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Near miss 2

"There's no need for all this Sof, I already told you that I am fine, I will be good, I promise," Audriana said once Sofia parked close to the hospital for her to be checked.

She agreed that she was a bit shaken by what happened minutes ago but she has been trying to explain to Sofia that she was just in a state of shock that's why she couldn't respond then and was okay but her caring best friend begs to differ.

"Let's just be sure that things are okay with you before we leave for your parent's place" Sofia sighed "You know how worked up your parents might get just because of this, I don't want them to be worried when they find out what happened today"

"They do not have to know"

"But you're still shaken up by what happened" Sofia states.

Audriana couldn't argue about that because it's true. She still feels shaken up by what happened minutes ago and if Sofia had not come to take her away from that harsh man, he would have kept blaming her and she would have broken down in tears.

That 'not incident' brought back memories she wanted dead, memories she buried long ago and left in her past. Then something flashed through her mind.

"I just want to make sure that you are okay, You're my best friend and your safety is my priority. Now get down and let's go see a doctor to check you up" Sofia opened the door but Audriana stopped her.

"The man... that man that nearly hit me, you know him?" she asked her friend and noticed the sudden change in her countenance.

Sofia put the back of her hand on Audriana's face and cheeks then closed the door and started the engine. "I think you're feeling better now, let's get going to your parent's place," she avoided the question and turned around in the way of 'The Bernard's' residence.

Audriana was a bit confused by her friend's sudden reaction to the simple question she asked. She was still wondering why she refused to answer her question and stayed quiet about it.

They met with traffic and moved when the cars moved.

Sofia looked at her and then smiled which she couldn't reciprocate.

"Do you think we should get some groceries for your parents?" she asked but Audriana didn't respond "Ask them what they want us to bring for them," she pointed to her phone that sat on her lap.

"Why did you ignore my question?" Audriana inquired with a little furrow on her brows.

"What question?"

"Seriously Sofia?" she raised her voice a bit "That man, you mentioned his name and he mentioned yours, and even though you both looked hostile towards each other, you guys definitely know each other," she said.

Sofia looked to her front as the cars moved, she moved too and stopped when they stopped. She let out a sigh and refused to look at her friend even though she could feel her boring glaring holes in the side of her head.

"Ignoring me will not make me stop asking," Audriana said.

"He's someone I know, that's all you should know" Sofia answered gruffly. She sounded annoyed already.

"That's all?" Audriana couldn't believe her best friend of so many years couldn't open up to her about this mystery man. "That's not something you just tell your bestie, I know he is more than just someone you know, tell me. You won't need to go into details if you do not want to, just tell me who he is to you and I'll wait for you to give me the gist of why you hate his guts"

"I don't hate anyone" Sofia defends.

"Well, it does sound like you do"

"Can we just drop this?" she asked, her tone sounding angry already.

"Why are you getting all angry at me? I just ask a harmless question and you're here giving me attitude" Audriana scoffed then shook her head and looked out the window.

They stayed quiet for a while, the car moved along with the other cars till they were almost out of the traffic lane.

"Will you at least tell me who he is to yo-"

"CAN YOU JUST MIND YOUR BUSINESS? I TOLD YOU ALREADY THAT HE IS SOMEONE I KNOW, JUST... just leave it" she yelled, breathing in and out so loud, that anyone who passed by would hear her.

Audriana stared at her with wide-opened eyes that held hurt and anger. She suddenly felt the need to cry and just had to blink severally to keep them in.

"I'm sorry for being so concerned," her voice was heavy with emotions and she looked out her side of the window.

Sofia, realizing what she did, tried to apologize but Audriana stopped her and pointed to their front.

"The line is moving, just take me to my parent's place," she said.

Sofia wanted to say something but the cars behind them were honking for her to move so she continued their journey.

The ride was silent and they were almost at her parent's place but Sofia's phone kept ringing, she ignored it because of how tense the atmosphere was but the phone kept ringing, so she had to park to answer the call.

Audriana took a glance at her and leaned on the window with her eyes now closed.

Sofia looked at the caller, it was from the hospital. She took deep breaths in, let it out slowly, and tried to bite down her nervousness.

She picked up the call and placed the phone on her ear to listen to what the doctor had to say.

"Hello?"

"Miss De Leon," the voice of her mum's attending doctor said. Sofia felt her heart banging against her ribcage, faster and it sounded like she could hear it.

The doctor sounded panicked so something happened, and she knew that it was bad.

"There's a problem" she didn't need to ask, Audriana looked at her when she heard her say that.

The doctor hesitated "Your mum... she, your mum... could you come in, it's serious" he said.

"What's going on Sof?" Audriana asked when she saw the ghostly look on Sofia's face and how her hand that held the phone was slightly shaking "Sof what's going on, talk to me" she demanded.

"Please tell me she isn't dead," she whimpered and covered her mouth.

"No, but I don't know how long she can hold on, How long this will hold her" he replied to her.

"Sof" Audriana whispered, her eyes holding unshed tears while her friend was already crying.

"Please come Sofia, it's not something to be said over the phone"

Sofia nodded her head "I'll be there" she whispered then let the phone slip out of her hand to her lap as she sobbed hard against the steering wheel.

"Sof, please tell me what's going on. Is your mum okay? Tell me she's not dead, Sof" she cried, holding her friend's hand and bringing her to herself.

Sofia cried against her shoulder for some time then she raised her forehead and cleaned her eyes. "We... I need to get to the hospital, I'll take you home and I'll co-"

"Are you nuts? I'm not going home till I am sure your mum is okay. We are both going there to make sure things are good," she opened the door and walked over to the driver's side.

"Move to the passenger seat and I'll drive," she said when she opened the door.

"I can sti-"

"Sofia don't let me repeat myself. Move now," she pointed to the chair and Sofia did as she was told.

They got to the hospital in no time and were ushered to the doctor's office, the doctor was already waiting for them as he checked her mother's file.

"What happened Miles?" Sofia asked when she sat in front of him with Audriana beside her.

Miles put down her mother's file and then let out a sigh as he looked between both ladies.

"The cancer happened again," he said then showed them the MRI result of the test conducted on her mum. He points to a distorting part of the image "The cancer grew but now it's in her brain, her marrow, her pancreas, and if we don't act fast, it will eat her up and..." he didn't complete his sentence but they knew what would happen.

"Is there anything that can be done?"

"There is but it's not one hundred percent reliable. The last surgery should have eliminated all the cancer like we predicted the other time, so it's really... I don't know what to say" he rubbed his temple.

"This treatment is still being tested to be at least 60% sure it can cure this cancer your mum has but..."

"But?"

"It has its side effects, and if the treatment fails..." he didn't complete his sentence, and she gasped when she understood what he meant.

Sofia was torn by what was happening., It is challenging for her, and there's only one way she can go about this.

"If we do nothing, she'll die. Go ahead with the treatment, who knows," she shrugged "This could be the treatment to wipe all her pain and make her whole again,"

"She might never remain the same Sofia, why not give in to her req-"

"No, she's the only family I've got, and I can't lose her. She's my mum, and I'll do anything to make sure that she is better, anything," she cried.

Miles nodded and then explained more about the process and how long they will monitor her mum when they start the treatment for her.

She thanked him, and both ladies left the office.

Sofia cried in Audriana's arms when they were in the waiting room, and all she could do was give her all the support she needed.

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