My Daughter’s Classmates Held Prom in Her Hospital Room Because She Couldn’t Attend Due to Her Illness – Then One of Them Handed Me an Envelope and Said, ‘Here’s the Real Reason We’re Here’

My heart broke every time I watched her.

***

Two days before prom, another round of chemotherapy made Carol feel even worse.

I drove her back to the hospital with shaking hands while she rested her cheek against the cool window. She didn’t say much; she didn’t have to.

My daughter was admitted for the night, then the next, then indefinitely.

“I won’t make it, will I, Mom?” Carol whispered from the bed.

I sat beside her and smoothed her thin hair back from her forehead.

“You’re going to make it to plenty of proms, baby. This is just a delay.”

She turned her face toward the wall.

I drove her back to the hospital.

***

The following evening, I was rinsing out Carol’s water cup at the little sink in her room when Nurse Jenny appeared in the doorway with a strange look on her face.

“Linda, honey,” she said. “Can you step into the hallway for a second? Just for a minute.”

I dried my hands and followed her out, assuming it was paperwork or worse.

I stepped through the door and froze.