3 A MOTHER'S INTUITION

Jasmine rushed home after spending a few uneventful minutes at a house party. She never intended to stay there anyway.

The moment she closed the door to their two story apartment, Jasmine heard her mother call from the master's bedroom.

"I'm home, mom." she shouted to reassure Mother Bai that it was her who opened the door. Carefully placing her bag on the table top counter, Jasmine made her way to her mother's room.

Jasmine examined her mother's look from the doorway. Mother Bai looked so peaceful with her eyes closed and steady breathing.

"You can come in now." she heard her mother say.

Jasmine couldn't help but smile after hearing her mother's words. She felt like a child being caught red handed. It's been a few years now since her mother succumbed to the debilitating grip of breast cancer and she hasn't seen her out and about the house two months after the doctors told them that Mother Bai's cancer progressed to stage 4 and they couldn't do anything to cure it.

At the age of 16, Jasmine felt like the world was going against her. She was told that Mother Bai was suffering from Stage 2 breast cancer.

Inside the doctor's clinic, she was dumbfounded. Unable to say anything, her tears began to fall. She felt annoyed, angry, sad, and helpless all at the same time!

Jasmine rushed to wipe the tears. She looked at Mother Bai who was sitting across her with a solemn face. Why does she feel like her mother seems to have been at peace with her condition. She couldn't see any signs of distress from her.

The doctor cleared his throat before continuing with what he was supposed to say. " It's a good thing that we were able to diagnose it early. Ms. Bai, cancer treatments are accessible here in the UK. There are well renowned hospitals that specializes in cancer treatment and you are at an advantage since stage 2 is highly treatable."

When Jasmine heard what the doctor said, she had her hopes up.

"Mom, please. You have to undergo the treatment as soon as possible. I will look after you. I will talk to my class adviser and school director to give me extra assignments or take home tasks when I go with you during your scheduled treatment. Or I will not enroll this coming school year so I could come and look after you instead."

"You are going to enroll and not skip school, young lady!" Mother Bai snapped at her then added, "I will be at a treatment facility that provides 24 hour care. You don't have to waste your time accompanying me. I'd rather you use it to study well. You can come over during the weekends but never during school days. This is non-negotiable, Jasmine. Do you understand?"

Jasmine sat quietly and didn't say any more than she wanted to. Even if her mother's decision was against her will, Jasmine couldn't argue any further.

It's either she still gets the weekend to visit her mother or not have the chance to at all.

"Jasmine, am I clear about what I want?" Mother Bai asked her one more time.

Swallowing the lump in her throat and holding back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes, Jasmine nodded her agreement.

The treatment was an arduous process in itself. The surgery and chemotherapy all happened consecutively and Mother Bai braved all of it on her own.

Jasmine could vividly remember that a few times during the weekdays, she goes to the care facility without her mother's knowledge. She witnessed those days when her mom was expriencing the effects of chemotherapy and those days when she was too exhausted from her cancer treatments.

She had always wanted to approach her during those times but she knew too well that when her mother sees her at her most vulnerable state, Mother Bai would worry more for her and so she braved those days and gathered all her will power not to go near.

The treatment gave them 8 years of extended happiness and togetherness until last spring when Mother Bai collapsed during their countryside trip. They found out that the cancer recurred and at that point, it was too late.

"How do you know I'm close by?" Jasmine asked, pleasantly surprised.

Mother Bai opened her eyes and smiled at Jasmine. "A mother's intuition."

Jasmine laughed at Mother Bai's response, approached the bed and kissed her mother's forehead.

"How did the party go?" Mother Bai asked curiously.

Jasmine propped a pillow and sat comfortably beside her. She crossed her arms and answered, "You know how I never liked those kinds of parties. It was fun for a short while."

Mother Bai eyed her daughter suspiciously. "Fun for a short while, huh? That's new. So tell me about the young man you met." her mother said matter-of-factly."

What was her impression of the guy, anyway? Jasmine thought to herself before responding to her mom's query.

"He is tall and good looking for an Asian man. He looked like some rich heir and he's a great dancer by the way."

Mother Bai couldn't believe what she was hearing at that moment. "Oh stop being coy." she coaxed her daughter.

"Honestly speaking mom, he's got the looks and he danced well considering it's swing..." Jasmine paused and thought of what more to say.

"He was sarcastic and entitled. There!" she finished.

"Ah, let me guess. You ignored the man."

"Mom, are you sure you were not there when I went? You just guessed correctly!"

Mother Bai looked at her daughter seriously, "I worry you won't find a guy ever with that attitude."

"I'm not interested in dating. I can spend all my time with you." Jasmine answered and hugged her mother.

"Alright then. I won't force you to date if you don't want to." Mother Bai said reassuringly but she had a good feeling about the man that got her daughter to dance tonight.