Mom of 2 Learns She Has Tumor and Decides to Change Her Life Radically – Story of the Day

Catherine could no longer put up with her husband and children's constant tantrums after she was diagnosed with a tumor. She left them to rekindle her relationship with her high school lover, only to find herself in a devastating situation days later.

"The tumor is growing, Mrs. Hudson. I'm afraid the scans indicate it might be malignant in nature," Dr. Cote explained.

Catherine was lately worried that something was wrong with her. But she hadn't expected it to be a tumor.

"Am I going to die?" she asked him painfully. "Or should I ask…how much do I have left?"

Dr. Cote sighed. "I know the news isn't pleasant, Mrs. Hudson, but we'll need you to go through some tests to get a clear picture. Let's stay hopeful, yes?"

"OK," was all she could say.

Catherine underwent the tests Dr. Cote suggested and left the hospital. The reports would arrive in a few days, and until then, she had to live with the anxiety that she might die soon.

37-year-old Catherine had never expected her life would take such a sharp turn. Overwhelmed after hearing Dr. Cote's evaluation, she rested on a cold bench outside the hospital's entrance to distract herself from her prognosis. Sitting alone, she couldn't help but think about her life.

Watching her life flash before her eyes, she realized she had been so much to so many people. She had been a daughter, a wife, a daughter-in-law, and a mother to two children. But now that the end was looming near, she couldn't help but feel detached from these roles. For the first time, she was asking herself: What do I want?

And the silence from her own heart was painful. She had become so engrossed in playing these different roles in her life that she had forgotten what her heart wanted.

She deserved to revive her own aspirations and desires, and she deserved to live her life the way she wanted. At least what was left of it.

As Catherine sat alone reflecting on her life, her buzzing phone snapped her out of her thoughts. When she checked it, she saw her husband, Raymond, was calling her.

Catherine didn't want to talk to anyone, especially not after what Dr. Cote had said. She just wanted to be alone, so she typed out a lie: "Out with a friend. Can't talk," and tucked her phone back into her purse.

"Going to Mum's," her husband's reply arrived seconds later, and Catherine was annoyed. Raymond loved the weekend visits to his parents' house, but she hated it from the bottom of her heart.

Closing her eyes, Catherine leaned back on the bench, allowing the cool breeze to gently ruffle her hair. Suddenly, the muffled murmurs at the hospital's entryway distracted her.

Catherine quickly realized she knew the man who was talking behind her. She turned around to see who it was and couldn't believe it was her high school ex, Kevin.

"Kevin?" she blurted out, and he turned to look at her.

"Oh my God, is that you, Catherine?" he grinned.

Catherine and Kevin were high school sweethearts. They had been that popular couple everyone expected to marry and settle down with a tribe of children someday. But when Catherine caught Kevin kissing another girl in the secluded school hallway, it was the end of their relationship.

Kevin had admitted to her that he was cheating on her with the girl he was kissing in the hallway, and while Catherine's heart had shattered into a million pieces, she had graciously walked out of their relationship.

"I'd never thought we would cross paths again like this," Kevin approached her with a smile, and Catherine knew that smile too well.

"Well, neither did I," she shyly replied. "So…what are you doing here?"

"I'm in town for a few days, hopefully. Mom's not well, and after Dad passed away, she doesn't really have anyone. She's meeting her doctor," he said. "Some issue with her heart."

"I hope it's not too bad," Catherine said.

"Yeah…" he nodded. "Hey, um, if you don't mind…we could grab a coffee? It won't take long, and Mom won't be done for another hour."

Catherine didn't want to go out for a coffee with him. In fact, she didn't want to do anything with him. Catherine hated Kevin for how he had broken her heart years ago. But she accepted his offer as an old friend and thought it would be a great way to take her mind off things.

"Sure," she smiled. "After you."

At the cafe, Kevin wouldn't stop talking about his life, and Catherine started to regret the decision to accompany him. He spoke about how successful his online business was, how he traveled a lot, and how great it was being free from responsibilities because he didn't have a wife or kids.

"Being single is not too bad when you have a successful life," he proudly laughed. "So…what about you? Did you get married?"

