Unexpected

UNEXPECTED

There’s a song about sunscreen
that says that sometimes
the biggest moments in life
come when you’re not expecting them
like on a Tuesday afternoon.

It was a Saturday afternoon in dreary November
when John said
that they’ve found some more spots and
they aren’t sure what it means
but that my mother has some tests scheduled.

And so I let out a gasp
and started to cry
and John said
“DON’T. Just don’t. That’s what your mother did.”

Which, interpreted, means
he’s really scared and so is my mother
and if I want to cry it will have to be later.

-Leah Costello