Chapter 62: Chapter 62
“Then I’ll try, I’ll keep trying until you can trust me again. And the first step to that, can we walk together again? Like going to the cafeteria, visiting each other’s houses and going out together?” said Helena with her thin smile while gazing at Natty.
Natty pauses for a moment, she looks as if she’s thinking of something. Then Natty nodded her head as a sign of approval. Helena smiled, she was so happy that her smile was so wide that even her eyes also smiled and shone. They’re walking together again, maybe starting over is the right move. Although at the moment Helena doesn’t know if she will be able to rebuild Natty’s trust that she once let down at least now she can be happy and forget about her upset with Alex.
***
Have you ever wondered what smiling people are hiding beautifully. What may be stored behind the brightest shining eyes and what is actually felt by people who always give affection and hug others warmly.
Those who always look happiest and give happiness to others. Those we see every time are fine, but are they wonderful? Since no one has no problem and no one in the world is really okay, it’s an indisputable fact.
It may sound cliché but the world goes that way. We walk on it, and we’re going to run through many obstacles. Sometimes we will think about giving up and often we feel tired. Then what about those who keep smiling? Are you really sure they’re okay or maybe they’re just hiding what they’re feeling?
Ricky looks so lethargic even his eyes look very sultry. His usual stature is now drooping weakly as he undergoes the hospital’s white tiled floor. Every step of the way, he’s getting tougher. Passing through the hallway of the hospital and seeing people walking with drips, some even sitting in wheelchairs with someone behind them pushing wheelchairs. Busy patients, doctors and nurses are the sights he meets every step of the way.
Ricky arrives in front of his father’s office, Ricky’s face looking very anxious. In fact, he seemed hesitant to hold the doorknob as if he was afraid of something if he opened it. Ricky fell silent for a moment, and then he took a deep breath while gathering courage and getting rid of his anxiety.
Ricky opened the door, he saw his father sitting in his chair in his white robe. Ricky stepped in and closed the door. Then he sat in the chair in front of his father. Ricky gets very nervous because this is the first time his father has asked him to meet without Ruby’s knowledge. Usually, they meet because Ricky wants to see Ruby, but now they’re just the two of them and his dad’s face looks serious, making Ricky even more anxious.
“Why did you call me?” asked Ricky with his eyes trembling and his voice sounding hesitant.
“Here, about Ruby...” His father said his loud voice made Ricky even more worried.
“ What’s wrong with Ruby? She’s been getting treatment and all the treatment to survive. Isn’t the cure going to help her? She’s been around for over 10 years. Is she okay?” asked Ricky with great worry?
“ Yes, but in the latest examination we found that the drug consumed by Ruby is no longer effective. We may be able to slow down but not to heal. Now the only way to cure Ruby is just a spinal cord donor. But we know there is still no suitable bone marrow.” Said his father explained.
“ It really doesn’t make sense! Dad and I have done tests, but we’re not cut out to be Ruby’s donors. Even dad and his brother can’t how can anyone else be a donor to Ruby?” said Ricky who was so frustrated that he became so upset
“ We’ll find and try, but for now, we can only hope. Maybe there’s someone who’s fit to be Ruby’s donor.” Said his father wanted to calm Ricky down.
But Ricky’s been worried about Ruby a lot. Listening to such bad news frustrates him from being too anxious. Although his father tried to calm Ricky down with his calm words, Ricky thought of his father’s words differently and it made him so angry that he hit the table so hard and looked at his father with an angry stare.
“How can you be so calm? You’re not only her doctor but her father. How can a father be so calm to say his daughter’s condition is critical?! I hate you so much, if anything happens to her then I won’t forgive you.” Ricky said with anger, and then he left with his feet.
His father could only sigh deeply. He’s back in his gloomy room. He’s back in his mind which is mostly about Ruby’s condition which is slowly getting worse. It was very difficult for him to determine the role of a doctor or a father because the patient he cared for was his youngest daughter. Just like Ricky, who is getting frustrated as an older brother, he also feels very frustrated as a father as well as a doctor who takes care of Ruby.
No father in the world is prepared to lose their daughter as well as him. She’s been working Ruby’s treatment, and she’s even registered Ruby as a spinal cord donor, but after 10 years, a suitable donor has not been found. He repeatedly did tests but the results remained the same, he couldn’t donate his spinal cord to Ruby. As a father who has struggled for 10 years to treat his daughter, perhaps he would have given up if Ruby hadn’t been so cheerful.
Ruby who is always smiling and looks cheerful becomes an encouragement for people around her including her father and even her brother. Whereas compared to others Ruby is the one who suffers the most from her illness. Even so, Ruby still smiles broadly and still gives joy to those around her.
***
Time runs out quickly when everyone else is busy studying in class. Drake was picking up Natty in her class wearing a basketball team uniform because there was extra practice to prepare for the basketball game that was about to be held. With his trademark whistling Drake called Natty tidying up her bag. Natty took her backpack, and she approached Drake waiting for her at the door. Drake smiled a little and then comfortably embraced Ruby’s shoulders.