"Of course I did!" she said sternly, then realized she was being too aggressive.

"Yes," she said, softening her tone. "Yes, I did. My husband is a wonderful man, and I have two beautiful children. And we are happy with our lives."

"Are you sure?" He cocked his brow. "Tell me the truth, Catherine. I can see you're not happy. What were you doing alone at the hospital?"

Catherine looked too tired and depressed to put on a happy face and tell everyone how good her life was. The truth was, she was dying on the inside. Her workplace was nothing less than hell, she and Raymond had grown distant, and her children no longer adored her. Her entire life was a mess.

"Well, I had gone in for a routine checkup," she lied, "and…" her eyes welled up as she continued.

"Take this," Kevin passed her a tissue.

"Thank you," she whispered, wiping her tears and putting on a brave face again. "My life may not be as exciting as yours, Kevin, but I think I'm OK with that. You know, not everyone gets the perfect life and partner they dream about."

"You've changed, Catherine," Kevin said. "That bold, beautiful, relentless dreamer Catherine…what happened to her? What about her dreams? What about yachting? You always wanted to do it!"

"Life happened. After I gave birth to my Alice 17 years ago, a lot changed," she said. "I can't even remember what the crashing of a wave sounds like. The closest I get to that is hearing the swooshing from the washing machine while doing laundry. And the only 'still water' I've ever been in has been when I bathed my newborn babies in the bathtub!" She laughed through tears. "I can't believe I'm saying it like this, but it's funny," she sighed.

"Tell me more," Kevin encouraged her. "Trust me, you'll feel better, and I'm all ears."

"Wow…I never thought I'd be sharing my life experiences with you. Well, my life is not dreamy, Kevin," she said. "My second son, Joe, was an unwanted pregnancy that cost me my youth, just like so many other mothers. And my husband…well, the last time we had a big fight was just this morning because he forgot to buy milk.

"I know it was petty, but I couldn't control my anger. And those damned trips to my in-laws' house! I would do anything to avoid those! We go there every weekend. And it doesn't matter to him that I hate his mother! All my life, I've been doing things I hate. Everything these days just makes me want to scream and cry!"

"Whoa, whoa, relax," he said. "Hey, how about I take you out somewhere?" There was a whisper in Kevin's voice as he asked. "You know, just a little time for you to unwind from all the craziness in your life."

"No, thanks," she flatly refused. "I've got tons of things to do."

"Oh, c'mon, Catherine. You'll never recover from your stressful life with this attitude, OK? Also, you won't be able to refuse once you find out what it is. There's going to be a party on my yacht tonight. C'mon, I know you always wanted to be a part of one of these things! Give yourself that chance to live your dreams!"

"Thanks, but no. I have to go," Catherine replied as she gathered her belongings and prepared to leave, but Kevin stopped her. He hurriedly scribbled his phone number on a tissue and handed it to her.

"Just call me in case you change your mind. Please," he said, and she left the cafe, having accepted his number.

As she arrived home, Catherine saw Raymond's car was not in the driveway. He must have left for his mother's a while back, so Catherine knew the kids would have caused a storm in the house by now. Alice was probably glued to her iPad in the middle of her messy room, and Joe must have strewn his toys all about.

"Joe? Alice? Mum's home!" she called out as she walked in, but the house was eerily quiet. Catherine climbed the stairs to Alice's bedroom and realized she wasn't there. Then she checked Joe's room, and even he was missing.

Catherine was about to text Raymond when she noticed a post-it note from Alice on the fridge.

"Dad is driving us to Gran's and then to dinner. Help yourself to the cold lasagna you had left in the fridge xD."

"Kids these days!" Catherine sighed. She tossed away the post-it note and removed a fresh bottle of wine from the rack. She was used to being in her own company. At least she didn't have to cook for or clean up after her kids for a few hours.

Catherine was checking her phone while drinking her wine when she thought about Kevin's offer.

It had been a long time since she had gone partying, and the yacht party would be fun.

And considering what she had heard from the doctor earlier that day, just the fact that she survived the day was enough to let her hair down and celebrate.

