She tried to call at noon, twice. I curled up, buried my face with the pillow, yawned multiple times, stretched out my hands under the thick white blanket, tried to give myself more reason why I should get out of the bed. And the lunchtime was over.It's Sunday, I excused myself yet it did not sound right.
The slightly opened doors to the porch showed the part of a gloomy weekend, no much noise from the house, where's everybody at?
The phone rang again, Mom's number blinking, hope she comes with some good news.
A wedding of a cousin will be held this Feb 14 2011 in my late dad's hometown.'She asked if all of us can come and stay for one or two days.' Mom tends to say no to a long stay, 'Maybe it would be just me, or with your eldest sister.'
Nenny is still nowhere from recovery.
'Her condition is worsened. There are times that it did surprisingly improved then she will have another bad days.'
I sighed, Nenny is good at making I'm-okay face and she pretty keeps everything up to herself at a certain level yet she's very blatant in opinion and dislike. I know if she were in the same room with mom, she would shake her head and refuse to talk on the phone, 'Just say my hi to him,' she'd say.
'I have been keeping this from you for some reason,' mom continued, 'but for God's sake, it has been six months now.'
I felt weak and cut her off, 'Whoa!! The doctors and the so-called medicine did not work at all?!'
Having finally told me that, she went on describing her physical condition, her feet. I let mom speak while I tried not to listen to the details because they just made me feel worse.
'She insists on going to work wearing sandals. Sometimes the bakery shop staff asked her to take some rest behind those aluminum stalls when they see she's in pain.'
Before I say it mom said she doesnt want to quit, 'She says she cannot come with me to the wedding with that condition, she doesnt want to skip any single treatment at the clinic.'
And then she went all Math. Religious. Hopeful.
Some other news: She needs a new pair of reading glasses. Two deaths. Auntie's bad feelings that grandma will die soon. A dead puppy. Stolen fruits from her garden. And the rarity of fish that forces her going home empty-handed and has nothing to sell in the morning market.
'Why are you telling me a whole bunch of bad news,' I asked her after let out a hearty laughter, 'I mean, please give me something good to hear.' She laughed then sighed.
'Well, I made a few pennies from those papayas in the front yard,' she laughed again, 'And the neighbors bought the spinach in the back yard.' I said that is great! which sounds more like a sigh.
'Are you okay? I asked her without wanted to know what she'd said. 'Please be patient about Nenny's health. I am sure both of you have been nothing but great help for her's will to fight back to recovery.' Looked around the whole open space, I felt sick to my stomach.
She was alone at home. Nenny went to work that morning while Renata was still at church. There was some kids were talking loudly and dogs barking on the background.
'I will see if I can do something, please give me a week.' I can do nothing much except a little help.
'Now tell me about grandma. How's she doing?'
She soon got in a lighter mood, I took a listen to her voice as she told grandma always asks who the hell is she everytime mom comes to see her. Are you carrying some cookies for me? She'd ask and Then why would you even come?! she'd said if mom comes empty handed.
'She spends most of her time in her room,' mom explains, 'and good lord, she never calls Yolanda's name correctly,' mom laughed. Nanandayo...Nanandayo!
Yolanda, two year old great granddaughter from her second oldest died son sometimes pissed off and would say, Call sme Nanandayo one more time and I will not give your meal!'
I tried to recall how she looks like, 'She is growing up, cute as hell and talks perfectly,' mom said cheerfully. Mom likes gets some hug from her everytime she sees her on her way to kindergarten.
We went on talking for another twenty minutes, well, she talked and I listened. I got distracted when I heard Adam was barking madly outside the gate. He was standing less than a meter from a dark skinned boy in a bicycle, a son of one of those hotel staff, showing off his fierceness which was seen non threatening by the kid who by now laughed at Adam.
'What happened?' mom asked sensed my silence. I told her I need to get Adam from the hotel's area and she said she should get ready for an afternoon community worship.
It was a dull afternoon. With a growling stomach and a thoughtful heart I ran downstairs and outside, chasing Adam who looked like begging for some chase and run before take him back inside the house.
Life is awesome.
