Cancer

When Alexander joined his father and mother downstairs, he found them having breakfast.

They were overjoyed to see him, of course! Because of their different schedules, it had been almost three weeks since they'd spent daily life together. His mother had simply left him food in the fridge, which Alexander ate during the infrequent times he was outside Horus. Despite living in the same apartment, they hardly saw each other.

Alexander kissed his mother on the cheek, then his father, then sat down to enjoy the croissants and pain au chocolat which his father had brought from a nearby bakery.

But the atmosphere during breakfast was strange. Alexander's parents kept exchanging odd looks, though they never spoke about anything important and only asked whether Alexander was enjoying his new career. Once breakfast was finished, they all sat for a few awkward moments—which was quite unusual.

Eventually, Alexander's mother looked at her husband, then at her son. "Alexander... I have something to tell you."

He listened attentively, his heart pounding heavily. He knew what was coming.

"Yesterday I was at the clinic," she said. "They detected a tumor in my left breast. According to the analysis, it's in Stage Three already. That's, um, a very aggressive and… dangerous… phase…" She burst into tears, unable to continue.

To hear the word "cancer" from his mother's lips was terrifying, even if Alexander had been preparing for this event ever since he returned to this new life. After all, that had been one of his great regrets the first time around: his inability to provide the money his mother needed for treatment.

But this time would be different!

Alexander summoned all his courage. "Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you, too. I know that for the last few months, I've not really been present. Well, I'm happy to say that all the work paid off. I've solved all our economic problems, I think."

Hardly able to contain his pride, Alexander showed them the sum in his bank account, the immense amount of 14,500,000 credits.

His parents' jaws dropped in shock!

Alexander added, "Mom, it's going to be okay! You'll have the best cancer treatment in the world! More than that, our crappy life is over! We'll be able to move in a few days to the best district in Paris! I'm sure that, in a few months, I'll be able to get as much as fifty million, and we can even go live on Mars!"

His father rose slowly…

And slapped his son across the face.

"You think money buys everything?!" he shouted, his face turning red with fury. "How dare you disrespect the way we've provided for you! Our life is far from shitty! Your mother and I work hard, day in and day out, to give us a better life than most! We've always had food on our plates, even if we've had to tighten our belts from time to time… but when have the three of us ever been miserable? Alexander, we've always been happy together! This race for money and fame has made you forget what really matters, your family! We need you right now, not just your money!"

His mother, still shaking with tears, stood and embraced her son. "It's Stage Three cancer, Alexander. The doctors said even the best treatment in the world will probably be ineffective. It's all right. I don't care about that. All I want is to enjoy being with my son for the next few months, before I join the creator."

Chaos filled Alexander's mind.

In his first life, his parents had cursed and lamented at their lack of money once his mother received his diagnosis. If only we had the money! they'd said. Then it would all be fine! This is the lot in life for people not lucky enough to be rich, I suppose!

It was partially because of this idea that his mother could have been saved if they'd been richer that Alexander had abandoned real life and spent so much of his time in Horus.

But now…

Alexander slowly realized that his parents' lamentations in his first life had been a method of coping with the tragedy. In their minds, it was far more hopeless to have a disease that nothing could cure than to think, "If only we had more money…" They'd dealt with their problems by shrugging and pretending that there could have been hope for them in other circumstances.

And Alexander had been too naïve to understand the truth.

Of course, this wasn't just a matter of money, but of personal arrogance. The loss of Lotus had been the second great failure in Alexander's life…

…But the loss of his mother had been worse.

And now Alexander had to face the truth that no matter how rich and powerful he grew, he'd never become anything more than the loser who was helpless to save his mother.