Mr. Joongcheveevat & I

Chapter 11

After reaching the hospital, I met my mother on the second floor. I quickly ran up as she has directed, observing the floor that was shining clean, the long corridors but the fear in me strived strongly because my instinct screamed that something has happened to my father.

But I didn't want to know the truth. Hence, I didn't bother to ask her. When I reached the waiting room of the second floor, my mother's teary eyes locked with mine and she cried out bitterly. Her heart wrenching cries and the state of helplessness she projected cracked my heart even more. It felt strange because I was always used to seeing her strong and stern.

"Gulf" She sobbed out and hugged me. "Your dad... "

I was afraid of what she would say. I didn't want to listen to her; I shut my eyes tightly and hid my face on her shoulder allowing nature to take its own course, "I'm scared, Gulf. I'm terrified". She cried and all I could do was only hug her as chills shoot through my spine. 

"It's okay mom... he's going to be alright". I struggled to make it sound normal. "Why don't we sit down?" I made her sit down and rubbed her back gently. "So, what happened?"

"I don't know...he just has too many blood coming out from his chest. They  took him to the emergency room". She sniffed calming herself down and looked at me with her puffy red eyes. "Where's Anna? Didn't she come with you?"

"No, but she'll be here soon."

"She must be on her way here then. Tell her to come fast." My mother panicked. "Everyone must be here. We can't leave your father alone. He won't like that". My mother continued and as she talked more, I could see that she was losing her senses. It crashed my heart to see her completely broken and helpless. And that was when I realise, perhaps, my mother was not as heartless as I thought she was. She was as vulnerable as anyone else.

After a couple of hours, as Anna, I and mom sat together waiting for the result, the door of the operation room finally propped open and the surgeon along with a nurse came out making their way towards us.

The surgeon was tall, fair and when he removed his face mask, I could sense his sorrowed, furrowed eyes.

"Doctor...."  My mother anxiously approached him, "how did it go?"

The doctor only pouted his head.  "Mrs.Traipipat...the bullet entered his left chest and it ruptured his heart." He said unable to look into our eyes. And as he went on, he became more and more upset and began to stammer as he approached the part to inform us, "We tried our best but he couldn't make it. I'm sorry".

I couldn't believe in my ears. “Doctor, are you trying to tell me, my father is dead?” My lips quivered as the room stood still and my senses went blank. "Is he going to live?" I asked shakily. He narrowed his eyes regretfully and solemnly lowered his head. "I'm sorry." He told me as if I was at my own funeral.

"You're lying" I heard my mother gasp
and collapsed back on the seat while every inch of my body turned numb and cold. I didn't hear or feel anything except for the tears that ran down like summer rain. How could I embrace the fact that my lovely father was no more in this world?

"Young man..." The doctor called and I felt his heavy hands on my shoulder. "You must be his son", I nodded " Tell my son to take care of my family were his last words before the surgery"

And it was that moment I realised, I was all alone in this whole wide world with the responsibility to take care of my family. My father has actually left me for good.

***

Inside the house, everyone came. Everyone, including my grandparents, the whole neighborhood and the police department including Mr. Linwood, my father's best friend who has moved three years ago from the city for his job. He told me he arrived the day before. Other days, he and my father would be cracking jokes and stories about their past in our living room but sadly this is the day of my father's funeral.