In This Lifetime

Back Home

I immediately contacted Jean to let her know that there is a change of plans for my son’s summer and that we will be flying back home and I asked her to contact me in case there will be any urgent matter to discuss in which she agreed and reminded me that I must focus on my family first and she will make sure that the business is stable no matter what happens.

“Mom, will grandpa like me?”

We are sitting in the airplane as it flies to my home country, and all I can think about is my father and if he is still fine at home.

I looked at my son and brushed the lose strands of his hair, “Of course, Andre. You are a wonderful child. I’m sure your grandpa will be delighted to meet you. Everyone will.”

I tried to smile but I just cannot erase in my memory that my mother was crying asking me to come back home so I can see my father for the last time, alive.

How could I do this to my family?

Why did I let my pain make my family suffer?

Why did I involved them in my problem?

“Everything will be alright, mom.” I smiled to my son, that is what I always tell him when he is nervous of something.

As we safely landed to the airport I became more nervous thinking that I am going home after five years of hiding away.

“You look constipated, sis. What’s with the look?”

“Anton!”

I immediately pulled Andre to where Anton is waiting. My brother whom I was not able to see in person for years! How could he be this old?

I mean he really is older than me, but I never thought of him being as big as this.

“I missed you too, kiddo.” He patted my head and bended to look at my son who is standing right next to me. “You must be that little fella I often see in the pictures that my sister sends me.”

“Uncle Anton!”

Andre has always been close to Anton since Anton would always call to talk to him.

They were able to build a strong relationship even virtually.

“Everyone’s at home right now. You’ll be surprised by Andy’s big change.”

I smiled at Anton before he took our baggages and put them inside the car trunk. Andy is our youngest sibling which I was not able to reach for years. He was mad at me for flying away without saying good bye. And this is the first time in five years that I will be able to see him moving and most likely talking.

Anton asked a lot of questions on the way home, mostly about Andre and the business and then he opened the topic of father’s sickness.

“We learned from mom that he have cancer one year ago.” He started.

I was staring by the window watching the road while listening to Anton. In that way I get to compose myself and stop crying.

“It is a tumor in his brain and it started to worsen last month. He began unrecognizing us, he began forgetting the things he just did. Mom was not gonna tell us if only Andy have not known from his colleagues at the hospital that dad was hospitalized when he had an episode of shock in his brain.”

“Can’t it be removed?”

I asked, still staring at the road outside.

“It could be, if he was fifteen years younger. In his age right now, the probability of him dying at the table is at 99%. They said they cannot remove it anymore.”

Our father’s been alive for eighty nine years already and I get why the doctors cannot operate on him anymore. He is indeed old.

“Then we just have to accept the fact that he’s dying? We can’t do anything more?”

“It sounds like it.”

“He haven’t been able to bond with Andre long enough for him to go.”

“He still has time, Athena. We will make it all count.”

“How did Andy react?”

“Aside the fact that he needed his sister more than his brother? He pretty much handled the situation professionally. You know how tough can Andy get.”

Yeah, he literally forgot that he had a sister when I left. What more dad’s tumor?

Andre was busy playing with his robot toy when we arrived at our house.

“This house is big, mom. Who lives here?”

“Us, Andre. We all live here before.”

Anton carried Andre into the house as he gestured the maid to take care of our baggages.

“Guess who’s here!”

Anton delightedly brought Andre to the living room where his children are happily playing around mom and dad.

I wanted to cry the first time I saw them but I stopped myself from doing so and just rushed to hug them both.

It was an emotional scene of reunion and it was really devastating to see my father looking so weak and sick because of his cancer.

I cried more when he did not recognized me at first but I stopped when he suddenly called me by my name and said that I look exactly like his daughter only that she is just a teenager.

He remembers me as a child, and I can never be too happy to witness that.

Dinner came and I was surprised to know that Andy will join us tonight.

“He makes sure that he’s here for dinner to eat with dad. That’s the only thing dad asked for him to do before he started unrecognizing us.”

“That should be hard for Andy.”

“I told you, he’s been so tough since you left. You’ll be surprised later.”

We went to the dining where we saw Andy assisting dad to his chair. And just when I thought he would react when he saw me with Anton, he just looked dead into my eyes and then continued to assist dad.

“Welcome to Andy’s world.”

Anton whispered as he gestured my seat and called for his wife and the kids.

“Andy, have you talked to your sister yet?”

“I’ve been busy at the hospital today, mom.”

It is obvious that he is nodging me all along. But in good faith I am grateful that he is not ignoring my son Andre whom I think is already close to him.

“Andre right here is so talkative. He have already told me so much about him in an hour of meeting him.”

Andre being respectful for the elders did not bothered to say anything and just continued to eat his dinner.

“He’s a wonderful child, Athena. You’re a great mom for raising him well.”

I looked straight at Anton who is currently pushing me to talk to Andy in which I declined for I know I cannot force myself to him this early.

“Your kids altogether are no match to Andre’s energy level, Anton. He’s just like his father.”

Add the fact that Andy is friends with my ex boyfriend, I do not think that we will be able to fix our problem anytime soon.