“I’m sorry, Bugz,” Feng said. He wheeled his bike closer.

“I searched it up online,” Bugz replied. “I read up about symptoms and stuff. It said he might have a chance if they found it early…but they didn’t.”

Feng nodded his head and looked to the ground. Bugz buried her face in her hands. She didn’t want Feng to see her cry. She wasn’t sure why. Sniffing quickly, Bugz wiped her nose and cheek with her sleeve. “I was thinking about the fact that he passed out, though. And after watching some videos on that…he’s really sick. I don’t think he’ll…” Bugz couldn’t finish her sentence. Feng laid his bike down, hesitated for a breath, and then put his arms around her.

“My parents won’t even tell me what’s going on.” Bugz pulled away from Feng and wiped her eyes again. “I mean, they told me he has cancer. But I know they know more.”

“Maybe they don’t know anything else.”

“No, they do, that’s how Anishinaabe people are. Proud. Private. Whatever. They won’t tell me how long he has.”

“I could ask my aunt. She’s treating him, right? She’ll know.”

“Can you?”

Feng opened a video chat screen on his phone and reached Liumei, still at the hospital, stethoscope around her neck and a trace of redness in her dewy eyes.

“Hey, Feng.”

“Hey, Auntie, I got Bugz here…” Feng tilted his phone to include Bugz in the video chat window. Bugz waved, sniffling again as she did.

“Aw honey, I’m so sorry. I just want you to know this isn’t because of something he did or something he didn’t do. This just happens sometimes.”

“That’s actually why we’re calling, or sort of,” Feng jumped in. “Bugz was wondering, or I guess we were both wondering, if you could tell us more about what’s happening with him.”

“I know you want to know. But you should really talk to your parents.”

“I did,” Bugz responded. “They won’t tell me anything.”

“Well, I should leave it up to them—”

“C’mon, Auntie.”

“It’s not my place to intervene in a family’s business.”

Bugz shook her head, more tears welling in her eyes. “Please!” Bugz’s shouting seemed to hit Liumei hard. Bugz saw it on her face.

Liumei blinked once or twice on the screen. “Let me get somewhere more private.” She ducked into what appeared to be a supply room. Bottles of disinfectant lined the shelves along the wall behind her. “Alright, so you know your brother has cancer. You know it’s advanced, yes?” Bugz nodded over the video link. “Okay, so what else would you like to know?”

“How long does he have?”

“We can’t say for sure. There are always exceptio—”

“Just tell me.”

“Okay,” Liumei hesitated. “A few months, maybe, but then again…could be less than that.”