Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 46

TRISTAN JAMES

“When can I take them home?” TJ asked the doctors attending both his mother and brother.

“Don’t you have any older family member that we can talk about this?” one of the doctors asked.

“No. It’s just me. It’s just us” he answered.

“We can discharge your mother this Saturday, your brother” she looked at the other doctor.

“If he’s stable until Saturday, I can sign his release on Sunday” he said. “But” he continued. TJ listened closely. “I will refer him to one of our psychologists here. I recommend he undergo therapy so we can avoid this incident from happening again” they looked like they’re hesitating to tell him. Who wouldn’t? He’s just a high schooler after all.

“How much are we going to pay?” he asked.

“We can talk to your mom about it”

“I will be withdrawing it. I need to know how much I need” he insisted.

“I will ask a copy from the finance and have one of the nurses give it to you” the doctor answered.

“Both my mom and brother’s bill, please” he asked.

The doctors looked at him and nodded. He can almost see them feeling sorry for him. It’s Thursday. After the doctors’ rounds, he sat and looked at his mother’s notebook. He saw how she’s budgeting their money. There’s an incoming written and under it, his mother’s income and his father’s pension. Then there’s outcoming and under it is their expenses and savings. He looked at the passbooks in his bag. There are three, he read his mother’s handwriting on the covers each. Anthony’s college, TJ’s college and Anthony and TJ’s wedding.

He sighed. I don’t think Kuya’s getting married anytime soon, neither am I. He thought. He can pay their bills from the fund their mother saved for their weddings.

“It’s both time deposit accounts and you are a minor. Do you have an authorization letter, at least?” the teller asked him. He went to the bank and was trying to withdraw their funds. He saw the bill and unfortunately, their fund for their wedding is not enough to cover the expenses. Both of them do not have health insurance. So, he decided to withdraw the fund for the wedding and his college fund. His Kuya still needs his, since he’s already a graduating student.

“No, I already given you my ID and my mother’s, for your reference. Both of them are in the hospital right now, so I’m sorry if I can’t provide you an authorization letter right now because I was preoccupied fearing for their life!” TJ can’t help but have an outburst at the bank. Suddenly, some of the employees and customers are starting to stare at them.

“I’m sorry to hear that” the teller said and stood. “Please wait here” she said. She went in a small office in the corner of the room. After a few minutes, she peeked and made a hand gesture telling TJ to come inside. TJ stood and walked inside the room.

“Hello, Sir Gomez” a man who looks like in his early thirties greeted him. It’s weird for someone so old call him sir. “I understand you want to withdraw from two time-deposit accounts” he started. TJ nodded. “Those two accounts haven’t reached their maturity yet and you are a minor. We don’t normally authorize transactions like this, but given your circumstance, we will make an exception. Do you have photocopies of the hospital bill and your mother’s ID?” he asked.

“I only have the original copies” he answered. How was he supposed to know?

“No worries” the man said. “Glenn” he said to the woman who entertained him outside. Glenn took the original copies and went to the xerox machine.

He stayed at that office, and there he signed all necessary documents. The money was also given to him there. The woman named Glenn walked him outside the bank. “Are you going straight to the hospital?” she asked.

“Yes” he simply answered.

“Which hospital?” she asked again.

“Saint Luis” he told her.

“Terry!” she shouted at one of the tricycles lining in front of the bank just across the street. The man, Terry, nodded and had his motorcycle started.

He suddenly started to get anxious. Why did she call someone to drive him? Is this one of those situations where people get robbed after withdrawing a huge amount of money? It’s not even that huge. “It’s okay. I can—”

“Mom! Mom!” a girl started shouting from across the street. He saw her looked from both sides before crossing the street. She ran to them quickly. “The class was suspended for the afternoon, I told dad I’ll wait for him here” she said smiling at her. She suddenly looked at him and smiled. She looks the same age as him.

TJ stared at her. Her hair darker than his, but also brown. It’s wavy and shoulder length. She smiled at her mother so brightly. Even from across the street he noticed how beautiful her smile is.

“Victoria, you go inside and wait for me there” Glenn said to the girl who seemed to be her daughter. “Terry, drive him to Saint Luis. Don’t load anymore passengers” she said. Tricycles usually load two to three passengers per trip. He saw her handed money for his fare.

