GEM'S health deteriorated. The tumor was detected extremely late. She attempted all treatments but they were futile. She quit her job. She pleaded with Var to dissociate from her. Var insisted he promised her he would never leave her and he is a man of his word, he will stand on that.
Two months into her leukemia diagnosis, Gem had lost plenty of hair.
Three months down, she'd lost weight drastically.
Before her fourth month of diagnosis, she was confined to a wheelchair.
The Dynasty family have been dejected. Gem tries to smile so they can cheer up but beneath her smiles, she is tearing up and they all know. Her life is falling apart but she can't do anything about it. She stays at home alone on most days until they return from work.
During the fourth month of her ailment, an incident happened. Var came visiting as usual. Gem was sitting on her bed in her room and Var— on the bedside stool.
"Princess, there's something under your pillow. The pillow on the other side of the bed. Could you stretch to grab it, please?"
"Something under my pillow? What could that be?" Gem turns her back to Var as she reaches for under the second pillow. She finds a little box underneath the pillow.
"That's weird. Who put this here? Var…" She turns her face to Var's direction and is surprised to see him kneeling now. "Babe, what's wrong?" Gem is puzzled.
"Open the box." Var orders in a soft tone.
Gem opens the box to a glimmering ring.
"Ah!" Gem gasps.
"Princess, marry me. Please?"
"Var, you know my condition. I…"
"Shhhh." Var places his index finger on her lips. "No long talk. Just say yes, please. I don't care what you are diagnosed with. I want the whole of you till eternity."
"Okay." Gem nods.
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes! I will marry you, Var!"
"My baby." Var sits on Gem's bed. He kisses her passionately on her lips. "Till the wheels fall off." He pulls her into an embrace.
"You have been everything and more, Var. I appreciate you."
"I would have taken you out for dinner tonight but my grandparents are coming into town and I have to pick them from the airport, remember? I will take you to dinner tomorrow. Dress up. I will pick you 7 p.m."
"I don't want you to take me to dinner. You will have to push me around in a wheelchair and all that. I don't want you to suffer my predicament with me."
"I don't like when you talk like that. I just asked you to marry me. I certainly don't intend locking you up in my house for the rest of our lives. Dinner tomorrow. It's to a new and better beginning. Okay, princess?"
"Okay, fiancé."
"I love the sound of that," Var grins. "I've got to go. I love you, wife-to-be." Var pecks her on her forehead and heads out.
"Love you right back." Gem murmurs.
"We have a wedding to plan!" Shannel announces in excitement as they eat by the dining table.
"Var is such a gentleman. I wholeheartedly endorse him. He's fit to contend with me for my baby girl." Henry enunciates through a chunk of food in his mouth.
"Gavin and Naomi say they will come for dinner tomorrow. We will celebrate then." Greg speaks.
"Ah. Var is taking me for dinner tomorrow. He says it's to a new and better beginning. Maybe Gavin and Naomi should come the day after tomorrow?" Gem pleads.
"Really? That young man is very romantic. Kudos to him. He's been with you through thick and thin. Yet, he doesn't flinch. He deserves showers of blessings. Our family celebration shall wait, absolutely." Shannel responds.
"You lucked out on this one," Greg nods. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to find a woman that will bring out the compassion in me too."
"How about that one you talk to, every night, on the phone?" Shannel asks.
"I noticed you haven't been talking to her anymore. Why?" Henry asks.
"She ditched me when she found out my genotype. She said she loves how healthy I look but she can't endure my health deficit." Greg shrugs. "I was starting to see a future with her."
"Sorry about that. I'm sure the right woman will come along." Shannel places her hand on Greg's shoulder.
"Maybe. But right now, I'd rather enjoy my own company."
"I used to say that. Look at me now — all loved-up. The right person comes along to influence you positively." Gem grins. "I bestow accolades upon dad and mum. They have ensured you—Greg—and Gavin look as hale as a healthy person. No one ever believes either of you is a sickler until you are down with crisis. It is rather unfortunate that a great portion of your wealth has been munched by the deterrent health of your children. First, Gavin and Greg with their hospital adventures. Now me, with my exorbitant cancer treatment. I'm so sorry you both have to go through such tedious physical, emotional and financial pressures. You are amazing parents. You deserve nothing similar to our healths."
"I tell you. People their age usually spend heavily on their health. Hypertension, diabetes, liver or kidney failure, cancer and all sorts due to old age. They've been blessed enough to not suffer any of those. However, they are paying for it through our ailments. Life is unfair." Greg supports.
"Stop speaking ill of yourselves. We are not complaining." Henry scolds.
"We know you are exhausted repressively." Greg maintains.
"Never. The three of you are impressive children. Even as adults, you are still respectful and decent. We can never be exhausted giving you the best. Moreover, Henry and I have decided to strike out resignation. We can't afford to resign because of Gem's health. We need to keep the funds coming." Shannel announces.
