CHAPTER 3
1289 Words
CHAPTER 3
The hours were long.
Lawrence took me home that day when it got dark since my parents volunteered to watch over Rache. Even if I wanted to stay, I can’t leave the house unattended so I didn't argue further. He just stayed there and watched me stare at the middle of nothingness.
Everything was just too hard to absorb. I cried so hard in the hospital but the tears stopped flowing when I got home. Maybe because the wind stopped my tears sacs from producing more tears. And now, I feel blank. I feel nothing at all.
"Rachaela's a fighter you know." He started. "When she had to enter law school, I saw her perseverance to keep up with the other top performers students from their schools and she managed to outshine them."
"But this is life we're talking about."
"And I bet Rachaela wants to live a good and long one, so you should trust her." Lawrence held my head and positioned it on his chest. "She'll wake up soon, Robyn."
He's always said the most comforting words and he definitely knows how to calm me down. But I was in no mood to cheer up.
That day I wanted to sleep. Hoping that when I wake up, this is all just a bad dream and everything's back to normal again.
"Do you want me to sleep here? I could stay with you all night."
"No. You should go home. Mom and Dad's probably gonna come home soon."
"Then let me stay here until they get here." I just stayed in that position.
Not only was Lawrence a great listener, he was a warm person. His arms wrapped around my shoulder made me feel like I wasn't alone and that I had someone with me believing that Rache can get through this.
It didn't take too long when I heard the familiar sound of Dad's car pull over in front of our house. Mom and Dad entered the house with shoulders dropped and swollen eyes.
The atmosphere got even remorseful, my heart feeling heavier.
"Mom, Dad, how is she?"
"She's in a coma." Mom's voice almost cracked. "But the good thing is, she's in stable condition already. All she needs is to respond to treatments and rest. Then she'll be fine."
Even if the last thing Mom said was kind of relieving, the thump in my chest still didn't stop from doing its thing. It's still the same heavy feeling when I first saw Rache a while ago.
"When is she gonna wake up?"
"The doctor said it would take months before she wakes up." This can't be!
"How about the wedding, then?" I saw them stiffened.
It looks like my Mom was about to day something, but she didn't bother to continue it. "We'll talk about this some other time. For now, get some rest, Robyn."
"Mom..." She didn't respond and turned her back at me to go straight to the master's bedroom.
"We'll visit your sister first thing in the morning tomorrow, okay?" I nodded.
My dad tapped my shoulder and followed my Mom. I couldn't get a wink of sleep that night.
My thoughts were in a manner of disarrangement. Everything was just so hard to process.
What's going to happen to Rachaela? What about her degrees? Her studies?
Moreover, what about her wedding? That's next month, right? How can we ever explain to the family of the Prince of Manchester that the wedding's to be postponed?
I looked like a zombie when I woke up. The thoughts consumed me and I spent the whole sleepless night thinking about solutions which I did not become successful with. I immediately took a bath and change into some baggy clothes. I told Pops I couldn't make it at the bistro today and I had Lawrence take care of the details.
Even after knowing about Rachaela's stability, I still couldn't remove the heavy feeling in my chest. But I can't show that to my parents, because if I do, they'd crumble as well. Especially my Mom ㅡ who is the most emotional member of this family. This is probably one of her weakest moments, and I know that it's Dad and I's job to cheer her up. J
ust in time when I got to the living room, my parents descended from the stairs. My Dad went straight outside with his car keys while my Mom tried to smile while approaching me. Her eyes were puffy and dark. The lump i my chest grew even bigger while I stuck my gaze at her exhausted look.
"Is it okay if we eat at the hospital? I can't manage to co--"
"Mom, don't worry about me." I held her hand so she smiled weakly.
Please, stop doing that. I know you're deeply hurt. You shouldn't smile like that.
The drive at the hospital was quiet. Rache usually fires up the atmosphere with her stories, mostly with her achievements.
She's really brilliant that she almost has milestones to share every moment we got together in the car. When we got there, my parents asked me to go the cafeteria for breakfast. But I refused, I wanted to see Rache first before anything else.
I opened the door to see her like how she was yesterday. Mom went to her to fix her beddings while Dad checked the machine beside her. I sat in the couch as I looked at my older twin lying lifelessly in bed.
"Honey, the curtains, please. Your sister might be needing some sun for her skin." I went to part the curtains which almost blinded me.
I followed the sunlight which trailed off to Rache's arms and cheeks.
"I'll go get some food first." Dad exclaimed before leaving the room.
So I went to get another stool and placed it on the other side of the bed. I'm facing Mom right now but I made sure not to block the sunlight coming from outside the window.
I wanted to cry. This was the first time I got to get close to her since yesterday. It was just a few days when she was happily baking in our kitchen but now, she's in this state ㅡ asleep. Her serene face made it look like everything was okay but I couldn't think of it that way because of all the tubes and band-aids attached to her.
"I bet she'd freak out when she finds out she has a cut on her cheek when she wakes up." I joked to lighten up the atmosphere but my Mom didn't laugh. Instead, she smiled.
No, Mom. Not again, please?
"Your sister was four seconds older than you..."
"Really?" The fact surprised me.
All I knew was that Rache was older than me but I didn't know we were only second apart.
"That must've hurt, Mom."
"What did?"
"You know, boring Rache for the first time and then me again four second after you've just gone to labor. That must've really hurt." She smiled once again and caressed my sister's hand.
"It hurt, alright. But no amount of pain could ever equal the feeling of having you two as my daughters."
I felt a twinge in my heart.
This is the first time I've heard Mom say such a thing ㅡ I mean, including me.
I rarely hear her talk about our birth as twins. More importantly, talk about me being one of her greatest blessings in life. Is this for real?
"You stay here with your sister for a while. I just have to check on your her hospital bills, okay?"
She didn't wait for my answer and left the room. Leaving me and Rachaela in deafening silence.
- Writer