“You don’t have to” he whispered. “I can pay for my fare” he told Glenn.

“It’s okay. You go to the hospital now” she said and held her daughter’s hand.

He walked nearer to Glenn. “Ma’am, I’m sorry I yelled at you inside” he apologized. Suddenly he felt guilty.

“It’s okay. I hope your family recovers soon” she said smiling so warmly.

Her daughter, who she called Victoria, also smiled at him. “I hope they get well soon” she told him too. He smiled at both of them before getting inside the tricycle.

After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at the hospital. He saw a familiar man in the cashier. He doesn’t know him, but he knows he saw him from somewhere. He continued walking and started to slow down the closer he gets to the man.

“TJ?” he called.

Then, suddenly he realized. “You’re Ate Selena’s father?” he asked. It’s been more than a week since he last saw her. “How is she?”

The man smiled sadly. “She passed away, three days ago” Selena’s father answered.

His eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything. Although she told him it’s in stage four, someone who comes in and out of their house for almost five years to just die like that, will surprise him. “I’m sorry” he said. He then noticed the black pin on his t-shirt. “Where’s her wake?” he asked. There’re still a few days left to visit her, after he takes his mom and brother home this Sunday.

“I already had her buried” he answered.

“Really? Why?” he asked. Usually, a Filipino wake lasts for nine days before the burial.

“It’s more painful for me to see my daughter there” Selena’s father answered.

“I” he said, not knowing what to say next. “I always say mean things to her ever since” he said. He didn’t realize a few tears fell from his eyes. “I always told her my brother’s too handsome for her” he said just looking down. And for a few moments of his life, he hated her. He blamed her for what happened to his Kuya. Tears continued falling down the floor.

Her father smiled at him and tapped his shoulders. “She always talks about you fondly. She enjoyed all the time she spent with you” he said. TJ just nodded. “She told me you’re a smart, young man. Can I ask you to keep this from your brother? That’s one of her final wishes”

TJ continued nodding. “Then, can I ask where she’s buried?” he asked. “So, I can give her flowers in my brother’s stead?”

Selena’s father smiled at him and gave him the location.

JOHN ANTHONY

Anthony stared at TJ talking to the nurse he hired. He’s just in second year high school. A teenager. And yet he handled everything so maturely. When they were admitted at the hospital, TJ made all the decisions, even the room they will stay in. He even went to the bank alone and withdrew money from passbook accounts and paid their hospital bills. He went to the pharmacy and bought their medicines prescribed by their respective doctors. Even he doesn’t know how TJ managed it all alone. And now, he even hired a nurse who will help him and their mother keep their medication in check.

“Anthony” Flora called. He looked at their mother sitting on a sofa in their living room. “Your brother booked you for therapy sessions”

“Aren’t you the one who needs therapy, mom?” he asked. Although, he’s not sure. Therapy should be for patients who had strokes, their mother only had a mild heart attack.

“It’s for you” Flora said. She sighed. “It’s therapy sessions with a—” she paused. “Psychologist” she continued.

“Oh” is the only thing he can say. TJ really is a smart kid. He smiled sadly. It’s his fault he was admitted in the hospital, and his fault their mother had a heart attack. Even TJ being in such a difficult position is on him. He sighed. It felt like a sharp knife pierced his chest. His sweet brother, taking all the responsibility. He nodded at Flora. “How many sessions?” he asked.

“Six” she answered. He nodded again.

“Kuya?” TJ asked when he saw him walking from Selena’s house. He tried to ask her father for any number or email he can contact her but he told him, Selena didn’t leave any. How can he get mad? Her father looks as devastated as him. They were both left behind.

“TJ” he answered. He didn’t know what to say. Somehow, he felt ashamed. “What are you doing here?” he asked. Selena’s address is far from TJ’s school.

“I was just coming from a friends’ house. They helped me a lot when you and mom were in the hospital. It’s his mom’s birthday” he said. “What about you?” he asked.

He smiled. TJ never had any friend he spent after school with. He’s growing.

TJ looked like he realized where he went. “Let’s go home” he said. He nodded.

He’s growing, but somehow, he felt like they’re growing apart. He feels sad about it but he can’t blame him. He’s been sidetracked for a long time. He needs to build himself up. For his mother. For TJ and most importantly, for himself.