Mia and her mom had always been really close. They shared everything—their secrets, worries, and happy moments—and always supported each other.

One day, Mia’s mom called and said she was going to renovate the house, something she often did because she loved making changes. She told Mia not to visit for a few months.

As time passed, Mia’s mom called less frequently, and when she did, she seemed distant. Mia felt something was wrong, but she was busy with work and assumed her mom was just tired from the renovations.

Still, the feeling that something wasn’t right kept growing, and one day, Mia found herself driving to her mom’s house.

When Mia arrived, she saw something she had never seen before. The grass in the garden was overgrown. Her mom, who loved flowers and gardening, would never let it get like that.

Mia felt a sinking feeling. Was something wrong? Was she too late?

She hurried to the house and saw the door was unlocked, which was unusual since her mom always kept it locked.

Inside, there were no signs of renovations. The house was clean, with no paint, brushes, or dust.

Mia called for her mom but got no response. She went upstairs to her mom’s room and found her lying in bed, looking frail and weak.

Her mom’s long hair was gone, her rosy cheeks had turned pale, and she didn’t have the strength to get up. Struggling to speak with dry, cracked lips, her mom barely managed to say Mia’s name.

“Oh, honey. I didn’t want you to find out like this,” her mom whispered. Mia was in shock. “Mom, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I have cancer. I’ve been getting chemo for the past few months. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought I could handle it on my own. You were working hard for your promotion, and I didn’t want to burden you,” her mom said, as tears began to fall.

“I’ve always been your support, and I didn’t want you to see me like this…”

Mia started crying, overwhelmed by her mom’s condition and feeling guilty for not visiting sooner, especially when she first sensed something was wrong.

But she couldn’t change the past.

Mia held her mom’s hand and hugged her, telling her she was there now and everything would be okay. She reminded her mom how important she was, and how she had shaped her into who she was. As Mia kissed her mom’s hands and forehead, telling her how much she loved her, her mom quietly passed away.

Mia stayed there, holding on to the warmth of their last hug as she cried.

This story is a reminder to always stay in touch with those we love, no matter how busy life gets, and to trust our instincts when something feels off.