It has been a week since Phitchaya and her husband have been admitted to the hospital. A few days after Kukrit Kiragun gained consciousness and has been moved from the ICU to the suite where his wife is, so their children wouldn't have difficulty in looking after them. Also, a privilege courtesy of Boone and Brissa.
The Vongviphan couple have been a frequent visitor along with the older Jamornhum couple. The Darawan father and son would also drop by once in a while. Since Beam was the one who did the surgery on Kukrit, he gets to see them daily. And so did Forth.
Bren had been distant from the room and has been keeping himself busy with paperwork and went back to conducting check ups. He was currently in his office going over some documents when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in" he said as he flipped a page.
The door opened and in came Lem and Beam. Bren looked up to see his brothers and smiled at them.
"Hey, what's up?" He asked them.
Beam looked at Lem and cleared his throat. "We came for a brotherly visit and some...news. We don't know how you'll take it but we need to tell you"
Bren scrunched his forehead. "What news?"
Lem handed him some laboratory results and remained silent.
Bren looked at them quizzically and went to look at the papers. He gasped and placed a hand on his mouth as he saw the information. "How worse is her condition?" He asked.
"From the looks of those results, she's on her way to stage three. I'm not sure if the kids know or even her husband knows. She's good in hiding her pain if they don't" Beam answered as he sat on a chair in front of Bren's desk.
"How did this happen?" Bren asked once more as he gripped on his hair with both hands.
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"Well, women are prone to cervical cancer if they've started having sex at an early age and experienced teenage pregnancy...exposure to HPV due to multiple intercourse partners is also another factor" Lem answered.
"I think she was only eighteen or nineteen when she had you" Beam shared. "She was very young back then...I think she was just starting college when she decided to stop studying and just work at the hospital. She was quite efficient until...you know what happened"
Bren was silent as he processed what his brothers told him. "I barely know her...and from the little memories I have of her, they were unpleasant...but why do I feel devastated? Like I feel as if it was Mae...I shouldn't be concerned, but why?" He said forlornly afterwards, almost in a whisper.
Beam stood up and gathered him in an embrace. "Maybe because a part of you still cares, still acknowledges her as the woman who gave life to you. There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling"
Lem approached them and joined in the hug. "I understand why you feel that way Phi. I felt abandoned when I was growing up without a mother. I used to envy the other kids with a complete set of parents but Dad always tried to fill the void and showered me with love and care"
They stayed hugging each other for sometime until Beam spoke once more.
"Why don't you try and visit her? Talk to each other and get the closure you need. I know you have a lot of questions Bren and you need to let it out. The past is the past. It already happened and there's nothing we can do to change that but we still have the future to look forward too. Never be afraid sweetie, we're all here for you. There are a lot of us who love you and that won't change"
Bren looked at his okder brother and burrowed his head against Beam's chest while keeping a tight hold on Lem's arm.
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Peach and Krit were enjoying a visit from their kids, Rich and Pree, along with the older Jamornhum boys and Bahiyyah. They were telling stories of how their day went when there was a knock on the door.
Pree opened it and was surprised to see Beam, Lem and Bren. She was used to seeing only Beam or Lem and never their eldest brother. She showed them in and Beam teased his sons and sister.
"Why are you causing havoc in this room? Don't tell me you've been stressing the poor couple out of tgeir wits?"
Bahiyyah pouted at her brother's teasing. "You're such a meanie Phi. We were just visiting"
"Yeah Dad. We were behave, ask them" Jaron added with his puppy eyes.
Beam snickered. "Oi Jay, don't tell me you're here to earn your in-laws blessing" he decided to tease his younger son more.
This caused Bjorn and Bahiyyah to burst out laughing. Jaron looked at them with widened eyes and became speechless.
Beam took pity on him and tapped his shoulder. "I was just teasing. Why don't you guys leave us for the meantime while we talk to the Kiraguns...half an hour would do" he told his sons and sister.
Bjorn, Jaron and Bahiyyah nodded quickly and asked if Rich and Pree would like some snacks or anything that they could bring back. The Kiragun siblings told them snacks amd refreshments would be great.
Beam went towards Krit's bed and checked the clipboard by his bedside. "How are you feeling Phi? Are there any pains or frequent dizziness?" He asked.
Krit smiled. "None so far Dr. Beam, aside from the usual after effects you've mentioned"
"Very well, that's good to hear" Beam replied and moved towards Peach's bed. "How about you Phi? How are you?"
Peach smiled too but took a longing glance towards Bren. "I'm fine Dr. Beam. Thank you for taking good care of us"
Beam sat on the bedside and took her hand. "That's nothing Phi" he said and took a look towards Lem and Bren and back to Peach. "You've been through so much Phi. Even if we had a heartbreaking past, we need to move on and be free from whatever is holding us back" he murmured but loud enpugh for the other occupants of the room to hear it.
Beam caressed Peach's hand that was already in his and continued. "What I'm saying is, let's bury the past...whatever happened between you and my parents, I think they're past that. It gave us someone special and exceptional"
As Beam said the last part, he gave an encouraging nod towards Bren. The younger was accompanied by Lem when they went near the bed.
"Hello Mother" Bren said as he stood beside Beam and looked directly at Peach's eyes. Lem remained silent as he held on to Bren's hand.
Krit was surprised while Pree and Rich were speechless. Nobody guessed Bren would ever acknowledge Peach as his mother with an audience.
