Unlike all other step mothers, this lady was not so arrogant or cruel to me. She was just negligent. She didn’t like me and she hardly used to talk to me. And I hardly used to talk to my father. He was still the same old kind man. But I had nothing to do with that. I hated to be at home. Years rolled by. I gradually I lost interest in my familySharon and Declan remained with me providing constant support. They were both my world where nothing else remained.

It was Christmas and the neighbourhood seemed grand and welcoming. I was in Sharon’s house watching her mother bake cakes and biscuits. There was a barbeque dinner waiting along with roast duck and other yummy stuff.

“Jessie, what are you doing here? I just told you to bring corn flour from the shop and you are still watching TV? I have been waiting for you for a long time.” Sharon’s mother yelled at me.
“Oh sorry aunty, I will leave now,” I replied and went to the shop. I took the corn flour and turned back to leave.”
“Excuse me,” shouted the shopkeeper. “You forgot to pay for the flour.”
I smiled at him apologetically and paid him. On my way home I just thought about my behavior in the past few weeks. I had become so absent minded. Declan also teased me about the same saying all professors are absent minded when I forgot to wish him on his birthday. In the past, I was always the first one to wish him. I didn’t know what exactly was wrong. Suddenly I noticed that I had lost my route home. For a moment I was confused where to go, and then slowly I found my way and went back.

I enjoyed the party in Sharon’s house and as I walked back home I could experience severe head ache, I put my hand up and fainted as I came near the gate. Declan was near by and he carried me up to my bedroom. He informed my step mother about what had happened and left.

I got up the following morning and came out of my room. “What have you decided to do now? What is this new drama? You enjoyed the party whole night and play the fool complaining about headache. How is it that all these things are happening all over sudden?” My step mother yelled at me.

I didn’t reply her but came out crying. I met Declan and he guessed what had happened. He took my hand and we went out to a nearby park for a walk. “Jessie, I have been seeing you since childhood, how many days do you want to suffer like this? I am your friend; I can help you only in one way. I have thought a lot about this,” he uttered. “I won’t drag it. Will you marry me?”

I was taken aback by this unexpected proposal from a childhood friend. May be his pity on me had made him take such a big decision. I was confused, I appreciated the good heart of Declan but it was hard for me to take his words at that time.

“Jessie, I think I asked you something,” he prodded further.
My head started aching again, I thought to talk about this to Sharon and said: “Declan, please I need some time,” I said and started walking to Sharon’s place. ‘Hiya Jessie I am standing right in front of you here and you walk as if you are seeing a stranger,” said a bemused Sharon.
“Oh Sharon, sorry, I didn’t realize it was you,” I said and sat down on the stone nearby, my head ache didn’t carry me anymore.
“Oh so my absent minded professor is at work again,” she said before noticing the agony written on my face. “Jessie you are okay?”

“Not exactly, this head ache is bothering me.” I said. “Oh why don’t you consult a doctor? Declan told me about this,” Sharon suggested. The mention of the name Declan made my heart skip a beat. Well, I gathered she was speaking about my health and Declan had told her about the incident on the Christmas night.
“Sharon. I have to see a doctor about this but I have no money and you know I nnot ask dad, I hate to ask him,” I replied.
Sharon pressed my hand encouragingly and went inside her room signaling me to wait till she came back. When she did, she was holding a small pot. “This is my piggy bank and look, I have some money that I got from my relatives on Christmas. Come let us not delay. We will go to the doctor.”

I don’t really know what to tell about Sharon and Declan, they were God sent angels to me. Without their love and affection, I would have been nothing today. I gave her a hug and she said it was okay and took me to hospital.

We met the Doctor and he made me to under go a blood test, x ray and a CT scan, which is a brain scan. He then asked us to wait outside his room for a while. Sharon and I sat on the lawn in front of the hospital while we waited. I debated within myself whether or not to tell her about Declan’s proposal and decided not to tell then.Sharon was called inside by the doctor’s assistant to clear the bill. I thought of Declan, I somehow felt good about this idea. I could visualize him in my thoughts. Sharon broke into my thoughts.

“Jessie, are you deaf?” The doctor is calling us. Come we will take the prescription and rush back soon,” Sharon shouted.

We went in the Doctor’s chamber. He smiled at us and signaled us to sit. “Jessie, where are your parents?’ The doctor asked. “They didn’t bother to come,” Sharon replied.

The doctor nodded as if he understood everything. He leaned forward and said “Well I am going to tell you something that is not very pleasant to hear, but still some bitter facts must be taken.” he continued as he switched on the fluoroscope, light doctors use to see the x ray sheet. “See this is the anterior part of the brain, can you see a small darkened cist here, and this is an extra growth in the brain. It is in a place were there is high neuron frequency, to be more clear, this is called the memory seat so it can’t be operated easily, if I am right, you may be experiencing memory loss, and fever in alternate sessions, sometimes you even faint, there may be a change in speech, vision or hearing. You might have also experienced a problem in balancing or walking, changes in mood, personality and ability to concentrate is the most common symptom. It is ‘Brain tumor’ and it has reached the last stage. Laser therapy can be tried to kill the tumor cells temporarily, but it has no permanent cure as of now.” He paused.

“Well, telling you more about brain tumor, it is an intracranial tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division. The effect of these tumors is complicated because the tumor is formed in the brain and not in any other part of the body. There are chances of it reaching all over the body through the blood stream. All I can suggest to you now, is Laser treatment to postpone complications.” He finished.