It was the 1st April. It was Maundy Thursday, and everyone in my family was at home. We woke up late, it was almost noon. We had a nice breakfast, but then it came.
"Jenny, Eric." Said my mother to me and my younger brother. "Do not be scared, but ..."
"Yes?" I said.
"Carolina has breast cancer."
My eyes were big and my face pale. Carolina is the mother of one of my good friends, Anthony. Eric is friends with Anthony's brothers, William and Peter.
"Oh." I said. "Mother ... tell me that it was an April Fool."
But my mother did not smile. "Jen", she said, "it is true."


I could hardly look at Anthony without being sad. The forced smile, the secret, he was carrying. I had not said anything. Next Friday was his mother at the hospital to remove her breast, and then I would talk to Anthony about it. It was hard. I was the only one in our small circle of friends who knew something. Not even Laura and Annie, my good friends who also were Anthonys friends knew it. For me, cancer had always been something that other people got. I had never thought that it could come to our little village. But suddenly it came, the evil monster who crept unnoticed to people and attack them. Why, I thought. Why Carolina. Carolina, a good-natured, happy woman, mother of three children, wife and hardworking, strong woman. Why?

Today is the day. Right now Carolina is at the hospital. I do not know how it went, if the surgery is complete. Laura know about it, Annie still know nothing. I, Laura and Chris, Anthony's best friend is the only one who knows. Poor Anthony, Poor Carolina. I wish all the best for Carolina and her little family. Wish it'd been an Aprils Fool.