My stomach tightened. It was the middle of the night when I first felt it and as I dragged my limp body to the bathroom my thoughts went straight to it. “What if I have it?” I questioned myself again and again. My body curled up in pain, I thought about what my children would have to go through if they didn't have a mother or if my husband didn't have a wife. I tried to push these thoughts to the back of my head, but they seemed to stay. He had been doing this for almost a week already. The next morning the pain had lessened but it was still there. I kiss my kids on the forehead and told them I loved them when they got on that bright yellow school bus. My husband, Steven, had already left for work. He works at the mill from sunrise to sunset to earn just enough money to support himself; you see we are a really poor family but we all love each other and know how much we can spend. After calling in sick to work, I sat there, pain spreading throughout my body, just wishing it wasn't what I thought it was. I turned on the TV to distract myself from these horrible thoughts. Of course, the news didn't help. “This pandemic has killed nearly three hundred people in North America and approximately one thousand and fifty people have been infected. No one knows where it comes from, but doctors and scientists are working around the clock to find a vaccine. For now, doctors advise you to wash your hands and get your flu shot if you haven't already. » I turned off the TV and went to get an ibuprofen. Fortunately the children had helped them go to school. Steven and I only had enough to pay for one, so I gave it to him since most of our money came from him. I shrugged as I put on my ratty coat and looked around for extra money, but found little. So I leave...... middle of paper ......e. "I haven't been one hundred percent honest with you and I think now is the time to finally tell you the truth." My heart was pounding as I feared he had lost his job. “I too have the disease. I found out about it two weeks ago but I didn't want to stress you out either. So now I'm taking drugs that prevent me from showing signs of it. This is where all our extra money goes. » My heart stopped. My husband and I suffer from the disease. My mind went blank, but how did Steven get infected, I wondered. “Didn’t you get the flu shot?” » I accused. “I didn't, I spent money on most of the medicines. I was one of the first people to have him as a baby. He looked at the ground. At that moment, as if on cue, my children came out of their room, tears streaming down their faces. I knew they heard everything. I let them hold me, their arms seem to crush my bones but I know it was worth it.