What do you mean NO ONE lives FOREVER?

I was in between school-runs and work when my brother called. "Mom's heart hurts and I took her to the hospital." My knees suddenly lost its ability to support me and I was plumped on the floor. "What?" I murmured. "She's fine. She just had a thorough check and the doctor said it's probably just stress. She's back home now." He continued.

Thorough check. What does that mean? How thorough? Can they guarantee that nothing else will happen? What can we do? What can SHE do? What should I do?

The next 10 minutes is a nightmare to my well-intention brother. And it was enough to remind him why he hadn't called me right away when it happened. "I gotta go, sis. Got work to do. I'll call you later. And please! Relax...OK?" He mumbled an "I love you" before he hung up and I was left staring at my phone feeling.... I'm not sure what to feel. I mean, she's fine. She's home. Nothing happened. Nothing serious that is.

I called my mom and she sounded fine. We chatted and she entertained my bossy-lectures on what I think she should do to be healthier. (She's a trained and practicing doctor by the way and my medicinal ability pretty much stops at band-aid application. So I'm sure she finds my lectures humorous). But she was a good sport. She listened, laughed, agreeing to everything I said and in the end said,"Don't worry too much! I'm fine. Seriously! But you're not because you're late picking up the girls now and you have spent your whole lunch time talking to me. Grab something on your way out, OK? You can call me again later"

I stopped.
I packed up my lunch and drove to school.
After all, we are still the same kids that just desperately wanted to please our parents.

When I got home with my own set of troops, I rushed to give my mom another call. My kids all talked to her and shared their own insights and thoughts:

My 9 yo girl: Oma, I think you need to go back to doing yoga everyday again. And please don't eat too much ice cream...
My 7 yo girl: I love you soo much that hearing you're not well makes me really sad. You don't wanna see me sad, do you? So you can't be sick!
My 4 yo son: I think your heart hurts because you're missing me. Just come here and I'll give you a big hug that will make it all better.

I was pretending to be busy making dinner but making sure I'm at a close enough distance to hear what they're saying. Later in my room, I hid my face in the pillow and felt this terrible urge to cry.

My partner in crime came over to give me a hug. "It's ok...she's fine, right? what are you crying about?"

The thing is, when I got the phone call from my brother, I realized that if there is one thing or thought that I have never revisited since I was 5 was the thought that my mom is gonna live FOREVER.

And if she MUST be mortal then she would die AFTER me.

Why? Well, simply because that's what moms do. Right?