If her husband and kids could have fun without her, even she could have a little enjoyment without them.

So Catherine called Kevin and told him she changed her mind after all. She got decked up in a stunning red dress she had been dying to wear.

The party was in full swing. Kevin treated Catherine like a princess since she arrived. He escorted her everywhere, introduced him to his friends, and couldn't stop complimenting her on how gorgeous she looked in her outfit.

Catherine didn't remember when was the last time anyone had treated her so well. "Would red wine be fine?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts as she stood by the yacht's balcony, enjoying the gentle breeze.

"Sure," she smiled.

"OK! Coming right up!" he chuckled and walked away.

As Catherine saw him placing an order at the counter and walking toward her with two wine glasses, she couldn't help but notice how charming and magnetic he was. Kevin's personality was seductive, and Catherine was starting to succumb to it.

"Hey, Kevin!" A handsome man punched Kevin's shoulder. "Wow, your girlfriend is gorgeous!" he added, looking at Catherine.

Catherine nervously glanced at Kevin as she sipped the wine.

"Uh," Kevin smiled, looking from her to his friend. "Thanks. I'm a lucky guy."

Catherine's eyes widened. "Did he just call me his girlfriend?" she asked herself.

As Kevin's friend left, Catherine took Kevin aside. "What the hell! Stop calling me your girlfriend! I am not your girlfriend, Kevin!"

"Relax, Catherine!" he said with a smile. "It's only for fun! I'm not asking you to date me, am I? And hey, wouldn't you like to be my girlfriend for a while?" he winked.

"Gosh! I can't believe this! You haven't changed at all!" she laughed at his stupidity. Catherine didn't take Kevin seriously and played along as his girlfriend. But as the sun began setting and the alcohol started to kick in, Catherine was barely aware of what she was doing.

Kevin was standing close…too close behind her, and they were dancing to slow music. She could smell his cologne and feel his cold hands move down her waist. She turned around in his embrace to face him, and their lips met. They kissed until they were out of breath.

When Catherine awoke the next morning, her head was pounding, and she was lying in Kevin's bed. He was smiling at her foolishly as she opened her eyes.

"Oh, God!" Catherine drew the bedsheet closer to herself, realizing they'd slept together.

"Hey, hey…you look beautiful," he whispered into her ears. "I could give up the world to have you by my side, Catherine. Look, I even got you breakfast!"

"Oh my God, where's my phone?" She ignored him as she looked around for her phone and purse. It was past ten, and she dreaded Raymond and the kids would've left her calls and messages.

"Leave your husband, and please stay with me. Wasn't last night incredible?" he said. He leaned closer to her to kiss her, but she pulled away.

"I have to go," she said as she found her things.

Catherine frantically snatched her clothes from the floor and dashed into the bathroom to get ready. Kevin tried to convince her to stay back, but Catherine refused. As she stepped off the yacht, she noticed a slew of notifications on her phone.

There were messages from Raymond asking where she was and when she would return, and a few more from Alice asking about her school stuff.

Catherine hailed a taxi and headed home, and she couldn't help but panic while alone in the car. She would have to make sure everyone had what they needed as soon as she got home, or else they'd start shouting, and she'd lose it. Just like she had recently been losing her nerve. More and more often.

The cab pulled over a few minutes later, and Catherine was home. As she walked in, Raymond bombarded her with questions about where she had been all night.

"I was hanging out with a friend! I told you, Raymond!" she snapped, hanging her coat on the rack in the hallway.

"You don't need to lie, Catherine," he grumbled as he followed her inside. "Because you weren't returning my calls, the kids and I returned home early. And then I called all of your friends to find out where you were! But guess who suddenly showed up in town the very same day?"

"You pulled my friends into this? So you don't trust me!" She stopped in her tracks and glared at him. "What the hell, Raymond! What's wrong with you?"

"Where were you?" Raymond asked sternly. "And do not insult my intelligence by lying anymore. Tell me, who is this special friend of yours, huh?! This Kevin?"

"I was with a friend, and that's all you need to know! Get that in your head!" she snarled and walked inside.

"Mommy! Mommy! You're home!" Joe cried as he ran to her and hugged her.

