Adam's Eve

42

Adam stumbled, the doctor's announcement hitting him like a large rock, so strong and impactful that he knew he was going to fall. And he would've if Eva wasn't standing behind him and caught him from doing so.

"No, no, no, no. Don't tell me that doctor. Please tell me it's not true." Guille covered his mouth, seemingly at the horror. Adriana was at his side to comfort her fiancé in a hug.

Everything went around Adam in slow motion, even the voices, so much so that it felt like a dream, one he was going to wake up from soon. And he probably would've believed it was a dream if his heart didn't feel like it was being ripped out of his chest.

"You could come to my office to see the test results." Doctor Andrews was saying.

"Fuck the results doctor." Guile bit out. "Just tell me I can go see my father."

"Yes of course." Doctor Andrews nodded. "But I must warn you he's experiencing a lot of weakness and will get exhausted easily if you strain him out by letting him talk too much or sitting up. For that, I suggest only two people at a time." Her gaze scanned the others. "I'm supposing all of you would want to see him."

She directed her gaze to Adam. "Shall we go?"

He felt Eva kiss him on the neck before he and his brother followed the doctor. His legs felt so weak that he was surprised he wasn't crumbling to the floor. Because that was exactly what he felt inside; crumbled.

They took the elevator to the second floor, the doctor leaving after showing them the room.

"Mi hijos!" His father's eyes shown brightly when they entered the room. Guille was quick to rush to his side.

"Papa." His little brother broke down. "How. . . how are you feeling?"

"You know, exactly how one's supposed to feel after being declared with stage three cirrhosis." His father said, obviously trying to make light of the situation. He attempted to laugh and only ended up wincing.

Adam stood to the side just before the door, feeling his throat tighten. He'd already said all that he wanted to say earlier, even if his father had been unconscious. He couldn't afford more heartache right now.

His father's head turned, his eyes fixating on Adam. His mouth curved in a small smile even as sadness encompassed his expression. "You're upset with me."

He groaned when he attempted to sit up, and Adam rushed to his side immediately, placing a hand on his shoulder to encumber the movement. "Better lie down, dad."

His father obeyed, but his eyes looked at Adam questioningly. "You're upset with me."

"I'm not."

"Then prove it. Give me a hug, son."

The beseeching throb in the man's voice was his undoing. Adam leaned down and hugged his father as the tears began to pour unbidden.

"Why dad? Why did you never tell us?" The question he'd been needing an answer to so badly.

"Why did you hide something so serious from us?" It was Guille who asked this.

His father sighed sadly. "I felt ashamed. I've never been a good father and to suddenly be asking for your help. . . I wanted to fight this on my own, learn my lessons from it so that I could get close to my sons properly and not because I was sick."

"You didn't have to feel ashamed with us, dad. We're your sons. We love you. Don't call yourself a bad father. We saw the effort you made in your sober times. You should've told us." Guille croaked out.