Robert smiled. He seemed calm and capable of accepting his current results, even if they could be bad.
"Robert, I think your checkup results look a lot like you have cancer. But for other people, it might be lymphatic cancer, lung cancer, or stomach cancer, et cetera, something that relates to a certain organ. With you, though, I feel like every single one of your organs is going through cancerous mutation, while it also doesn't seem like a real tumor."
Robert felt like he didn't quite understand his brother's explanation, and chuckled exasperatedly.
"Can you explain it in simple words?"
"You learned this in high school biology too. Cancer cells are a type of mutated cells. They're different from normal cells and can reproduce endlessly, then destroy normal cell tissue and cause cancer. That's why the cancer medication on the market right now focus on killing cancer cells. But actually, cancer cells themselves have a substance known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP. This can turn cancer cells into healthy cells to begin with, and it's part of the body's immune system.
"I feel like large swaths of your body have already undergone cancerous mutation, but similarly, there's a large concentration of cAMP in your body. Seems like that's causing part of your body to undergo cancer, while the other part is keeping it at bay. Those two seem to be conflicting with another, so part of your organs seem normal, while the other parts seem abnormal, instead of it being wholesale deterioration as it is in cancer, or being completely cancer-free like normal people. Of course, that's just my hypothesis."
That was easier for Robert to digest, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Two poisons battling for dominance in my body? Sounds like science fiction. There are two battling forces in my body, one hurting me, one protecting me, and the two forces are in equilibrium, which is why I look normal, correct?"
"Generally, I guess, but the cancer cells count as poison, while cAMP is a substance that's protecting you. I just don't understand why your body became this way. Normal people don't go through this. If there's a large enough concentration of cAMP, the cancer cells would just die off instead of evening out."
Ivan felt like he'd encountered an academic conundrum.
"This is the most astonishing checkup report I've seen in my life. I'll have the overseas side ready to test you. We have to hurry. You might look fine right now and what's in you is protecting you, but who knows. One day, there might be a sudden change. It's daytime over there right now, so I'll give that friend of mine a call."
Saying that, Ivan hurriedly took up his phone and walked to a quiet corner, dialing said friend's number.
Robert sat quietly on the sofa, a bit at a loss right now.
He wasn't afraid of death, but it'd been such a hard drudge getting back to Georgia and Annie's side.
He wanted to live long together with Georgia, wanted to watch his daughter grow up, watch Wesley grow up.
He didn't want his mother Maisie to have to see him go into the earth when he was supposed to be the younger.
So there was a strong desire in his heart.
No matter what, he had to cure himself.
Ivan finished the call and hadn't told Robert the set time yet when Georgia and Annie came down in their pajamas.
Annie walked over to Robert's side.
"Why aren't you washed up yet, Daddy? Mommy and I have washed up and dried our hair. It's so late. Hurry up and take a bath and come sleep with us."
"Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Robert stood, smiled at Ivan, and carried Annie up the stairs.
Georgia picked up the opened reports and didn't look at them right away.
Seeing Annie and Robert head upstairs to the bedroom, she turned to Ivan.
"You've seen the results. How is it? Is there a huge problem?"
"I don't know if this counts as a huge problem, but Robert's body is in an unusual condition. So unusual, in fact, that I can't see what problem there is with his body. I've never seen such a situation, so I just gave my friend overseas a call. He knows more about complicated diseases, so I wanted Robert there to redo a body check. He's got more tools at his disposal there, and before..."
Ivan lowered his voice.
"Back when, that friend of mine had his family threatened, and was pressed for money, so he'd once worked on that sort of underground laboratory. He knows the inside workings, so I feel like having Robert go there and having him look over the situation might be the only way to reach a conclusion. You can look at these reports later too, Georgia. I feel like you might understand it better than me, because Robert's body seems to be going through cancer in some places, but he doesn't appear like an actual cancer patient, either, with all sorts of substances in him killing those cancer cells. The two sides are evenly matched right now and I can't clear it up right now. When you've looked over the report, we'll put our heads together again."
Georgia's heart sank a little when she heard the word "cancer".
She realized that this was beyond her imagining.
After these several days, she wasn't so fragile that she was going to crumble right away.
"What time have you set with that friend of yours? I'll go with Robert. You should go too. My mother's overseas too, so I'll bring Annie there with me, and see my mother on the way."
"When I called, he was in another country doing a think tank. The quickest is going to be next Sunday. Let's fly over next Saturday, then. If you want to see your mother, we can go several days earlier too. You could discuss it with Robert."
"All right. It's late, so rest up. We'll discuss it tomorrow."
Georgia took up the reports and turned around, walking towards the stairs.
After she'd taken several steps, Ivan spoke up again.
"Georgia, my brother might seem like he's in a strange condition right now, but you could see it. He's looking energetic and just fine. Don't worry too much. I'm afraid it'll stress him out."
Georgia turned over and smiled faintly.
"I understand that much. I've already made all my mental preparations for any possible result. No matter what, I'll be with him, and face down all troubles together with him."
At that, Ivan raised another question.
"Is Emilia still over there? I hear she was taking care of your mother. Of course, your mother is her aunt, too."
Georgia nodded. Most people around her knew at this point.
It wasn't strange for Ivan to ask, but she didn't think that he'd still pay attention to Emilia.
"Emilia's my cousin, and I had business in the country, so she's taking care of my mother over there. Do you want to meet her?"
Ivan shook his head hastily.
"I was just asking if she was in America. If I went back to America with you, I don't particularly want to see her. By then, if there's a chance of meeting her, tell me. I want to avoid that occasion."
Georgia could only nod and agree. Even though she felt like Ivan's request was a little strange, and he seemed to be avoiding Emilia like the plague, there wasn't much she could do about that.
Georgia returned to the bedroom.
Annie was inside, watching a cartoon with a bored expression. There was the sound of running water inside the bathroom.
"Is your Daddy still not done?"
Georgia asked, and Annie smiled.
"Daddy just played a game with me for a while, and he's just gone inside to shower."
Georgia hugged Annie into her arms.
"After a while, let's go overseas to see Grandma."
"We can see Grandma so soon?"
Annie was already asking excitedly, and Georgia smiled as she nodded.
When Robert came out, he could hear Georgia discussing Casey with Annie, as well as going overseas.
He instantly understood that Ivan had probably told Georgia about going to his friend for a checkup.
"Is the time set?"
He turned to Georgia and asked.
"His friend is going to head back next Sunday, but I wanted to take you there early to meet my mother. As for which day it is, I haven't thought about it yet, but we can go a few days in advance."
At that, though, Robert raised another question.
"The Powell family is overseas. Do we need to see other family members?"