Hospice

Anne

The more his mother declined, the more Ominis needed to get out of the hospital room. Not only was it too much hearing her struggle to breathe or listening to her groan in pain whenever the nurses helped her get up, but she began to take it out on him whenever she could.

"If I didn't have to worry about you so much, I'd be feeling better," she would say. Or worse, "If you were just a normal child, you could help me".

He found himself locked in a bathroom stall sobbing after that comment. Behind the closed door in the quiet, empty bathroom, he felt hidden enough to let it out. He, too, wished he could be a normal child, with a normal life, and normal loving parents.

Seeing what Sebastian had before his parents' demise, how much they loved and cared for their twins, made his mind boil with undue rage. He wanted that. So badly. And his heart fell with heavy guilt when he noticed his rage being directed at the now orphaned Sebastian. It wasn't Sebastian's fault that Ominis' mother fell short of her role.

The bathroom door opened and Ominis hurriedly wiped his face and stopped crying. One treacherous sniffle snuck out.

"Hello?" came Sebastian's echoing voice. "Are you all right?"

Ominis stayed silent. He listened for Sebastian's footsteps, hearing them through the bathroom and over by the urinals. Sebastian went about his business so Ominis buried his face in his arms, feet up on the toilet seat, and he waited. But after washing his hands, Sebastian's footfalls didn't exit the bathroom. He knocked on the stall door.

"Ominis, is that you?"
"How did you know?"
"I can see your cane."
"Oh..." Right. He'd shoved it in the corner of the stall when he rushed in here.
"Are you okay?" Sebastian asked.
"My mum hates me."
"I'm sure she doesn't hate—"
"She wishes I could be normal."

Silence again. Ominis got down off the toilet and exited the stall. He felt Sebastian's presence before him and thrust his arms out. Once he grabbed on, Sebastian reciprocated and pulled Ominis into a hug. Ominis cried again.

Later that afternoon, Sebastian didn't allow Ominis to go back to his mother. Instead, he and Ominis got dinner at the cafeteria and headed back to Sebastian's room.

"I can't wait for you to meet Anne!" said Sebastian. "She's so excited to see you. She's just been exhausted this past week, moving in here and all. I didn't want to overwhelm her, you know?"
"I understand. I can't wait to meet her, too."

Anne's room was brighter, filled with the sunlight gleaming through the open window. There was a smell of sweets and delicious food. Unlike the lung-constricting air of his mother's room, he found it easy to breathe here.

"Hi, Sebastian," said a weak but excited girl. "Oh! Is that the boy you've mentioned?"
"Hello. I'm Ominis. You must be Anne."
"Hello, young man," came another voice—a large one of a man. "I'm Solomon Sallow. Our Sebastian has told us a lot about you."
"All good things I hope, sir."

Ominis heard the shuffling of sheets, then felt arms around him. Long hair tickled his warming face as he hugged Anne back.

"I'm so glad Sebastian has found a friend!" said Anne.
"Don't smother him, Anne," said Sebastian.

They soon gathered around their dining table by the window, with Ominis sitting between Anne and Sebastian. They ate their cafeteria food, chatting between bites. Ominis stayed quiet.

"Why do you have to stuff your cheeks, Sebastian?" Anne asked.
"Shu' up," Sebastian said, his mouth so full.
Anne giggled. "Don't go for another bite!"
"Do wha' I wan'."

Anne and Sebastian's laughter made Ominis smile. He didn't speak for the whole of dinner, and no one tried to force him.

Afterwards, Uncle Solomon let Anne out with Sebastian and Ominis. Ominis watched the twins glow in each other's presence, laughing and giggling, whispering to one another little in-jokes that Ominis didn't understand. He avoided the urge to read their minds and get involved. Seeing them be so loving was all Ominis needed.

In the kids' playroom, Anne demonstrated a very Sebastian-like confidence. She ran up to everyone and chatted without fear, and thrust Ominis into the midst of several uncomfortable social interactions.

"This is Ominis!" Anne introduced. "He's such a sweet guy!"
The girl giggled. "Hi, Ominis."
"Uh, h-hi," he said, fiddling with his cane and cursing that his voice sounded so weak.

Both Anne and the other girl giggled again, skyrocketing his heart rate and leaving him all out of sorts. Sebastian tried his best not to laugh at Ominis floundering, stuttering over his words in front of a girl, but he still heard his friend's snickering.

He was thankful to return to the normalcy and comfort of the death betters that Sunday. He and Sebastian sat with the men who all put up their bets, with a couple high-rollers. Ominis read the mind of a passing nurse and confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a man named Herman was on the chopping block for the week. Not wanting to be outshone, Ominis whispered to Sebastian who then counted the money.

"50 bucks on Herman," said Ominis.
"50!? Didn't want to chicken out, eh?" asked Phil.
"Told ya not to tempt the boy!" said Marcus.

But they accepted his bet either way. All they needed to do now was wait for the results.

As he and Sebastian headed back to their rooms, they got to chatting.

"50 bucks, eh, Mr. High-Roller?" asked Sebastian.
"That nurse has never been wrong in all the weeks I've lived here. It's an assured win. 25 for each of us."
"You'd really go 50/50 with me?"
"Of course. You're my friend."
"Wow, thank you, Ominis! You have no idea how much that means to me. If we can keep getting these payouts, maybe I'll finally get enough money to cure Anne."
Ominis smiled. "I really hope so, Sebastian. I want to see Anne healthy, too."
"What about your mum?"
"Don't get me wrong, I'd rather her not be sick, but I'm not so sure she's going to pull through. I'm just trying to make her comfortable as much as I can before she dies."
"I'm really sorry, Ominis." Sebastian's hand cupped his shoulder. "You're very brave, you know."
"Yeah, not everyone can survive my mother."

Sebastian cracked up, making Ominis join in. The release of his tension, the sounds of their joy, and the heartening of his chest eased the fears and worries of his mind. Temporary as that fleeting moment was, Ominis knew he'd cherish it forever.