Time-Bound

Chapter 6

Anthony and Victoria left the doctors office and for Brenda's ward in a bid to tell her the truth.

“H-Hello Mummy. What's up?” Brenda grinned at them.

“Oh wow! You're awake.” Victoria forced a smile.

“Yes. So what did the doctor say about me? Am I free to go now and that too without all these nasty medications?”  Brenda asked.

“The medications are not nasty and they are for your own good.” Anthony said.

“And you can't do without them.” Victoria said.

“You are kidding with me right? How on earth will I keep using this? See, I'm just fine.” Brenda tried to get up.

Mercy, who was sitting on her bed, pushed her back down. “Sis, you just had a seizure.”

“Just had?” Brenda stared at her watch. “This is 7 a.m. I was brought here two hours ago. Do you expect me to be bed-ridden all day?”

“I'd rather you stay bed-ridden than for you to leave me.” Victoria sniffed.

“Victoria! What a nice way to break the news!” Anthony snapped.

“W-What did she mean Dad?” Brenda asked.

“I...uh...It's nothing.” Victoria looked away.

Anthony took a deep breath. “Brenda has Grade 4 Glioblastoma multiforme.”

“What?!” Mercy exclaimed as Brenda raised a brow at her. “Yeah, I don't know what the stages are but the disease doesn't sound good so why would the stages?”

“It is the...the final stage.” Victoria was fighting back tears.

“The wh-what? So what happens at the final stage? I get to die?” Brenda shrugged.

“Yes. You have 12 months to live.” Anthony broke the news.

“Oh. I don't seem to have much time. I'd have to review my bucket list and do all I...” Brenda said.

“Brenda! You don't care about leaving us?” Victoria asked.

“Our loved ones get to leave us one day right?” Brenda asked.

“Yes, you're right but you seem not to care about what your absence would do to us.” Mercy said.

“Don't worry.  We'd do lots of things. We'd spend time together and create new memories. And please, No fighting.” Brenda turned to her parents.

“So you're not scared that you might die?” Anthony asked.

“No Dad. I've never lived an happy life before, so leaving this world wouldn't be different.” Brenda sighed. “I just have to visit places and do things in this world so I would...”

“Brenda,” Victoria sighed.  “What are the things you want to do?”

“Now you're talking like a mother. First, I'd like to do a world tour and then I'll review what I'd do on these tours later. Okay?” Brenda said.

“Okay cool.” Victoria clapped her hands. “My daughter wants to do a world tour. We're in for it. Where do you want to go?”

“Mum I'm 21 remember? You cannot be pampering me instead turn to Mercy.” Brenda said.

“We weren't able to pamper you with our love whilst growing up and we'd do that now, Mercy's turn would come later.” Anthony said.

“So where do you want to go?” Victoria asked.

“Let's see. I'd really love to go to U.S.A and probably U.K. Oh yes, Paris. I'd love to go there and.... You know what? Let Mercy choose the remaining places we have to visit.” Brenda sighed.

“Noted. Anthony, your pilot-self would become useful to us for the first time.” Victoria said.

“Have you gone nuts?” Anthony asked.

“No arguments please. Mercy where do you think we should go?” Brenda said.

“Russia, Korea, India...” Mercy said.

“Mercy, No. No, no, no. The movies you've been seeing have gotten too much into your head. First, you'd like to go to their countries and next you'd start saying you want to start living like them.” Victoria hissed.

“Mum?!” Brenda raised a brow at her.

“What?” Mercy said.

“Let her be. She wants to go to these places, we would go but Mercy,” Brenda sighed. “You have more time than I have. Let's go to where I want to first because I might die before...”

“Shh...We'd do everything together.” Mercy hugged her sister.

“So who is in?” Brenda asked.

Her eyes drifted slowly to her parents who intertwined their fingers in eachother as they stared at themselves. It was real and different from the fake affection they showed eachother in front of their children.She smiled at this and felt so relieved.

“We are!”