"Come to think of it, you did visit me every day. Even if it was just to sleep in the room." Mei walked on the concrete path with Isaac skipping through large rocks beside her. The moon was still full and its gaze centered on them. They were quite a distance from where they were seated last, their distance from one another grew as they walked.
"Didn't you ever get tired?" Mei asked, giving him a skeptical look.
"Of you? Well, you WERE a trainwreck in the kitchen." Isaac said as Mei scoffed. "Other than that. No. I never got tired of you." Mei stopped, her head bowed concealing her eyes,
"Mei? What's wrong?" Isaac asked.
"Why… Are you so serious all the time?" Mei looked up with a wide smile and burst with laughter.
"Hey, you asked the question. All I did was give an honest answer." Isaac retorted.
"Honest indeed," Mei said as she caught up with him and continued their stroll.
~~~
"Hey, are you almost done?" Rikki asked, his white shirt covered in splashes of paint as he packed sheets and canvases carefully in their respective containers.
"Just… about… done!" Isaac said as he swiped the brush across the large canvas.
"Great, I'll be taking that and you'll be taking a shower," Rikki said as Isaac sniffed himself. Noticing the intensity of his odor, he promptly dashes into the bathroom and comes out a new man minutes later.
"Nice! Although, wearing clothes might make this whole thing easier." Rikki said as he pointed toward Isaac's lower half. Isaac flinches then jumps back into the bathroom. He shambles with the shirt and struggles even more with the pants. As he gussies himself up, a sharp beat that soon forms a rhythm of painful taps comes from his chest and then spreads. His legs weaken, forcing him to his knees as blood starts flowing down his nose. Feeling as if he was about to pass out, his vision blurs and his mind races with thoughts of his family.
Is this it? The pain you two hid from me for so long?
I know it's pointless…
But…
Just a little more… time…
Isaac grabs hold of the sink and pushes himself up. Sensing this second wind, he wiped his nose clean and straightened his attire. He composes himself before exiting the bathroom and
"So what? Are we doing this?" Rikki asked, his hand opening the door halfway.
"Ain't backing out now." They rushed out the door and sprinted down the stairs, evading other tenants and cleaners with their equipment. As they reached the parking area, only then did they realize…
"Oh shit, Sydney was our ride," Rikki said. Both of them stood in the open parking lot, both carrying large bags. Onlookers gave concerned faces and remarks to one another, assuming the two were off to rob a bank or commit other vile acts.
"Can we make it if we take the bus?" Isaac asked.
"I don't even think they're gonna let us on the bus," Rikki replied. Suddenly, a jet-black car rolled up in front of them. The window of the driver's seat dropped slowly, revealing a dark-haired man wearing semi-formal attire.
"Dad?" Isaac gasped.
"Get in." His father gestured as he opened the locks of the passenger doors. Without hesitation, Isaac scurried over to the passenger seat as Rikki put their luggage in the trunk.
"You're not looking too well there, son." His father points at his face drained of color and his now noodly arms. "I've seen it before. It never gets easier." He said as he settled back into his seat, letting out one deep breath.
"How'd you know we needed a ride?" Isaac asked.
"Some girl named Sydney called me. I wouldn't normally listen to random calls but she gave a pretty convincing backstory." Not wanting to question any further, Isaac checked on Rikki who had finished with the trunk and settled in the back. Thanks to his father's background in driving, they managed to make up for time despite the initial setback at the cost of a bouncy trip.
~~~
"Sweetie? Are you awake?" The nurse knocked before she asked.
"Just… about!" Mei winced, stretched, then let out a loud yawn. "Whyyyyyyyy? It's too early for breakfast!" Mei grimaced at the unexpected visit. Were it not for the nurse she had befriended and asked multiple favors of, she would have gladly stayed buried in the bed.
"And how would you know what time it is?" The nurse asked. "The sun! I usually feel the heat through the windows." Mei pouted.
"And what if it was raining or cloudy?" The nurse fired back.
"I would hear you walk in and make sure the windows were closed. That means you were already doing your rounds which is still pretty early." Mei said with a smirk. The nurse sighed in defeat.
"You have a visitor." The nurse said as she moved away from the door, giving way for a man to enter. He closed the door and removed his hat. Mei could hear sniffles as if someone was on the verge of tears.
"Mei?" The man asked.
"Dad?" Mei asked back, her body motioned backward. "What are you doing here?"
"I got the higher-ups to re-assign me here. So that I could look after you." He answered. A pause as silence filled the room.
"What do you want—" Mei asked.
"I'm sorry." He blurted out. "I'm so very sorry. That I wasn't there for you. I'm a worthless excuse of a father." He lowered his head, his fingers rubbing on his hat.
"So you came here to make me feel sorry for you?" Mei's voice grew more aggressive.
'I came here… To do right by you. I've always put myself and others before you, before my daughter. And look where that's brought things." He grunted, with a suppressed expression. "You have every right to hate me." He said, taking a few steps closer to Mei. "But no matter what, I'll stay. I'll look after you until you get better. Until you can see again and after that, I'll do whatever you wish. If you ever want to see me again, I'll stay away. But now, I can't leave you. I won't." He said as he came inches away from Mei.
Tears streamed from his eyes but Mei looked ahead, almost as if her gaze was piercing through his torso.
"Where's Mom?" Mei asked.
"She… said that she was too busy. I… I'm sorry." He said as he stood there for seconds that felt like hours, afraid to move to say more.
"I hate you. Both of you, so much. Tearing apart our family so that you could build a new one without me." Mei said, her gaze unflinching. Her father with furrowed brows and a pained expression turned around and motioned for the exit. Suddenly, a warm feeling overtook him. Mei had extended her hands to embrace him.
"I was so scared… I saw you… and Mom… and my friends. I thought I was about to lose everyone." She said as she cried into the back part of his jacket. Her father turned around and also embraced his daughter. Mei would continue to sob and so would her father. Their sorrow would soon be overtaken by joy as they both realized that this was their first moment as father and daughter after a long time.
~~~
"Daddy! Daddy! Pose for me!" Little Mei said as she readied the polaroid to take a photo of her father beside the statue of a gorilla.
"Look, Daddy! He looks just like you!" Her father laughed and carried her on her shoulder.
"When I grow up, I want to take pictures!" Mei declared.
"Pictures? Of what?" Her father asked.
"People! Animals! Everything! I want to share these with everyone and tell them all about these amazing stories and adventures I had." She exclaimed, raising her hands in the air.
"Sounds like I have a journalist in my hands!" He laughed and so did Mei. They shared the entire afternoon in the zoo, eating ice cream and petting rabbits. Mei continued to take pictures, ones she always kept with her in the back pages of her journal.