"Chevy you have to stop stealing food," said her mom weakly. She let out a dry cough and laid back on the bed. "I know Mom, but I have no choice." "I want you to get better." "I'll take care of you until you're well."
"Chevy I won't survive this, you have to worry about yourself instead." "When I leave, I want you to be strong for your brother." She slurred. Her breaths were heavy, each word came out with difficulty. "Stay with me mom, I don't want to be strong, I need you by my side," Chevy replied in an emotion-laden voice. Tears clouded her eyes, she couldn't see clearly till they were slowly trickling down her cheeks. She drew closer to her mom's sick bed and held her hands reassuringly. "You'll get through this, I'm gonna do all I can." She cried desperately.
Her mom just got discharged a few weeks back. She had three months to live, she had chosen to spend the rest of her days with her family. Like all the other natives who passed away, she had leukemia. A very severe blood cancer.
Soon, there was a gentle knock on the wooden door. "Your dad is home". Her mom mumbled faintly. Chevy's four-year-old brother who sat by the corner the entire span ran to get the door. A young cheerful man in his late thirties walked in. He hauled James off the ground and swooped him in his arms. "Welcome Daddy". Chevy sniffed still holding her mother's hand. She rests her cheeks on them in sorrow. Everyone knew her mom was not going to make it. She was only back from the hospital to spend her last days with them. Chevy was overwhelmed by grief, She had no clue how she was supposed to cope without her mom.
"How is my baby doing?" Her father said sitting by his wife's bed staring into her eyes. Her mother forced a pained smile, she was weak. Her time was almost up. She shrouded her nose with her unrestrained hand to suppress a nosebleed and sloped her head up a little. Tears stung her eyes, It was getting excruciating by the minute.
The disease was slowly gnawing on her blood cells. She looked at him and smiled weakly. He managed to smile back. He had not been himself ever since his wife had been given an estimated time to live. He would cry every night, but he had to stay strong for his kids. He would wear a happy face in the daytime. He sat James on his lap, gripped the sobbing Chevy by her shoulders, and held her close to him.
They were going to leave Geneva before there were any more casualties. He was strongly working towards it.
"Don't miss me too much my love, just make sure Chevy stops stealing food when I'm gone." "I love you." She pleaded weakly, staring lovingly into his eyes. She was in pain, her mind seemed blurry.
"I love you too, we love you." He replied emotionally wearing a distressed smile. Chevy knew he was forcing it. She spoke up, she was tired of her mom acting like she was dying.
"I'll steal food for you mom, I want you to eat everything, Some fruits are good for cancer you can heal, that's why I steal all I can"." Apple cherries, mangoes, tomatoes, anything I can steal." "Eat all you can." "If you want me to stop, you have to get better." "Don't leave me. She argued in tears, holding her mom's hand firmly. She was desperate, no food could heal her mom. But somehow, being delusional felt better. After all, "Delulu was the solulu. "
"It still doesn't make it right, Chevy." "We may be hungry, but we have our dignity." Her father chastised her. "Dignity?." She cried and laughed at the same time. She stood up slowly. "You never upheld yours. "You made empty promises all through the year. "
"I don't care about dignity, I just want my mom. "
"Why is this happening to me? "What did we ever do ?."
"Why can't she be well?."
"It's all your fault !."
"You promised we'd leave!!!." She shrieked in rage and tears. She had watched her younger sister Lucy's last moments on her deathbed, and she couldn't bear to watch one more. "And I'll keep my promise sweetheart, just give me a little more time".
He said in remorse, he was close to tears.
He had lost all he had, he had traveled to south Geneva to find a job, and he got one in a steelworks. But he was made to sign a contract he'd work for a year, he didn't mind, the pay was great.
They ended up being underpaid or not paid at all for months. His dreams of moving away became toast.
"More time?". "We're losing mom.
"Calm down Chevy, this shouldn't be your mom's last memory of her family." "There are no last memories she's not dying! Chevy cried in denial and ran away. James ran after her immediately. She was his elder sister, the best in the world, he loved her a lot. Chevy ran outside and shut the door loudly behind her. Once outside, she slowly slid against the wall. She sank to the ground and cried. She wasn't ready to lose anyone else; she was tired. Her mom was going to live, she had to.
"Are you crying? James quizzed childishly but got no reply from his sad sister. "I gave one of the strangers my kite today, he loved it." "He promised to hang it up in his room," James said proudly. He stayed up all night making that kite. It was special.
Chevy was still indifferent, she was overwhelmed with grief. He came closer to where she sat and wiped her tears with his little hands. "Mr. Sprinkles asked to comfort you." He said giving her a brown old teddy bear Chevy got infuriated, he had given her the same teddy bear when Amelia died." It doesn't bring anyone back to life"
She sniffed. He smiled at her gently, and placed it on her crossed arms." Get it away from me". She commanded harshly as she flung it into the night. James began to cry, and seeing his tears, she ran away. She needed to see Gerald, he was the only comfort she needed right now. She believed she was gonna head out and be back in a few minutes. Everything would be alright her mom would be back to her cheerful self making around the house heartily, flashing smiles, and telling her and James lovely stories. She'd also comb their hair like she used to. James would be back to his playful self and her dad would stop acting like he was okay, he was going to be okay. No fake smiles, just true happiness. She was never going to accept losing her mother.
Never!