Apprehension rushed through my body as I realised that my son, who I had not seen for nearly 9 years, could be walking to my front door any minute now. The thought frightened me and so many questions popped into my brain. What was he going to say? How would he respond to what I had to say to him? I loved Anh very much, but the idea of me and him reconnecting left me scared; petrified, even. I started trembling. It soon dawned on me that I had not properly prepared for any of this. I had not told Anh so many things like how I was diagnosed with a brain tumour, I had remarried a woman who was only a few years older than him, and how I had another kid, who I also named Anh. Was I going to tell him any of these things? Or is it too much information
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I still had not decided how I was going to tell him everything, or even what I was going to tell him. In a flash, Anh’s eyes widened and he looked very surprised. “Who's this?” He said, looking at his half brother, who he did not know about. Well, there's no backing out now. I have to tell him. “Well,” I began to stammer, “um...he's y-your half b-brother. His n-name is a-also Anh.” I completely forgot that my brain tumour affected my speech and caused me to slur some of my words. “Oh wow! So, um...who's the mum?” He asked. Great. He's pretty much forcing me to tell him everything I was dreading to say. “W-well, I a-actually remarried s-someone.” My slurring was becoming worse. “Really? How old is she?” I know that my answer will surprise him. “Sh-she's 25.” I waited for his response. 10 seconds. 30 seconds. A minute. Still nothing. Eventually, he managed to get some words out of his mouth. “Right. Um. So, why do you keep on stuttering? Is something wrong?” Anh queried, avoiding saying anything about what I had just told him. I knew this topic would come up sometime, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know whether this would all be too much for him to take in. “Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired.” I lied. I felt terrible, but at the same time I knew that it was the best thing to do. I began to feel dizzy. This feeling, I'm not sure what, rushed through my entire body. I felt weak and began to shake. “I-I’m j-just g-going t-to l-lie d-down f-for a m-minute.” My speech was so bad, I thought he would surely notice. I rested on the frayed mattress that sat in the middle of my living room. I closed my eyes and fell straight to
I still had not decided how I was going to tell him everything, or even what I was going to tell him. In a flash, Anh’s eyes widened and he looked very surprised. “Who's this?” He said, looking at his half brother, who he did not know about. Well, there's no backing out now. I have to tell him. “Well,” I began to stammer, “um...he's y-your half b-brother. His n-name is a-also Anh.” I completely forgot that my brain tumour affected my speech and caused me to slur some of my words. “Oh wow! So, um...who's the mum?” He asked. Great. He's pretty much forcing me to tell him everything I was dreading to say. “W-well, I a-actually remarried s-someone.” My slurring was becoming worse. “Really? How old is she?” I know that my answer will surprise him. “Sh-she's 25.” I waited for his response. 10 seconds. 30 seconds. A minute. Still nothing. Eventually, he managed to get some words out of his mouth. “Right. Um. So, why do you keep on stuttering? Is something wrong?” Anh queried, avoiding saying anything about what I had just told him. I knew this topic would come up sometime, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know whether this would all be too much for him to take in. “Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired.” I lied. I felt terrible, but at the same time I knew that it was the best thing to do. I began to feel dizzy. This feeling, I'm not sure what, rushed through my entire body. I felt weak and began to shake. “I-I’m j-just g-going t-to l-lie d-down f-for a m-minute.” My speech was so bad, I thought he would surely notice. I rested on the frayed mattress that sat in the middle of my living room. I closed my eyes and fell straight to