Keep Holding On (Complete)

Chapter 23

"Jennie, any news about Lisa?" Her mom asked. "Do I look like someone who cares about her? Are we even text mates?" Jennie sarcastically answered while beating eggs.

"Oh no, I'm just thinking of something. If her wife is alive, Lisa will take care and be together with a cheater. You know, I'm also thinking about your situation if it's jut right that your husband died. Because if he's alive, you're forever in distress of his cheating issue. But on the other side, if he's alive, you'll not be baking cake for the rest of your life. Like, he's still taking care of you, earning money, you know," her mom asserted. 

"Mom, instead of encouraging me," Jennie uttered. "C'mon let's face the truth. Admit it Jennie, you're not accustomed to a life in which you're the one who needs work. How about you look for another partner that has a job and all you have to do is just to stay in the house," her mom suggested. 

"There you go again mom. My husband just died recently and his ashes are still warm in the urn. And here you are, you wanted me to replace him?" Jennie asked in disbelief. "I'm just concern of you," her mom responded.

"Me? Or yourself?" Jennie replied. "Why me?" Her mom asked back.

"Because now that Kai is gone, no son-in-law will give you money anymore," Jennie stated. "That's not the point," her mom argued.

"Mom, my point is I'm trying to move on and I don't need someone to do that," Jennie asserted. "Okay, fine, fine. Don't move on. Take all the time you need," her mom said and left.

Lisa went to the hospital. She slowly got inside the room while looking angrily at  Rosé who was still unconsciously lying on the bed. She sat at the chair beside the bed.

"You know, it's just right that this happens to you. You vowed to love me and only me. Only me Rosé!!!" Lisa shouted and cried in pain and anger. "I love you Rosé but you made me look like a fool!!! You deserve to go to hell Rosé. You deserve to go to hell," Lisa said while still crying. 

"You deserve to go to hell," Lisa softly said and stopped crying. She slowly stood up and went to the ventilator. Lisa held the ventilator's breathing tube that supported Rosé's breathing and was ready to unplugged it. She started to cry again when she remembered their vows, "Forever, Roseann Park," Lisa said. "For always, Lisa Manoban," Rose replied.

"I can't do it," Lisa cried so hard while releasing the breathing tube in her hand. "Rosé, why did you cheated on me? I've been faithful to you," Lisa shaking her head while crying in pain.

"I never looked at anyone, not one!! I love you Rosé with all my heart and yet you're doing this to me?!!" Lisa gritted her teeth. "Why?! Why?! I did love you so much," she wept and laid beside Rosé.

Lisa was walking inside their home when she heard moans. She slowly went upstairs to their bedroom. She was shocked to see Kai and Rosé under the duvet. "Noooooooo!!!" Lisa screamed. She then woke up from her dream. 

"I felt sorry for Lisa. What she's going through is not easy. How are you going to take care of a pet that hurts you?" Lisa's mom asked Tzuyu who was feeding her bird in the cage. "Mom, we can learn to live with the pain because you love your pet or we can choose to let it go and fly away," Tzuyu answered meaningfully.

"If we've treated it as a family, we will take good care of that pet. Even if that pet hurts us, we will help each other in taking care of it. That's what Lisa needs right now, our moral support, so that she won't feel that she's alone," her mom stated. "Yes mom, we'll be there for Lisa. Me, you, and dad," Tzuyu replied. 

"By the way, where's your dad?" Lisa's mom asked. "Didn't he told you? He said he'll just play golf with his friends," Tzuyu answered. Lisa's mom sighed in response.

"Lisa, I'm so sorry if I haven't told you right away," Tzuyu apologized when she had coffee with Lisa at the resto. "It's in the past, it's okay Tzuyu," Lisa assured her.

"So, how are you coping?" Tzuyu worriedly asked. "I almost killed Rosé. Would you believe that? I mean, I really want to unplug the breathing tube. Due to my anger, I really wanted her dead. But I can't do it, I still fear God and..." Lisa confessed and paused. "And you still love Rosé?" Tzuyu asked.

