For the full Prequel to A Werelion For Cat, please read the free book titled Emma
Indianapolis, Indiana
Emma walked out of the doctor's office with tears running down her face. She was only twenty-three. How could she have stage four breast cancer?
She was still in shock from the diagnosis. Her entire body was numb, and she was having trouble catching her breath. What was she going to do?
Emma was a beautiful blonde with dark blue eyes and small delicate features. To some, she may give the appearance of being weak or fragile. When in reality, Emma was a strong, resilient young woman.
She was the single mother of her five-year-old daughter Caterina, or Cat as she preferred to be called. Emma worked hard at her job in the district attorney's office to make ends meet. They lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Indianapolis.
Cat was the best thing that had ever happened to Emma. Even if the circumstances that brought Cat into this world were tied to the worst time in her life. Emma never regretted her decision to have her daughter.
Cat was a little bundle of energy with long black hair and pale blue eyes. Emma felt her heart fill with love whenever she thought about her beautiful daughter. She was mature and extremely intelligent at the age of five.
Cat never complained when Emma could only afford to get her one or two small presents for Christmas and her birthday. She would tell Emma that Santa should give the bigger presents to the kids who needed them. Cat always thought about others before herself, even at a young age.
Emma was overwhelmed with grief thinking about her daughter and feeling completely alone. She had a step-brother named Leo, but Emma wasn't entirely sure she trusted him to care for Cat if something happened to her. After all, his father was the cause of a lot of her trauma from her childhood. Who knew how far that apple fell from the tree. What would happen to Cat if she didn't survive?
After Emma got to her car, she started driving to Cat's school. She was going through the motions but not paying attention to where she was driving. She kept seeing Cat as a baby and then on her first birthday. The five years she'd had with her daughter flashed before her eyes, and she knew it wasn't enough. She needed more time. Five years was not enough.
Emma wanted to be there for Cat's sixth birthday, which was coming up soon, and she wanted to see her go to prom. She wanted to see her daughter fall in love and get married. Emma wanted a chance to spoil her grandchildren.
She pulled over and parked as her breathing became more rapid. She was thinking of everything she would be missing with Cat if she wasn't there. Emma was terrified of what would happen to her daughter. Why did this have to happen to her? She never hurt anyone.
Emma was sitting in her car crying in front of Cat's elementary school when she heard a knock on the window, making her jump. She looked up and saw Cat making faces at her. She quickly dried her eyes and laughed even as her heart was breaking into a thousand pieces, thinking she might not get to see Cat grow up.
"Mommy, what's wrong? Why are you sad?" Cat looked up at her mom with worry in her big blue eyes as she climbed into the car. Her mom never cried, even when they had very little food and no money. So something terrible had to have happened.
"Oh honey, I just got some bad news, but we'll talk about it later." Emma didn't know how to talk to a five-year-old about cancer. Cat reached over and grabbed her mom's hand.
"Whatever it is, Mommy, we'll get through it together." Cat looked determined when Emma looked down at her. She couldn't help smiling at what her daughter had said. Those were the exact words that Emma always said to Cat whenever she was having a bad day.
"You're right. We'll get through it together. How about we do something special today? Let's go out for pizza and ice cream." Emma glanced at Cat, who was still studying her mom's face with a look beyond her five years.