Eyes Meet

Chapter 22 - Part 1

I washed my face again and again, keeping the water running to ease my emotions. No matter how many times I rubbed my palms against my skin, I would still cry. My tears would still flow out. So I stayed in front of the sink with my head lowered. My hands rested on the sink counter, taking half of my upper body weight. The headache was attacking me but this time it was because I couldn't stop crying since there was a throbbing pain at my temples, unlike the usual I experienced because of my eyes; it was a pain at the right side of my head, or sometimes at the back.

There was a voice in my head. It kept replaying for thousands of time already and I just wanted to get rid of it. That was why I entered the toilet at the first place, wishing that I was at home. I just wanted take a warm bath and relax. But unfortunately, I was at my parents'.

"It is a stage 2 lung cancer"

That male voice came into me again, saying the same thing all over again as if I hadn't heard it enough. I did hear it clearly 2 days ago at the hospital, so I didn't need to reminded.

I opened the door abruptly, exiting the toilet and walking towards the dining table where my dad was.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah"

"Don't be like this, honey" I felt his hand on mine as soon as I sat on the chair. "You wouldn't want your mum to see your swollen eyes. She will nag non stop, you know how she is"

I chuckled a bit, sniffling my nose. Mum would definitely get mad and nag at me. She was so worried whenever I was sad, considering every mum would feel the same thing. The only difference was whether they hid it or expressed it verbally. My mum was certainly the second one.

"So, Rosé" Dad wanted to go back to our discussion earlier before I excused myself to go to the toilet. "I feel bad to ask you this, but..." He sighed, tightening his grip on me. "Do you have the mo-"

"Yes" I answered fast enough, cutting his speech. "I have the money dad, we will continue with the operation. Medicare covers 75% of the cost right? We just need to pay for the others"

"But it's your savings-"

"I can always save again, dad. Don't worry" I let out a weak smile, hoping that it would get rid of his guilt.

"I have my savings too if you-"

"I don't need it dad, use that for your rent, and everything. For mum's operation is all on me"

"Okay," Dad finally agreed. "So the operation fees considered done, but what about after the operation?"

"The chemotherapy?"

"Yes. It's a must, right?"

"It is if we want to lower the chance of the cancer to come back after the surgery" I responded as I began to tap my foot on the floor. "And we will definitely do that for mum, if not, the operation is pointless"

Dad was silent for a while, probably still feeling bad about asking money from me. I wasn't that worried about money, well, sort of, because we were all medically covered by Medicare in certain percentage. But it wouldn't be free of charge for everything.

That was what dad was worried about since cancer treatments and medicines were very expensive, and it was a continuous process. The bills after the operation were the things that made him couldn't sleep at night. I was worried about that too, but I could work for it. What kept me awake for these 2 nights were my mum herself.

I was worried about her, not just the money. Before we could invest the money, we needed her to be strong first. We needed her to fight as well. Her body was slowly getting weaker and any emotional break down would only worsen it. No matter how many treatments, how much money, if mum herself wasn't positive and dedicated about curing herself, these treatment procedures were going to be 100 times harder than they already were.