Mei kept the smile on her face while she slowly approached the hospital bed and sat on the chair beside it. She had questioned addicts, policemen, the meanest professors, and all types that could be found on campus but only now was she reminded of the dark and grim feeling she had when she was still with her parents.
"How have you been Mei?" She cheerfully asked.
"I'm… I'm fine Ms. Aikawa." Mei responded with her smile growing weaker by the second.
"Oh you don't have to act all behaved with me here Mei. Isaac's told me all about what you've been up to since you stopped coming over. He told me that you're a journalist for the university now? And that you've been getting awards left and right. Who would have known that that jumpy little girl would grow up to be so successful." The two continued sharing stories about each other since they last met. As the conversation went on, Mei became more relaxed than she initially was.
"Ms. Aikawa… Are you okay?" Mei asked. Ms. Aikawa looked over to the side and grabbed the portrait she was holding earlier.
"I'm guessing you heard the conversation we had earlier. The truth is… I don't have much longer to live." Mei's heart sank as her eyes widened and were glossed with tears about to pour out. She held them back as best she could.
"My husband and I, when I was first sent to the hospital, we had an agreement. We agreed on getting a divorce but he would still support my medication and Isaac's education. I wanted to tell Isaac about the arrangement but he'd already cut his father out of his life. He had already gotten a job and made considerable progress in his studies. If I were to tell him the truth… I was scared of what he would do." Ms. Aikawa stared deeper at the portrait. It depicted the entire family, including Isaac and his older brother Aaron when they were still kids.
"Ms. Aikawa… Wha— I— I'm—" Mei's voice trembled as she stuttered to get a word out.
Ms. Aikawa reached out to Mei and placed her hand on Mei's. Her tears started flowing as she lunged forward to embrace Ms. Aikawa.
"Ouch!" Ms. Aikawa squealed. Mei let go of her tight embrace.
"Just kidding!" Ms. Aikawa said with a mischievous smile. Mei responded with a deep pout
Time seemed to pass by as the two continued to share stories. One could mistake the scenario as a slumber party between two girls. Ms. Aikawa would often tease Mei, and Mei would find it hard to fight back as she has never won against Ms. Aikawa when it came to teasing ever since she was a kid.
"Ms. Aikawa! I've decided that for my last story, I'll make one about you and Isaac!" Mei stood and proudly declared.
"Oh, I don't think your readers would find me interesting, Mei." Ms. Aikawa released a chuckle.
"For any other writer maybe, but you see Ms. Aikawa…" Mei pointed to what she imagined were the stars but was actually just the roof of the room. "...in my hands, this story's gonna move hearts and inspire millions!" Mei continued.
Ms. Aikawa felt the passion in Mei's words. Truth be told, she wanted as few people to know about her condition as possible. Yet, having Mei be a part of the decision-making gave her solace. And she would accept given another reason.
"If we're going through with this Mei. I want Isaac to agree as well. This could help him with the rumors going around about him. Even though we lied to him for so long, I never doubted how hard he worked for the things he loved. I want everyone to know that about him." Ms. Aikawa placed her hand on her chest, giving Mei her utmost trust.
"I'm on the case, first we need to–"
"We NEED to talk, Mei." Mei jumped from her seat as Isaac promptly entered the room.
She looked back at Ms. Aikawa who motioned her to go with him. Mei turned back and waved goodbye before exiting the room. Isaac himself seemed to have recovered a bit but could not deign to look at his mother. He slowly closed the door behind him and the two walked towards the waiting hall.
"Isaac, my son, I truly am sorry for lying to you. But now it's your turn to tell her the truth." Ms. Aikawa turned to the portrait once again and brushed her fingers on the part where Aaron was standing.
There were few people with them in the waiting hall. Mei sat down on one of the metallic chairs and fixed the notes she had written down from earlier. Isaac spent a good amount of change trying to get coffee from a vending machine until cursing in anger.