"Oh my God! Mum! Please, don't act on that decision. I know I countered your initial decision about resignation but I didn't mean to alter it. Please, resign as you initially purported." Gem disagrees.
"There's no fulfillment in resigning while our bills pile up. Don't you reckon?" Henry asks.
"Oh," Gem bellows. "I'm so sorry for the inconveniences."
"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Henry reinstates.
"You said you wanted to resign to take care of your grandkids. Gavin's baby is on the way. So…"
"Gemma, don't worry about a single thing. We will handle everything. We can request a leave or something." Shannel convinces.
"Thank you for everything, dad and mum. I will make it all up to you when I'm rich. I promise." Greg articulates. "By the way, let me tell you guys this funny scenario that happened at work today."
"I wish I had stories from work too. I'm always bored and alone at home." Gem sulks.
"We know you are accustomed to being a workaholic," Henry teases. "We are working on launching a store for you. You will have a sales attendant that maintains the shop when you can't go there."
"Really?" Gem's face lights up. "You guys are the best parents in the world!"
The next morning, Shannel knocks on Gem's door.
"Come in." Gem responds.
"Morning, sweetheart."
"Good morning, mum."
"I'm going to work. I will be back early today. I want to particularly dress you up for your dinner with my son-in-law. Hmmm. Son-in-law suits my tongue perfectly."
"Mummy," Gem giggles. "No problem. Have a nice day. Love you."
"Love you too."
Gem grabs her phone. There's a message from Var — I'm so eager to see my sexy fiancée tonight.
Gem grins. "I can't wait to be at your service, my king"; Gem texts back.
Gem pulls her wheelchair closer to her bed and gently slips into it from her bed. She has been perfecting her use of the wheelchair. She no longer falls when trying to sit in it and she doesn't run into the wall while riding it anymore.
She rolls the wheels to the sitting room and turns on the television. It's the regular routine — her parents and Greg go to work; leaving only Gem at home — Gem eats, sleeps, uses her phone, watches TV until their return. When they return from work, they keep her company.
She sniffs a burnt smell. She turns her neck and sees a fog of smoke coming from the kitchen. She rolls her chair to the kitchen. When she gets to the kitchen, she notices the microwave was left on. Someone must have left food in it and forgotten to turn it off, due to a hurry. It's not such a rare occasion in their house but this time, it is slightly different because it is usually that somebody grabs food out of the microwave and forgets to turn it off.
Gem looks up at the microwave. It is slightly high. She'd have to leap out of her wheelchair to turn it off. She sighs. It will be really difficult and painful on her weak legs but she can't leave the house to burn. She halts her chair beneath the microwave. Slowly and painfully, she places her feet on the floor and fastens her hands to the kitchen cabinet. She motions her body out of the wheelchair slowly. As she stands on her full length, she smiles—feeling achieved. Then she falls to the ground. She groans in pain. By now, the smoke from the microwave is immense. It is threatening to start a fire soon. She stands again, slowly — one hand on her wheelchair and the other hand on the cabinet foot. She attains her full height. She turns the microwave off.
Her legs lose balance again. She doesn't want to fall to the floor the second time. As she struggles to land in her wheelchair, her hand hit a knife beside the microwave. Just as she lands in her wheelchair, the knife lands on the floor—grazing her right leg on its way. The cut is deep. She starts bleeding profusely. Her ailment involves low chances of blood clot. She rolls her chair to the sitting room so she can put an emergency phone call through. Blood continues gushing out of her leg. She is growing increasingly weak. Her wheelchair gallops and she falls out of it. She is too weak to try and get back in the chair. She tries crawling to where her phone is but the pain in her bleeding leg holds her down. Debilitated, she lay still in the spot on which she fell.
Shannel is the first person to return from work. She came back earlier today because of Gem's dinner date with Var.
"Honey, I'm home." Shannel announces as she opens the door. "I bought you new jewelry and…" She opens her mouth in disdain when she notices Gem—on the floor; in a pool of blood—at the kitchen entrance.
"Gemma!" Shannel runs to meet Gem. "Gemma! What's happened? Gemma!" Shannel kneels beside Gem and pulls her weak body onto her folded thighs. Gem gasps languidly. "Don't give up on me, Gem. Let me call the emergency. You have a date with Var tonight, remember? Please, stay alive."
Shannel dials the emergency line.
"Hello! I have a leukemia patient bleeding terribly. Please, come right away! House 79, Konsize Street. Thank you!"
"Gemma, please. The emergency crew will be here soon."
"I … love…" Gem mutters amidst gasps. "…you…mum."
"I love you too. Stay with me." Sirens are heard outside. "The emergency vehicle is here. Please live. Be alive for us."
Paramedics rush inside the building and raise Gem onto a stretcher. They perform first aid treatment on her and hurriedly carry her into the emergency van. Shannel follows them. The emergency van carted Gem and Shannel away.
"Gemma. Sweetheart, please stay with me." Shannel chants.
Gem has lost too much blood. Immediately the van pulls up in front of the nearest hospital, Gem kicks the bucket.