"No ! this can't be. Am sure there's someone out there who has a cure for this damn illness." Emil suddenly said as he took out his phone from his pants pocket.
He dialled a number, about to press the call button when a shaky hand suddenly held his hand. Preventing him from calling the number.
"No son, don't." Aunt Phillis said while shaking her head.
"... Mum, let me take care of this." Emil spoke, his voice a bit shaky. If one paid close attention , they will be able to detect the fear in his voice. His eyes began to turn red.
"Am tired of hospitals. I don't want to spend the rest of my remaining days in a lonely hospital. Injections, drips, medicines, am tired of all those."
As her voice echoed in the room, intense sadness filled the room. Though it was a sunny afternoon, the room felt a bit cold. The room wasn't lively at all. In fact it was as if they were mourning someone.
"Don't cry, am still alive." Phillis chuckled in a funny way. " Save those tears for when I ... I die" She wiped the ' expensive tears' that flew down Emil's cheeks.
Expensive because he hardly ever let any flow. Or to be precise, he doesn't shed tears in the presence of others.
"Hah, I wish I can video this moment of you crying and paste it online. The heading will be "The cry of a big boy CEO ". Do you know the amount of money i will earn just with that?" Aunt Phillis asked amidst laughter.
But sadly, no one else laughed with her.
"You know, those months that I was away, I had said that I was visiting my brother. But that was a lie. Truth is, I had travelled abroad in search of a cure for this heartless leukemia.The doctor can attest to that because he has been the one arranging for me to meet different kind of doctors. I had tried but..." She trailed off as she held Emil's two hands with hers, " but I didn't succeed. So son, please don't put me in that situation again alright? Am tired of hospitals and it's smell."
"We shouldn't lose hope Mum. We should keep on trying and trying till ... till.."
" Till I die? Till I take my last breath?" her suddenly interjection shocked Emil.
That isn't what he had wanted to say.
Aunt Phillis tightened her hold on Emil's hand. She smiled and continue to say, "Let me spend the remaining days left of me here, in this mansion with you and Daniel Okay? And besides, I've been following strict medication and diets. It's just that, I never made you realise it."
.....
"I promise to take care of myself and also take my medicines as prescribed okay?"
Emil sat still for couple of minutes. He redrew his hand while saying, "I need some time alone to digest everything." he stood up ready to go when a hand tagged onto his.
He looked down at the pale woman and stiffened a smile, "I will be fine." he said and left in large strides.
Before stepping out, he turned to his brother who stood at the door and mouthed out, " Don't follow me."
Daniel was about to say something but when he saw the look Emil darted him, he kept mum. He didn't say a word.
" Come here " Aunt Phillis gestured to Daniel with her hand.
Daniel nodded and walked to her side. She patted the empty space beside her on the bed for him to sit.
" Am sorry for all these years. You had to break your promise to your brother in order to keep mine." She held his hand in hers while rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand as she spoke.
"You didn't do anything for you to apologize. And I ..." ' I wanted to spare brother from experiencing the pain I went through when I first learnt of it. He suffered a lot when I was diagnosed with cancer .' he trailed off while he said the later part of the sentence in his mind.
When Emil exited the mansion, the weather had turned cloudy and rain was threatening to fall. He drove at a high speed with no destination in mind. He just wanted to get away.
For the past two hours that he left the mansion, he drove around aimlessly . He repeatedly drove on the same lane for the hundredth time.
Finally, he drove to ' THE INN' hotel. Right before he got down from the car, his phone beeped alerting him of a message. He glanced at the words sent and typed something on his phone and pressed send.
Afterwards, he switched his phone off and threw it on the car seat before locking the car.
Back in the mansion, Felix read the replied message out to everyone's hearing.
"Am at hotel INN. And am alright, don't worry about me"
"That's good. At least he didn't go to some unknown place"
Meanwhile in a certain mansion, Louisa bit tightly on her lower lip while staring at the test tube in her hand. She was lost in thought when her phone rang, startling her.
She looked at the screen and her face turned green with fear. " Mum what should I do? It's Aunt Kathryn's call" she said as she showed the screen to Leah, her mother.
"Answer it and listen to what she has to say"
" But..but"
" Just answer it. No need to tell her anything "
Louisa took a deep breath and answered the call. "Mum,how are you?" she asked
"Dear am fine. But ... Emil isn't. Can you seek him out for me? He doesn't want to see his brother at this moment, so you're the only person I can turn to for help. Also, this could help the both of you." Kathryn's worried but hinting voice was sounded.
"But Mum, he won't like to see me either" Louisa softly said
"He's at THE INN hotel. Find a way to meet him. This is as far as I can help" Kathryn said and quickly hanged up.
" What did she say?" Leah asked when Louisa brought the phone down from her ear.
" She wants me to go to Emil at THE INN hotel."
" Really?" Leah stared into distance in thought. Seconds later, her eyes sparkled, "I think this is it. Go to him, do whatever you can to get him to sleep with you. Don't forget whose daughter you are" she advised.
Louisa nodded while smiling knowingly.
.....