The car ride home was silent, the weight of the doctor's words hanging heavy in the air. I stared out the window, watching the rolling green hills and dappled sunshine drift by.

Despite everything, it was a gorgeous summer day. Fluffy white clouds floated lazily across the bright blue sky, families laughed together at the park we drove past, and colourful flowers bloomed in neat little garden boxes.

Life looked so cheerful and full of promise from the outside. It was hard to wrap my head around how something so beautiful could also be so bloody cruel. How could such a perfect day be the one where I got told I was dying?

The jarring contrast made me almost angry at the world for carrying on like usual when my entire life had just shattered into a million pieces.

"There must be some mistake," I muttered, more to myself than to Mum and Dad in the front seats. "I'm only seventeen. I'm too young for this."

Neither of them responded. Mum's shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and Dad's knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel. An angry lump formed in my throat as I watched another sun-drenched meadow roll by outside, mocking me with its beauty. This couldn't be happening, not to me.

"I can't believe it..." Dad's voice cracked as he finally broke the tense silence. "How can we only have a few months left?"

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. Months? No, I couldn't accept that. There had to be another option, something the doctors had missed. Maybe a second opinion or an experimental trial.

"Pull over," I choked out. When Dad didn't respond, I repeated louder, "Pull the bloody car over!"

He guided us to the side of the road, and I shoved open the door, stumbling out onto the pavement. I sucked in gulps of air, doubling over as anguished sobs racked my body. This was all some horrible mistake. It couldn't be real.

Mum and Dad rushed to my side, holding me tight as I cried into the crook of Dad's neck.

"It's not fair!" I wailed. "I've got my whole life ahead of me! This can't be how it ends!"

This had to be a sick joke. People my age didn't get cancer - we were supposed to be indestructible. The thought of leaving Mum and Dad crushed my heart, but picturing my baby sister Meredith growing up without her big sister utterly broke me. At six years old, she still needed me to plait her hair, read her bedtime stories, and scare away the monsters under her bed.

How could I leave her behind like that? It wasn't fair.

After what felt like an eternity, my sobs finally subsided into hiccups. Mum stroked my hair, murmuring reassuring words I couldn't quite make out. Dad's eyes were red-rimmed, his face etched with worry lines that hadn't been there this morning.

"Come on, love," he said gruffly, steadying me with a hand on my back as we returned to the car. "Let's get you home and discuss this properly."

I nodded numbly, sliding into the backseat while Mum and Dad retook the front seats. The car remained quiet; the only sounds were our shaky breaths and the occasional sniffle. I couldn't meet their eyes in the rear-view mirror, scared of what I might see reflected there. Pity? Grief? Resignation that their daughter was dying?

No. I wouldn't let myself go there, not yet. There had to be some other explanation the stupid doctors were missing. Maybe I'd wake up soon and realise this was all just a dreadful nightmare.

"Beth?" Mum's voice was barely above a whisper. She reached back to give my hand a gentle squeeze. "Sweetheart, I know this is... just absolutely gutting. But you heard what the doctor said - "

"No," I cut her off, pulling my hand away. "I don't want to hear it. She's wrong. I'm not dying, not today or any other day."

Mum opened her mouth, then seemed to think better of it, turning away with a pained expression. Dad's eyes met mine in the mirror, full of sorrow and helplessness. I looked away quickly, blinking back more tears. I couldn't handle their grief on top of my own, not right now.

The rest of the drive passed in tense silence. I stared unseeing out the window, watching the grey London streets blur past. My mind was a tangled mess, thoughts and denials whirling like a storm. This couldn't be the end; it just couldn't.

There were so many things I still wanted to do, places to see, and dreams I hadn't achieved yet. Getting married, having kids of my own, and travelling the world. I hadn't even gone to university or had my first legal pint at the pub. It wasn't bloody fair.

But no matter how many times I silently screamed those angry words, they didn't change the gut-wrenching truth. I had cancer. Stage four cancer was going to kill me in a matter of months unless a miracle occurred. The thought made me want to be sick all over again.

By the time we pulled up outside our house, my head was still pounding fiercely. I dragged myself out of the car, dreading having to go inside and face reality. But before I could shut the door behind me, a tiny blonde blur came barreling out of the front entrance.

"Beth!" Meredith crashed into my legs, wrapping her skinny arms around me tightly. She beamed up at me with a mouthful of missing teeth. "You're back! Did the doctor make you all better?"

A lump formed in my throat as I looked at her innocent face. How could I possibly explain this to her? Forcing a shaky smile, I ruffled her hair. "Yeah, course I am, squirt. Fit as a fiddle."

Meredith frowned, clearly not convinced. "Then how come you've been crying? And Mum and Dad, too?"

