The Royal Marriage

Pinkie Swear

(QING)

I feel like going numb when my parents told us the findings of the doctors and the specialists to my grandmother.

"Considering the Queen Dowager's age and her health condition prior to the stroke, there is a small chance of her recovering from the stroke attack. They gave us hope that she might regain conciousness but there is no guarantee for that as well. At this point, all of us are hoping for the best. That she will wake up..." my father said with as little emotion as possible.

But I can read it in his eyes. The misery he is feeling. The storm accumulating inside him. The same storm that is brewing in my chest.

I saw my mother's hand reach out to take my father's hand and hold it tight. Dayu's arm is looped on mine. I think him standing beside me is the main reason why I am still upright.

"Are you saying we can lose her?" Baozang asked. She is standing near the glass wall, looking at our grandmother sleeping on the hospital bed.

"Yes," My mother bravely said. She doesn't let that word to escape my father's lips. She won't let her husband admit defeat about his mother's condition.

My mother, the Queen, had always been supportive of her King.

I close my eyes. Dayu leaned his head on my shoulder. I put my free hand on the back of his head.

"We cannot delay it any longer," my father said. "We have to tell the public about her health condition."

"Can you do the announcement?" The Queen gave her husband a worried look.

My father's eyes found mine, "I can do it," he said.

I felt my heart beat again. I didn't even noticed that it stopped for a moment, with fear that I will be the one that is going to announce my grandmother's condition to the public.

My father patted my mother's hand before he went out of the room. I followed him.

"Will you be really okay, Baba?" I cannot keep the worry from my tone.

My father stared at me. His eyes scared yet determined. "One day, you will do it for me and for your mother..."

"Baba!"

"Qing, listen to me." He put a hand on my shoulder. "It hurts. I will not sugarcoat it for you. It hurts to say or even admit that nature is taking it's tool on our loved ones. I was wrong, I had gone through this with your grandfather and yet I feel like this is the first time again. I never readied myself for my mother to lay on that hospital bed. Don't make the mistake I made. Ready yourself. You will go through it with me and with your mother. That how it should be. I prefer that instead of me announcing that something happened to you or Baozang. Let it be you, telling the public that I am gone."

"Baba..." tears gathered in my eyes. My father hugged me. "I am sorry, son. You will one day go through this pain. Let me have this pain. I will not pass this onto you too. Watch me and learn from me. It hurts but a child's life is like that. We have to experience the suffering of watching our parents go ahead of us. Be strong for me, son. I think..." my father's voice broke. "I think I am about to lose both my parents. Stay strong and don't make me lose a child too. That is a pain I think I cannot take."

He leaned out and pat my cheek. I nodded. "I will, Baba."

I will stay strong even if it hurts too much.