After twenty minutes of being in the car, encased in my own thoughts, I wanted to get out.

Danny silently came over and opened my car door for me and I climbed out. He wrapped his hand around mine and led me to the door. He did this sometimes, especially when I was upset. I never asked him why, but I was grateful for it.

We walked up my porch steps in silence and when we reached the front door I pulled out my house key and unlocked it.

My Aunt May was sitting in the living room, like always, but her oxygen tank was hooked up and I heard it buzzing before she quickly turned it off.

"Hello Danny dear!" She put her hands out in front of her and Danny quickly walked over and gave her a hug.

"Hey Aunt May, how's it going?" He had a smile on his face and so did my aunt, almost like old times again.

"Abigail?" I snapped out of my daze and looked up at Danny who was standing no more than a six inches away from me.

"Sorry, I just zoned out for a moment." I smiled sheepishly as Danny laughed

"Well Aunt May it was nice talking to you, but sadly I have to run." He kissed my Aunt on the cheek after giving her another hug and walked over to me. "See you later Abby." He wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug and walked out of the living room, I heard the door softly close a couple seconds later.

I turned to my aunt, "Do you need anything Aunt May?"

"No dear, but thank you."

"Did you take your pills at dinner?"

"Yes dear."

"Did you make dinner?"

"Yes Abby, I heated up one of those frozen meals you keep in the freezer."

"Alright well did you-"

"Abby honey, why don't you sit down. I'd like to talk to you about something."

"Oh yeah sure." I took a seat on the small couch across from her and looked up at her expectantly, I was really confused.

"Alright Abby, I know you don't want any watered down stuff." My Aunt May and I had an agreement ever since she was diagnosed that we would give it to each other straight. Nothing watered down, nothing sugared up.

"Yes." I had no idea where this was going.

"Well I went to the doctor's office today." That was nothing new, she went to the doctor's office practically every other day.

"And Dr. Fraunz gave me the run-down, and it's not looking very good." Oh. That's where she was going with this. Her tone didn't sound very good, it scared me actually.

"He told me that the cancer is moving faster than they had expected. The chemo won't do very much." She took a deep breath and let it back out shakily. "He said I won't make it to the end of the summer."

I took a long slow deep breath and fought the feeling of my chest caving in. I blinked slowly and pushed the knot in my throat back down. I had to stay strong for my aunt. If I was strong, she was strong. If I broke down, she would break down and I don't think I could handle that.
I opened my eyes and looked over at her. At only 34 years old she looked 70. Her eyes were sunken and her skin was tinted greenish brown. She wore a bandana everyday because the chemo caused her to lose her hair. Her hands and feet were bony, but she still always painted her nails.
She always had a smile too. No matter what was going one she was always kind and caring. She said I was the center of her world, and not to boast, but it's true.

We were each other's family. We were all each other had, and the thought of her finally leaving me after battling cancer for 3 and a half years is my worst fear come true.

I put on a small smile and I saw her tense up. "Well then we'll just have to make the best of it."

"Abigail." She didn't say it sternly, more softly, and it broke my heart. I burst into tears and flung my arms around her. She wrapped me in a tight hug and I buried my head in her shoulder.

"Oh Aunty, I can't lose you too." I've lost so many people in my life, I can't lose her, I wouldn't have anyone left.

"Oh honey, I don't want you to lose me, I want to always be here and watch you grow up into such a beautiful young lady, but it's all in God's hands though Abby and you know that. You can't change things that are just meant to be."

"Well why are all the bad things in my life meant to be?"

"Baby, everything happens for a reason, and I bet God has a special plan for you. You just have to wait until he's ready to put it into place."

"But what about your plan Aunty?" I felt like a scared little girl again, just curled up on my Aunt's lap crying.

"As far as I know, all my plans are fulfilled."

"But you might die."

"Abby, everyone dies sooner or later. And my plans are all taken care of, I got to raise you and watch you learn and grow. I got to watch my sister grow up and have a family of her own. I got to make wonderful friends and I got to live my life for God honey, and that's all I asked for. I'm satisfied with my life dear and I want you to be too."

"I'm not satisfied yet, and I never will be without you."

"You will be Abby, I know you will. And you may be not satisfied yet, but when you get to see what the Lord has planned for you, you'll be so happy."

"Why are you so smart?" I know it was a stupid question, but my Aunt May had a way of just putting things together so simply for me to understand. Everything she said comforted me no matter how horrible or nasty it was that we were talking about.

"I have no idea." She laughed and I laughed too, the tension finally easing up. I knew she was going to die soon, she was too sick not too. And I knew she was suffering, and that's something I want to end because she shouldn't have to suffer.

"What will happen to me?" It's been a question in my mind ever since she was diagnosed, I've just never really brought it up.

"Well here's the deal. You and I both know that staying here isn't a good thing. So I've arranged for you to move."

"What?" My whole life has been here, I couldn't leave. But then I thought about how it was eight years ago. It would be worse this time, I didn't want to go through that again.

"Your father had a best friend while growing up. He was there at the hospital when you were born and was one of the first people to hold you. I think when you were about three years old he got a job transfer and moved his whole family to England and has lived there ever since. He has a lot of children and simply loves them. Sadly his wife died of natural causes while giving birth to their last child Grace.

"I've kept contact with him over the years and he always talks about how he would like to have more children, but he can't bear to move on from his wife. I mentioned you and he said if there was anything he could do to help to let him know. So today I called him, he said he would be more then happy to take you in. Oh honey I know how much you wanted to visit England so I just set the whole thing up, if you want to try something different we can do that."

"No, no it-it sounds wonderful." I have always wanted to visit England, just not under these circumstances obviously.

"I know that you didn't want to go into social services so tomorrow I'll go and make it so my custody of you will automatically be transferred to Paul."
I wiped away the remaining tears, I had to be strong, even though it broke my heart that she could be talking about this so nonchalantly.

"What about Danny and Brittany?"

"Oh honey you'll still be able to talk to them. Paul knows the situation you'll be in, he'll probably even let you visit them or vice versa when you're ready. And I'll talk to Nancy tomorrow also to see if you can stay with her for a short time if anything happens. Everything will be okay honey."

"I love you."

"Oh Abby, I love you too dear." She hugged me once again and kissed me on the cheek. "Now I'm going to go to bed, why don't you go on up and get yourself ready to do the same before it gets too late."

"Alright Aunty, do you need help?"

"Nope. I got it sweetheart. Love you, goodnight."

"Goodnight." I said as I got off her lap and made my way to the stairs. "I love you too." I whispered before going up.