I Wish I Could Say “Thank You

How do you say "thank you" and goodbye to a woman who has spent her whole life being overbearing and difficult—especially when that woman is your own mother? Yukari has long been caught in a turbulent, love-hate relationship with her mother, Chieko. So when Chieko is diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer and given only months to live, Yukari is thrust into an agonizing position. With unflinching honesty, Takinami recounts the turmoil unleashed by the news, delivered by her sister Nao, without ever slipping into pathos. At first, Yukari's thoughts turn to practical matters: Where should her mother live? Who will look after her? How can Yukari manage on top of her job and her child? Then, little by little, she begins to confront the reality of losing this vibrant woman who, in all Yukari's memory, had never even caught a cold. After years of strained communication, will mother and daughter finally manage to move past their conflicts and speak the words that truly lie in their hearts—before it is too late?