Juvenal

Chapter 07

Time seemed to fly slower when she was stuck at home. Mabel had not gone to her university after her father's surgery, and she stayed by her father's side every waking second and took good care of him. Even though Robert always asked Mabel to go to the university and concentrate on completing her degree with flying colors, Mabel shakes her head saying no and that her father was more important to her than completing her degree with colors. Even though she did not have to do much with regard to looking after her father, Mabel always kept an eye on his back and checked whether there were any sorts of difficulties which he was hiding from her eyes, or whether he was feeling nauseous or imbalanced. As per Dr. Johnston's suggestion, Mabel had brought a new pair of glasses for her father and now he did not have trouble with reading as well. Yet he stumbled in his walk at times, but except for that little shuffle in his feet or the once in a blue moon wheeze, he gets whenever he shares a laugh with Mabel, Robert was alright.

Mabel made sure that he ate well and took his medicine on time. Mabel had been right. Her mother had not remained with them for a long time, and after about two days of Robert being discharged from the hospital, she had gone to work, saying that she had to earn money to feed all three of them as she was the breadwinner of the family. Mabel nodded, putting her head down. She did not have any reply to give to her mother whenever she states that she was the only person who earns a living.

Mabel sighed and looked up at her father who was sitting in his usual seat by the table. She was going through some assignments which she had to submit on the next day. Thanks to Sally, Mabel was up to date on her pending university reports, lectures, and assignments. Every evening on her way to her home, Sally used to drop in at her best friend's house and she shared all the contents which were covered at the university for the day. As they were in the final year and that more time was spent on the final year research project, there were not many lectures conducted unlike in their first two years, so there was not much that Mabel missed from her university work as well. Even though she was starting to turn restless waiting stuck inside the four walls of her home, she gulps down her feelings, and smiles at her father, whom she knows needs her more than any other time. Having known her father better than any other person, Mabel was even quick to note the change in her father after a few days of getting discharged.

Even though he seemed to be in the mood to have a conversation with Mabel whenever she wanted to talk to him, she had realized that there was a difference in him about that. He was not a person who shared much into a conversation and was used to nodding or smiling whenever it was necessary, but that was before he got diagnosed with his medical condition. But after that, even though she does not understand what had changed him, Robert started to speak more, even though it was only with her that he spoke with. Sometimes, Mabel had even noticed her father staring absentmindedly at her, lost in some of his own thoughts. He would just smile and shake his head whenever Mabel breaks his lost trail of thoughts, but he does not share what he was thinking about whenever she questions and nags him. As she takes him on a stroll around their neighborhood every evening, she realizes that her heart feels heavy, as she realizes how frail her father has turned after his surgery. Even though he looks the same, a little stumble on his step, or a shuffle on his feet, or by the way of how he sometimes grabs tightly hold of Mabel's elbow, Mabel knows that her father would not be the same man she had once known him to be. Knowing that she is in a powerless position to turn back time and take her father back to his old self, Mable bites her lips and lets out a deep breath, closing her eyes tight. She knows that her father needs her now, she had vowed herself to never let go of him and to forever be by his side.

If only life would be so easy...

"How's your dad doing now, Mabe?"