Fading Embers

Ashley drifted to sleep, exhausted, with Ender snuggled up close to her. The warmth of his small body and the gentle rhythm of his breathing were a comforting balm to her frail form. As she slept, the doctor entered the room, his eyes scanning the scene before him with a mixture of compassion and concern. He glanced at Ashley, then at Ender, and finally at Susan, who was sitting in a chair, watching over them with a look of quiet vigilance. The doctor nodded softly to Susan, and she rose from her chair, following him out of the room and into the kitchen. They stood by the counter, the doctor's voice low as he spoke. "I'm afraid it's not looking good," he said, his eyes somber. "The scan she had last week showed that the cancer has spread. We're talking about a matter of weeks now, not months." Susan's face crumpled, and she reached out to grab the counter, as if she needed to anchor herself to reality. The doctor's words were like a blow to her gut, leaving her breathless and reeling. The doctor pulled out a chair for her, and she sat down, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so sorry, Susan," he said, his voice gentle. "I know how much Ashley means to you, and to Ender." Susan nodded, her throat constricting as she struggled to find her voice. "What can we do?" she asked, her eyes pleading for some glimmer of hope. The doctor shook his head. "There's nothing more we can do. We've tried everything. It's just a matter of making her comfortable, and spending as much time with her as possible." As they spoke, Ashley slept on, unaware of the devastating news that had just been delivered. Ender, too, was oblivious, his small body still wrapped around his mother's frail form, holding her close as if trying to keep her safe. The doctor and Susan stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air like a challenge. Then, the doctor nodded, and turned to leave. "I'll let you be with her," he said, his voice soft. "I'm sorry, Susan. I'm so sorry." As he left the kitchen, Susan sat there, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her, her heart heavy with grief. She knew that she had to be strong, for Ashley's sake, and for Ender's. But as she sat there, surrounded by the familiar comforts of the kitchen, she felt like she was drowning in a sea of sorrow, with no lifeline in sight.