"Jeehae-yah, I have bad news. Your eldest auntie died this morning." -Mom on voicemail

About 10 minutes ago, I just received this message on my voicemail. In shock, I immediately called my Mom and she answered. She told me that my Aunt passed away this morning of stomach cancer. My cousin, Su, had called me earlier this week to let me know that my Aunt had received a cancer diagnosis but that they were going to go for a second opinion. How could death have come for her so fast? It seems so sudden.

I called my Uncle, whose voice I have not heard in three years yet I recognized it right away. He sounded bewildered yet matter of fact, the way people do when they have lost all control and are trying to regain normalcy. He told me that...(Sorry, I just broke down and sobbed. It just hit me. I think I was initially just too stunned. I am more sad for my Uncle and my cousins, Helen and David, who have lost their wife and mother. I mourn their loss and share their pain.)...my Aunt passed away 6AM today morning. He said that he wanted to see me and told me to call him back on Sunday when he will know the finalized funeral schedules and we said good-bye.

I will be attending her funeral sometime next week.