"Here, let me get that for you." Mei appears at his side and gives the machine a good kick. Two cans of coffee come tumbling down and loose change from the coin slot as well. Mei swiped the coins and one of the coffee cans.
"My payment." She gave Isaac an insulting look and went back to her seat. Isaac managed a short smile when he was sure Mei could no longer see his face. He opened the can and took a sip.
"Sour, and cold." He sat right next to Mei who, to him, seemed to be creating a new type of handwriting on her notepad.
"You know, I studied up on the Sumerians one time. Pretty sure that's how they developed their writing style." Isaac said, looking straight.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Mei too did not avert her gaze from her notepad.
"Oh nothing, just saying I'm witnessing genius in the making. The same type of genius that, I don't know, agreed to publish a story about me and my mother for the entire university to see?" Isaac slowly turned with a smirk on his face. Mei stopped, put her notes away, took a deep breath, then looked at Isaac seriously.
"Isaac, how are you? Really." Mei asked.
"I don't know. But I guess she told you everything." Isaac said plainly. He relaxed into the seat, prodding his hand over his eyes.
"Your mom, she hasn't changed at all since we were kids. And damn she hasn't seemed to age as well." Mei leaned forward and they both shared a laugh.
"You guys have always been like family to me. I don't want you to think I'm doing this out of pity, this WILL help you but I want to do this for your mom and myself. It's the only way I can help her right now." Mei slumped into her seat.
"I looked through the door while you guys were talking. I… Haven't seen her smile like that in a long time. She was always putting on a face for us but when you were with her, she seemed genuinely happy." Isaac also slumped into his seat.
"We know she doesn't have long, so if you think this will make her happy then go for it. I'll support you, however, I can." Isaac turned to look at Mei she looked back with eyes glistening with excitement. Her usual look when she got a hold of a story. She quickly took out her notes and started with a hundred questions with thousands more coming later.
"Not tonight Mei. I think we've both earned a rest. I can't walk you home right now. I'm worried about Mom after all the things that happened today." Isaac took out his phone.
"Even though I avoided you all this time, I did miss my best friend too." Isaac calmly said as he caught Mei blushing a little.
"Hmph! You should know me better by now Isaac! I don't care if you're flunking your studies. I can even help you with them!"
"My studies?" Isaac was taken aback at her statement.
"Yeah, your mom told me you've been having trouble with them so I'm offering my services," Mei answered.
"Is that all she told you?" Isaac fired back swiftly, a line of sweat dripping down from his head.
"Apart from me being the only friend you have, nothing entirely embarrassing that I don't already know." Mei chuckled, going back to her notes and fixing her things.
In an instant, Isaac felt a great weight crawl its way back up his shoulders. He turned away and pondered. He thought of what his mother said, the details she left out. The grim details he thought were already divulged and free from his personage. All he could do was bury his face into his hands and think deeper.
"Isaac? Is something wrong?" Mei's question broke his trance.
"It's nothing. The app it's… I can't seem to get you a car." Isaac lurched out an excuse.
"I could drive her home."
The two looked up and saw Isaac's father approach them. His suit was unbuttoned and his shoes a little muddy, no doubt from pacing outside in the rain looking for Isaac. Mei sensed the tension rise when Isaac's face changed and he stood up. She stopped him in his tracks and muttered a few words to Isaac. He sat back down and Mei approached Isaac's father and accepted his offer to drive her home.
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Aikawa!" Mei said with her signature smile.
Isaac was left alone in the waiting hall. He had contemplated ways to tell Mei. He decided to do so after graduation which was only weeks away. The announcer rang and nurses on their night shift started coming in through the entrance, some were soaked from the sudden downpour. Isaac was filled with self-doubt and anxiety but tucked it all away in the corners of his mind. Right now, he wanted to get back on the canvas, he wanted to make his mother's final days the happiest they could be. And of course, he wanted to spend more time with Mei.