Hold my Hand

Chapter 38: With Light, Comes a Shadow

Time goes by and their classes pass them by. Mark, Justin, and Cesar walk toward the court for their basketball practice. But while going there, something unexpected occurs.

Mark receives a call from his phone and he grabs it from his bag.

'A call from dad? Why?'

Mark accepts the call and puts the phone close to his face.

"Hello, kiddo?" George begins. "How are you today?"

"Hello, dad. I'm fine, no need to worry. Why did you call? Is everything alright?"

"That's why I called you, kiddo."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's about your mom, she's at the hospital in Cebu. I want you to come with me, she wants to see you."

"What? Why, what happened to her?"

"Her boss from her workplace said that she lost consciousness and that she had no pulse so they rushed her to the hospital. For now, she's stable. And I'm about to know the full details when we get there."

'What? Ma was healthy. How did this happen?"

"Ok, I'll go with you."

"I'm outside your school, by the gate. I'll wait here."

The call then ends and Mark puts back his phone in his bag. Cesar and Justin stop for Mark the entire conversation.

Justin looks at him worried, "What's wrong, Mark?"

Mark looks at him directly and says, "I don't know, Justin. My mom lost consciousness while at work, she's at the hospital now. I don't get it, she was healthy the entire time. I have to go to the hospital in Cebu, I can't join you in practice today."

Cesar puts his hand on his shoulder and says, "Go, Mark. We'll pray for your mom at practice."

"Thank you, Cesar."

"Mark, we're here for you no matter what happens," says Justin with a sympathetical look on his face.

Mark smiles and says, "Thank you, Justin."

Mark looks at the both of them and says, "Thank you very much, you two." And hugs the both of them. "I'll be back for tomorrow's game." Mark lets go of them and turns to walk towards the gate.

While walking, Mark thinks of every possible thing.

'Is mom alright? Why did this happen to her? She was ok before this, why has this happened to her?'

His shoulders droop, his head low, and his face downcast. Mark sees his dad as he passes through the gate. George, his dad, hugs him outside the school and Mark can feel his grief without shedding a tear. George lets go of his son and looks at him in the eye.

"Let's go see your mom."

Mark never says a word and only nods. They then get in their car and ride towards Cebu City.

They ride across Cebu island for an hour and a half. Along the way, George tells his son something that's bothersome.

"Mark," George says as his hands are on the steering wheel. "Your mother has not been fine since you've been born."

Beside his dad in the front seat, Mark looks at him with his furrowed brow saying, "What do you mean, dad?"

George sighs and says, "Nevermind what I've said. Everything's gonna be alright."

Mark is just silent and lays back in his seat, never saying a word that would break the silence.

After a while, they finally arrive at the hospital where Mark's mother is confined, at the Sacred Heart Hospital. They enter the hospital and inquire where her room is. Finding their answer, they go straight towards her room.