"That's what really hurts. She cheated on me and yet I still love her Tzuyu," Lisa said and started to cry. "Just remember that we are here for you. If you need help, don't hesitate to call us, okay? We're going to help you go through this," Tzuyu sincerely said.

"Thank you. But honestly I don't know what I'm going through right now. Of course I could take care of her. But if you would ask me if I want her to survive this, I don't know," Lisa answered shaking her head.

"So, you don't want her to get better?" Tzuyu asked curiously. "Tzuyu, I don't know how to fix my life after what she did to me. And if I lose her, what good would it be for me? How will I fix my life?" Lisa sadly said.

"I'll try it," Irene said and ate the cake that Jennie brought. "It's really good," Irene complimented.

"Thank you Ma'am," Jennie gladly replied. "Oh no, stop calling me Ma'am. Just call me Irene. So, why don't we make a deal. You'll supply me maybe for 50 people and let's see how the customers will respond," Irene said. "Yes Ma'am, I mean Irene," Jennie said happily.

"Yes," Irene agreed. "Thank you so much," Jennie uttered.

"This means a lot to you?" Irene curiously asked. "I really need to earn money. My husband died recently," Jennie admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Irene spoke. "It's okay. I'm starting to fix my life," Jennie answered.

Lisa went to the hospital and saw Jisoo watching over Rosé. Jisoo looked at Lisa who was slowy walking inside the room and closed the door. 

"Lis, are you still mad at me?" Jisoo asked. "You know what Jisoo, you've always been supportive of me ever since me and Rosé were together. You were always there at every birthdays, every special occasions, blessing of the restaurant, that's why I though you're a part of the family. But I was wrong. You just see me as the wife of your cousin," Lisa calmly said. "Lis, that's not true. Please understand that I was not in the position to tell you of what....." Jisoo started to cry and was cut off.

"You should have told me!! You should have told me about this way before this happen!! Now where did it got us Jisoo?! If you and me help each other, probably she's not with that jerk!! Probably, we could have prevented all of this from happening!!! You understand me?! What we have now are all what ifs now that this already happened. She wouldn't be shoot!!! She wouldn't be comatose!!! But everything's already done. Who knows, Rosé could be like a vegetable tomorrow. It's done. So if you're here to comfort her and give her hope, go, be my guest! Maybe you wanted to pull something out on your magic hat. Maybe pull a trick you want and hope for a miracle. Go, be my guest, do it! Anyway, only the two of you understands each other. Only the two of you covers up each other," Lisa told Jisoo who was crying and she left. 

"Lisa, how are you?" Her dad asked when he arrived at the hospital. Lisa didn't answer him. "Lis, I know tough times like this," Lisa's dad said.

"Dad, you're just telling me what mom said. How would you know dad, does mom cheated on you?" Lisa asked. "No," her dad answered while shaking his head. "Have you ever cheated on mom?" Lisa asked again which left her dad speechless. 

"See? Your marriage is perfect dad. So how would you know? How would you know that's everything happening to me? How would you know the pain that I'm going through right now? It's funny dad. For once in my life, you can't argue with me," Lisa softly said. "Lis, I know most of the time we don't understand each other. We misunderstood so many things, right? But that doesn't mean that our misunderstandings lessen my role as a father to you. I'm still your father. Anytime that you need my help, I'll be there by your side, as your dad. Do you get me?" Lisa's dad sincerely said. "Thanks dad," Lisa replied as her tears started to fall.

Suddenly, one of the machine's attached to Rosé made a beeping sound. Rosé's body started to move by itself. Her finger with a device attached to the machine started to shake. "Doc, what's happening?" Lisa asked in panic while the nurses and doctor attended to Rosé. 

Rosé slowly opened half of her eyes while her fingers were constantly shaking. "Doc, what's happening?" Lisa asked again. The beeping sound continued while Rosé's body slowly went flat in the bed and her finger stop shaking. She then slowly closed her eyes.