Remember Me, Paradise (Completed)

I: Stranger No More

"Good day, Mrs. Summers?

"Oh doctor, how's my son? How's Rolf?

"You're son's blood work shows significant changes, having these high grade fevers with no apparent reason.."

"What are you suggesting?

Andria, Rolf's mom interrupted.

"Well, from his results and symptoms, I suggest you undergo a much more reliable tests rather than CBC alone."

"More tests? Doctor.. My son just got high grade fever.. What are you implicating? What do you mean he needs more serious tests?" Andria said raising her voice crossing her brows.
Rolf is merely a teenager but had been admitted to hospitals with serious illnesses many times for the past years.

"Mrs. Summers, look.. I don't want to take my suspicions in any matter, but I'll be straight to you.."

The room was filled with dead silence. Andria's heart almost gave up on thrill.

"What.. is it doc?"

"I suspect Rolf has S.L.E"

And Andria broke a tear in her eye.

*****

"Dice! C'mmon' you'll gonna be late for your practice!" John called.

"I'm coming coach! Coming!" Dice shouted echoing from the corners of her room.

"Erin? Aren't you coming? You and your sister have to practice hard if you want to win this swimming contest." John exclaimed.

"Aww dad, I'm tired fluttering all day. Kicking my legs til they drop! I need rest! Dice can go!" Erin said.

Erin is Dice's big sister. She was so good in swimming she almost lost her manners talking to her dad.

"Erin, your little sister needs someone to look up to and it's you. Now get your butt in the car now! John said furiously.

Dice was never a real part to this family. Her parents died of an accident when she was just two. John was just a poster parent raising his only daughter Erin. John is not just their dad but their coach in swimming as well.

"Dad I'm ready!" Dice leaped off the stairs and run through the door.

"Then let's go practice!" John exclaimed.

The pool area was filled with aspiring athletes. Anywhere you look you see bunch of swimmers practicing for a championship. John was very known in this genre of work. He coached swimming since he had taught Erin to walk and taught Dice to bike. He was devoted to swimming as he was devoted to his children.

"Quit playing around Erin! Harden your kicks!" His voice was a solid echo.

"Dice smoothen your flutter like dolphins do!! C'mmon!"
This is his everyday routine since summer started. Shouting, coaching, tampering his temper to teach and keeping his cool at the same time. He wishes to see his children up on a platform one day, raising an international championship trophy waving at him with solid pride of winning. An aspiration he never won for the past 38 years.

"Good job guys! Keep up your good work! Rest tonight for tomorrow is another hard day!" The coach cheered everyone up.

"Awwwwee.." Everyone answered in chorus, except Dice. Dice thought it would be nice to stay longer than 5pm.

"Dad? Can I stay for a little longer?" Dice asked.

"And why is that?" John curiously raised a brow crossing his arms.