before, but this time felt different. Worse. The last time, the doctor had told him he had eight months to live. Now, a few weeks had passed, and he wasn't feeling any better. In fact, he felt weaker, more tired, like something was wrong. 
You thought he was just overworking himself, but deep down, Ethan knew it was more than that. He was scared, and that's why he had come back to the doctor today, hoping for reassurance, even though part of him feared the worst.
The door opened, and Dr. Rei walked in, holding a folder in his hands. His face was serious, which only made Ethan's heart sink. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen the doctor smile.
"Ethan," Dr. Rei said as he sat down across from him. "I'm glad you came in today. We need to talk."
Ethan swallowed hard, his palms sweaty. "What's going on, Doc? I haven't been feeling great lately."
The doctor sighed and opened the folder, looking over some papers before speaking. "I reviewed your latest test results, and I'm afraid the situation is worse than we initially thought."
Ethan's stomach twisted into a knot. "Worse? What do you mean?"
Dr. Rei looked him in the eyes, his voice gentle but firm. "The cancer is spreading faster than we expected. I'm very sorry to tell you this, but the timeline has changed. You don't have eight months, Ethan. You have three months, maybe a little longer, but not much."
Ethan stared at the doctor, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. Three months? He felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Just a few weeks ago, he had been struggling with the idea of having eight months left, and now, that time had been cut even shorter. Three months. How could this be happening?
"There's no cure?" Ethan asked, his voice barely a whisper, even though he already knew the answer.
Dr. Rei shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We've tried everything we can, but the cancer is very aggressive. Treatment at this stage would only help manage your symptoms, but it won't stop the disease."
Ethan felt his chest tighten. He couldn't breathe. The room felt like it was closing in on him. Three months. That wasn't enough time. It wasn't enough time to do all the things he wanted to do, to say all the things he needed to say, especially to you. How was he supposed to tell you now? He hadn't even told you about the eight months, and now it was even worse.
The doctor's voice broke through his thoughts. "Ethan, I know this is incredibly hard to hear, and I'm truly sorry. But I want to help you make the most of the time you have left. We can talk about managing the pain, and I can connect you with support groups if you need someone to talk to."
Ethan nodded numbly, though he wasn't really hearing what the doctor was saying. His mind was spinning, his thoughts racing. Three months. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Everything was moving too fast, and he wasn't ready.
"I don't know what to do," Ethan said quietly, his voice shaking.
Dr. Rei leaned forward, his expression kind but serious. "Take things one step at a time. The most important thing is to surround yourself with the people you love. Don't wait too long to tell them what's going on, Ethan. Time is precious, and you need to make the most of it."
Ethan nodded again, though the thought of telling you still filled him with dread. How was he supposed to explain this to you? How could he break your heart like this? But the doctor was right he couldn't wait much longer. He had to tell you the truth, even if it was the hardest thing he'd ever done.
After the appointment, Ethan walked out of the doctor's office in a daze. The world around him felt unreal, like he was moving through a dream. People walked past him on the street, going about their lives, completely unaware of the storm that was raging inside him. For them, life was normal. But for Ethan, everything had changed.
He got into his car and sat there for a few minutes, staring out the window. His mind was blank, and he didn't know what to do next. Should he go home and tell you right away? Or should he wait a little longer, give himself more time to process everything?
Ethan closed his eyes, trying to push down the wave of emotions that was threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't break down now. He had to stay strong, at least for a little while longer.
Eventually, he started the car and began driving, though he wasn't sure where he was going. He couldn't go home yet. Not after what he had just heard. He needed time to think, time to figure out how to tell you that their future had just been ripped away from them.
As he drove through the city, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text from You.
Y/N : "Hey, lovie! Just checking in. How's your day going? :)"
Ethan stared at the screen, his heart aching. He didn't know how to respond. How could he tell you that his day had just turned into a nightmare? How could he tell you that the life they had planned was slipping away?
After a few minutes, he typed a simple reply.
ETHAN : "I'm okay. Just finishing up some things. I'll be home soon."
He hit send, feeling the weight of his lie pressing down on him. He wasn't okay. Nothing was okay. But he couldn't bring himself to tell you the truth not yet.
Ethan drove around for a while longer, his thoughts swirling in a thousand different directions. He knew he couldn't avoid the conversation forever. He had to tell you soon. But every time he thought about it, the fear and guilt overwhelmed him. He didn't want to hurt you, but he knew that keeping this secret was only making things worse.
Eventually, Ethan headed home, his heart heavy with the news he hadn't wanted to hear. Three months. That was all he had left. Three months to figure out how to say goodbye, to make the most of the time he had with you, even though it would never be enough.
As he pulled into the driveway, Ethan took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for what lay ahead. You are waiting for him inside, probably still unaware that anything was wrong. He didn't know how he was going to tell you, but he knew he couldn't wait much longer.
With a heavy heart, Ethan got out of the car and walked toward the front door, knowing that everything was about to change.