A Time With You

Chapter 1: Consciousness

Aiden

***

"Aiden, honey, don't worry, you'll be fine. I promise we'll do everything we can for you to get better." Mom whispered with a brittle voice as she caged me in her embrace.

The doctor said that I'll be receiving my treatment at home. I'll be injected with combined chemo drugs to shrink the tumor, since it was too large to be operable.

They already exposed to me the possible side effects of receiving this treatment. And of course, my parents and I have no objections since this was the only way for my surgery to be, at the most part – a success.

"Champ, you'll get through this, we'll be with you." Dad held my hand and caressed it for a good few seconds and let go, since he needed to go out to sort the bills and papers.

I gazed back at mom and saw her forcing out a smile. She ushered me to take a quick nap before we leave, and I did as she told me.

A lot of things are running in my head right now. If I don't make it, I wonder where I'll go by then? Would I go to a happy place?

Perhaps... would they be happier without me in their lives?

-

"Aiden," A disembodied voice whispered in my ears. I was still groggy from sleeping and didn't have the energy to reply to whoever it was that was calling me.

"He's asleep, don't wake him up,"

"Take your brother to his room and be gentle with him."

I heard people murmuring to each other, but I was too tired to open my eyes. I suddenly felt strong arms lift my body as the person carried me princess style.

"Shhh, it's okay Aiden, it's just me." I peeked a little and my brother Kent's face was the first thing that welcomed my eyes.

I smiled tiredly at him, and snuggled my head in his chest as he continued walking to our house to my room.

My body was carefully placed in a soft mattress, and a warm blanket was spread in the lower part of my body that pushed off the coldness that I felt in my two bare feet.

"Sleep tight little bear." Kent kissed my cheeks and left me to myself.

After a few minutes of silence, I was knocked out again and slept a bit better than the previous nights. It must be because of the pill they gave me earlier. I hope they give it to me again tomorrow.

Kent

***

I got down the stairs and hurried to the living room where my parents were, totally frantic and eager to know what was happening to Aiden.

"Mom, dad, I want to know his situation. All you ever said to me was that it was fatal, what's really happening to him?" I sat beside mom, and looked at the two of them seriously.

I was too busy with work, being a new police officer does that. I have to make constant rounds and my schedule is always on haywire since we lack men in the station.

"His condition is critical. Dale said that he needs to get neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. The tumor is too large and may affect his vital organs if we push through the operation without prior treatment." Dad released a stressed sigh after he finished talking, and I felt my eyes burning hearing the news.

'Why did this happen to him?! How could I have been so stupid to not know that something bad was happening to him.'

"But he'll be cured, right?" I asked them with an eager voice.

"Kent, son, we need you to understand. Your brother's cancer is at a distant stage, the doctor said that this type of cancer is rare and only a few have survived. His chances are slim, but there's still hope for him though, we just have to —"

I lifted my hands to stop him from talking and covered my face in frustration, and tried to calm myself down. After I collected my thoughts, I excused myself and walked upstairs to rest with heavy steps.

Instead of sleeping in my room, I decided to sleep in my brother's room to see how he's doing. I gradually opened the door and saw Aiden fast asleep.

He looked so peaceful. As if he wasn't in any pain. 'Out of all the billions of people out there, why does it have to be him? He's already gone through a lot, he suffered a lot from having this Alexithymia, but he was getting better, and now this?'

"Achoo!!!" Aiden started coughing hard that it startled me, I immediately reached him and patted his back to relieve him.

I continued trailing circles until his breathing evened out. And thankfully it did, I don't want to wake him up since he must be deprived of sleep for days now.

I just badly want him to get better already. And be the annoying, selfish, and childish brother he was before. Time drifted both of us apart. But now, I swear I'll look after you the best I can.

"You'll get better Aiden, I know you will."