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in the parent’s handbook or something, but I’m twenty-three, not fifteen. I should have been more responsible.”
    “No matter how old you become, you’ll always be my little girl. I would be upset if you got in trouble and didn’t call me. I was worried about you that night, but also happy to see you having a bit of fun. Life will pass you by before you know it if you don’t give yourself some room for a few mistakes. You have to do things that are not planned to the very last detail. You have to live .”
    “I don’t know how,” Ari said, un sure this was even her mother.
    “Oh, baby, you’ve always done what is right. You have to allow yourself to make a mistake now and then. Sometimes in our lives, the best results come from the worst mistakes. We don’t know why anything happens. You can’t blame yourself for my getting into that accident. It may be the thing that saves my life. You never know the reason behind it. Maybe if I’d been home the next week, a burglar would have broken in and shot me, or what if I’d been driving to the store and a child had dashed in front of my car, and I’d killed him? We can’t agonize over what has happened — we can only be thankful it wasn’t worse.”
    “I needed you so much these last months, Mom . No one can make me feel better. Please, I’m begging you, please don’t leave me. No matter what it takes, don’t go. I love you.”
    Ari flung herself into her mother’s frail arms, vowing that she was never going to let go again. She could get through anything as long as she had her mom there beside her.
    “Ms. Harlow, can we speak to you for a few minutes?”
    Ari sat up and turned to find a doctor standing in the doorway. Her stomach clenched with anxiety when she looked at his somewhat somber expression . She didn’t think she was going to like the conversation. As she looked at her mom, she found the added strength she needed. None of this was insurmountable as long as they had each other.
    “I’ll be right back, Mom.”
    “Take your time, sweetie. I’ve been up for a while and these pain medications are making me tired. I think I’ll catch a little nap.”
    Ari walked from the room , a sense of dread filling her at the thought of her mother taking a nap...oh, no. What if she didn't wake again for another six months? It would probably be months, maybe even years before she wouldn’t dread it when her mother went to sleep. She knew she couldn’t live that way, but tell that to her irrational heart.
    Since she had no choice, Ari trailed behind the doctor down the hallway and into a small conference room, where several men in suits were sitting around a table. This couldn’t be good.
    “Thank you for joining us, Ms. Harlow. We were pleased when your mother was admitted here after she woke up from her coma. How are you feeling? We know that this kind of tragedy can often be harder for the loved ones than for the patients.”
    “I’ve been trying to take it one day at a time. It’s all been very difficult,” Ari answered cautiously , wishing the man would get to the point. She didn’t want to make small talk. She needed to be with her mother.
    “I’m sorry about that. I wish we could put this off, but because of your mother’s condition, time is of the essence.”
    “Put what off?”
    “You mother’s new scans show that she has stage 4 carcinoma in her uterus. We need to operate immediately if she has any chance of survival, I’m sorry to say. At this point, her chances are slim, less than a 10 percent chance, and that’s with aggressive action.”
    The doctor paused, letting his words sink in. Were they telling her she should have the operation done, or she shouldn’t ? It sounded to her as though they were telling her that she was going to lose her mom after all. This was why she’d been so afraid to hope.
    “We’ve called you in because your mother doesn’t have any health insurance benefits left, and this operation is a costly