It'll be okay

Martha had cancer.  She also had a family.  She was only 34, and her son could not understand why Mom did not have energy to play anymore.  It made him angry. 
         “Mom!  Come play with me!,” he shouted.  “Pleeeease!”
         “Alan, you know that I want to, but I’m not feeling up to it.”
         “But you never play with me anymore! You don’t even love me...” his voice trailed off into tears.
         “Please don’t say that.”
         “But you always used to play...” he said choking through a stream of tears.
         “I could then, but not today.  Maybe tomorrow.”
         “You always say that!”
         It was the normal conversation.  It happened nearly every day after school.  The cancer continued to eat away at Martha’s body.  Every day it weakened her.  Her vision worsened.  The pain intensified.  It was almost unbearable.
         Martha and Dan had been married 7 years. Their child was 8. 
         “Dad!  Mom won’t play.  Why not?”
         “You know that she’s sick sweetheart.  Don’t make her feel bad.”
         “But Daddy!  When she was a little sick before she would still get out of bed sometimes!  She just lays there all day!” 
         “It’s time for bed now.  Get along to bed okay?  I’ll be in to tuck you in soon.  Now run along.”
         Alan ran to his room, but he did not get ready for bed.  He waited behind his door.  He wanted to listen. The door to Martha’s room opened and shut, but did not close.  He heard whispers.
         “How is it today?”
         “It’s getting so bad...I just want it too be over...”
         “Don’t you dare say that!” Dan said, no longer whispering.
         “Don’t shout!  Alan will hear.”
         “I can’t lose you sweetheart!” Dan gasped through his tears.
         “Please don’t say that....”
         “You’re the one that wants to give up!”
         Alan listened, hearing every other word.  They hate each other, always yelling, he thought to himself.  Why can’t they love each other anymore and just get along?  They used to love each other so much...
         The door opened, knocking Alan to the floor.  He screamed in shock.
         “Quiet!  Mom is sleeping!” Dan yelled accidently.  “Let’s get you into bed.”
         As his sheets were snuggled up to his chin, he looked at the wall.  Dan lowered his head and placed his lips on Alan’s ear.  “I’m sorry kiddo.  Things are real tough right now.  I love you.  Sleep tight.” 
         You don’t love me, Alan thought to himself.  Me or Mom.
         3 days later Martha died as she sleep.  Alan found her first.
         “Dad, something’s wrong with Mom.  Why won’t she wake up?”
         Dan didn’t move.  He sat at the kitchen table and sipped his coffee.  He looked down the hallway at Alan, but he was frozen.
         “Dad!  Something’s wrong!” he started to cry in confusion and pain.  “Why won’t you come and help!”
         Dan stood up an walked down the hallway.  He took Alan by the hand and lead him out of the room into the kitchen.
      “There is something very painful that happens in life, Alan.  It’s when we lose someone that we love and care for.”
         “What do you mean?” His voice shook uncontrollably with pain and tears rolled down his cheeks.  “Mom can’t die, can she?”
         “She loved you, son.”  he voice began to shake, and then trailed off.  His control broke.  He stood up suddenly with his coffee mug in hand and violently threw it at the wall, screaming in agony.  His hands moved to his head and began to pull on his hair as his mouth released a moan full of grief and pain.
         “She’s going to wake up right?” Alan questioned desperately with a face full of tears.  Dan was frozen, his hands shook uncontrollably.
         “I don’t know...” his voice trailed off.
         A few moments of silence passed.  Dan walked over to the phone, picked it up, dialed 3 numbers and recited the situation.  Then he walked over to a chair and sat down.
         “Hey kiddo, come here,” he said, regaining his composure. 
         Alan’s face was dirty from the tears, his eyes red and puffy.  His nostrils were wet.
         “What’s wrong with her?” he forced through his lips.
         “It’s not easy to lose a person you love.  Your mom is dead.  She’s not coming back.”
         “Why...?”
         “This is how life works, Alan.  It’s either alive or dead.  Mom just got the hard end of the deal a little too quick.
         “She’s not coming back?”
         Dan reached out to Alan and took him in his arms.  Tears flowed down their cheeks.  “I’ll be here, don’t worry.  I’ll play with you, even though Mom can’t,” Dan whispered into Alan’s ears.  “It’ll be okay.”
         They held on to each other, sniffing back the tears.
         A few minutes passed.  They heard a siren in the distance, every second growing louder and louder until it was at their front door.