Before I could think of a reply, Mum appeared and ushered her back inside. "Come on, Meri, let's let your sister rest, yeah? I need to talk with Mrs. Dunwoody before she goes home."

"But I want to stay with Beth!" Meredith protested, even as Mum steered her towards the door.

"I'll be in in a moment," I told her, my voice cracking slightly. I turned away before she could see the fresh tears welling up.

Mum shot me a concerned look but didn't argue; she just gave my arm a comforting squeeze before disappearing inside with Meredith. I leaned back against the car, trying to compose myself. I couldn't break down in front of my little sister. She was too young to understand; I had to stay strong for her sake.

Not even five minutes later, the front door opened again, and our elderly neighbour, Mrs Dunwoody, emerged, hand covering her mouth as her whole body shook with sobs. She paused in the doorway, eyes finding me, and the devastated look on her face said it all.

She knew. Mum must have told her everything. We just stared at each other for a long moment, her teary gaze full of heartbroken pity. Then, with a muffled wail, she turned and hurried back into her own house, the door slamming behind her.

My legs suddenly felt like jelly beneath me, and I slid down the side of the car until I was crumpled on the driveway. Tears streamed down my face as I pulled my knees up, hugging them to my chest.

I was vaguely aware of Dad crouching beside me, his embrace sheltering me from the world around us. But I barely registered his murmured words of comfort.

Because at that moment, as the weight of Mrs. Dunwoody's reaction crashed over me, I finally faced the cold, harsh truth.

I was dying.

Somehow, Dad managed to get me up off the driveway and into the house. We settled onto the saggy sofa in the living room, Mum and a confused-looking Meredith joining us. An oppressive silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken grief.

Finally, Dad cleared his throat. "Beth, love...I know this is the hardest bloody thing you'll ever have to face. I understand better than anyone."

I looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "What do you mean?"

He exchanged a sad glance with Mum before continuing. "About three years before you were born, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. The doctors didn't give me much hope of beating it."

My eyes widened with shock. How had I never known this? Dad went on, "I was terrified, just like you are now. I was only twenty-five and still had my whole life ahead of me. But I fought like hell and did every treatment possible. And by some miracle...I survived."

Mum reached over to clutch his hand, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Your dad's been in remission for years now. He got the all clear when you turned five. So, if anyone understands the journey you're about to face, sweetheart, its him."

The room blurred as my eyes filled again. So he did know what I was going through, that soul-crushing sense of devastation and injustice. My poor dad, having to re-live those horrors all over again through me.

"Am I gonna die too?"

We all turned to stare at Meredith as she spoke. The poor kid was perched on the edge of the sofa, lower lip wobbling as she stared at me with enormous blue eyes.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could I possibly explain this nightmare to her?

Mum was quicker, putting on a brave smile as she pulled Meredith into her lap. "You know how Mrs Dunwoody's husband went to live with the angels last year, sweetie? Well, the doctors think Beth might have to be an angel someday."

Meredith's brow furrowed. "You mean she has to become a grown-up birdie and fly away forever?"

The innocence of her words sparked a fresh wave of tears. I choked back a sob, shaking my head. "No, no, I can't. I won't go, I won't..."

"Shhh, it's alright." Dad wrapped his arms around me, letting me cry into his shirt. Over my shoulder, he spoke gently to Meredith. "Your sister is very sick, poppet. Sicker than when Smoky had his poorly tummy that time, remember? The angels need her to live with them for a while."

Meredith's eyes went round as saucers. "You mean Beth gets to go to heaven? To see Smoky and all the other angels?"

I couldn't help but give a watery chuckle at the thought of being reunited with our ancient, bad-tempered ginger tomcat. Leave it to my baby sister to find excitement in the darkest of situations.

"That's right, my sweet girl," Mum murmured, kissing the top of Meredith's blonde curls. "Someday, she will have to leave us and go live with Smoky. But that day is a long way off, yeah? She's still here and needs us all to be brave and strong to help her feel better."

Meredith twisted around to face me, a ferocious look of determination on her little face. "Don't worry, Beth! I'll be the bravest girl ever and take good care of you before you have to become an angel, I promise. We can watch all your favourite princess movies together, and I'll eat all my veggies and be good. You don't have to be scared, okay?"

A few rogue tears slipped down my cheeks as I pulled my sister into a fierce hug, her tiny body warm and reassuring against mine. "You've got yourself a deal, Meri."

I knew there would be many more agonising conversations and difficult moments like this to come. The reality of my diagnosis was starting to sink in, bringing with it a tidal wave of overwhelming grief. But in that moment, surrounded by my loving family, a fragile sliver of hope blossomed in my shattered heart.

Maybe, just maybe, I could find the strength to face this nightmare after all.

Chapter Two

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