"My baby!" Catherine forced herself to smile as she scooped him in her arms. "So…how was your time at Gran's?"

"Mommy put me down!" Joe said, pinching his nose. "You smell bad!"

And Joe wouldn't stop writhing in her arms until she put him down.

When Catherine sniffed her clothes and arms, she realized she stank of alcohol. Joe, Alice, and Raymond were staring at her in a disgusting way, and then Catherine felt it again. Her blood started boiling, and she began feeling irritated. She wanted to scream and cry. She was having another hysterical episode.

Catherine wanted to run away from everything yet again. She once again fantasized about a carefree and frivolous life. Her condition would only worsen if she stayed at home. So she grabbed her bag and coat and hurried out the front door.

"Call me when you need me for more than just washing your clothes and making your breakfast!" she yelled as she walked away, slamming the door behind her.

She booked an Uber to Kevin's yacht, and when she arrived, she cried in his arms. "Can I please stay at your house for a few days?" she asked. "I have nowhere else to go."

"Sure, Catherine," Kevin said, holding her close. "No problem."

Catherine stayed over at Kevin's house that evening. They had a cozy time together, drinking wine, laughing, and forgetting their worries. Then as the night progressed, they were together in bed and dozed off in each other's embrace.

The next morning, Catherine woke up alone in Kevin's bed, and as she walked into the living room, she was shocked to find a brunette there.

"Yes?" Catherine asked, drawing her bathrobe closer to her. "Who are you? And how did you just get in?"

"I'm sorry?" the woman demanded aggressively. "Who the hell are YOU?!"

Right then, Kevin appeared in the living room, and his face turned pale.

"Merelyn?" His eyes widened in horror.

"So this is why you were busy yesterday?" Merelyn yelled at Kevin. "You are cheating on me with her?"

"Who is she, Kevin?" Catherine asked, shocked. "What exactly is going on?"

"Merelyn, please listen—" Before Kevin would finish, Merelyn stormed out of the house. Kevin ran outside after her, ignoring Catherine. He didn't even stay back to explain to her what was happening. But Catherine had come to realize what it was all about.

She had been a fool to trust Kevin. He was manipulating and using her. She had made a mistake by abandoning her family for a man like him.

But it was not too late, Catherine thought. She could still make things right. She packed her things in a hurry and left Kevin's house to return to her family and start life afresh.

But just as she stepped outside Kevin's house, she stopped in her tracks. Her luggage slipped from her fingers and landed on the ground. Catherine's heart dropped as she saw Raymond's car in Kevin's driveway.

Her husband had caught her cheating on him. He was staring at her through the open car window, and before she could say a word, he rolled up the car window, turned the car around, and drove away.

Catherine went home only a few hours later. She couldn't muster the courage to face her husband and children after what she had done, so she spent some time at a park.

As she arrived home, she took a deep breath and prepared herself, hoping to fix her life. But she met her angry daughter in the front yard. Alice was stuffing her things in Catherine's car. She looked at her angrily and said, "I can't believe you slept with a random dude, Mum! You are disgusting!"

Catherine was about to say something when Raymond emerged from the house with Joe in his arms. He strolled past her without even looking at her.

As Catherine looked at her family, comfortable and happy without her, only one thing crossed her mind: "I should die."

But right then, her phone buzzed with a notification.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Hudson! Your reports just came in, and the tumor is not malignant. You can live a healthy life and celebrate with your family!" read the message from Dr. Cote.

What can we learn from this story?

• Learn to appreciate what you have because you will regret not having it one day. Catherine didn't appreciate the family she was blessed with and left them to build a life with her ex-lover, Kevin. Her life came crashing down around her when her infidelity was exposed in front of her family, and she learned she would not die any time soon.
• Your deeds are like a boomerang. What you throw will come back to you. Catherine ran away from home to live a wild, carefree life and have fun with her ex-lover. Her misdeeds came back to haunt her when she discovered Kevin was just manipulating her. But it was too late by then. Her family no longer needed her, just as she didn't need them in the past.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who accidentally sleeps with her husband's twin at a party, only to later discover she is pregnant.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.