Kak M*** - Part 2

Last April I wrote about kak M***, my childhood friend, who was my mentor, my role model and still is....actually, she is more of a sister that I do not have. The long period that we are not keeping in touch does not mean we do not remember each other..we in fact keep our numbers..but we just do not call one another..both of us are busy..and I guess we mutually understand the situation but evidently we are still very close at hearts...till today. In this post I am going to reveal another reason why I have been keeping our distance. I mentioned in my April's post that she was well off, the social status kind of thing..honestly, I was just scared that I would feel or be out of place thus the distance. On the few occasions that we met, though, she was still the same old kak M*** that I knew..never once that she made me feel unwanted, out of place..I je yang rasa gitu..can't help it though..
This friendship was renewed on a new level in Syawal 2006 when I called her and told her that I wanted to visit. Strangely, this was the year when I strongly felt like meeting friends that I had not seen for a while. Alhamdulillah, I managed to visit a few. From then on we smsed each other on certain occasions..thanks to the new technology. Last year, she invited me to her daughter's (H) wedding which I attended. Then, she invited me to her grand daughter's 'aqiqah' which I did not attend and she smsed me a few days later asking why I did not come to the ceremony. So I promised to visit in a few days' time. A few days later I went to visit her, H and baby K. I spent a few hours with her and we caught up on so many things. When I reached home after the visit I received this sms from her (which I still keep til this day): Ass'kum Yati..thank you so much for taking your precious time visiting kak M*** n family especially K, I am touched. May Allah swt kekalkan n berkati silaturrahim kita. Thanks again dear. look after yourself. Lots of love - Kak M***. I felt strange then, I sensed something but I just brushed off the thought and replied the sms telling her that the feeling was mutual. Now, I know the answer to the strange feeling..but read on to find the answer. I will definitely keep this one particular sms.
Late Sunday night I came across an fb posting by another daughter of hers mentioning something about "my mama's chemotherapy and radiation begins"..luckily she was still online and I managed to get the necessary information from her....I was speechless, tears kept rolling down and I immediately took wudhu' and performed my solat..I could not really sleep that night, could not wait for Monday morning to come to call kak M***..
Kak M*** was diagnosed with breast cancer about a month ago. She underwent the mastectomy recently. Her chemo sessions will start very soon..
I visited her yesterday and she related the whole thing to me..we talked, we laughed, we cried..but I know she is one strong beautiful lady..,..the strong support from her husband, daughters, sil and other close family members will definitely help her in this challenging time....I know God Willing..she will pull through..
The sms in red above..well, I actually asked her about it and she told me she felt rather "sayu" or a kind of sadness crept into her after I left, thus, the sms that she sent..somehow I related that to this "news".
The memory of the time spent with her yesterday will always be in my mind..I stayed until she had her lunch..soon after that I had to leave for I knew that she needed to rest..she was expecting another visitor later in the afternoon..
Saying goodbye was difficult..she hugged me tight..we exchanged encouragements and promises..and I promised to come back and visit after her 6 cycles of chemo..
The saddest part..as I was walking towards my car..she waved at me and kept on saying bye Ti, bye Ti..repeatedly..of course at this my tears kept rolling down my cheeks..but kak M***, know this.....you are a fighter..I know that...Allah has chosen you for he knows you are capable of facing this challenge ....I will see you in 18-20 weeks time..my prayers will always be with you..