The Perfect Mix

Twenty-one. The Perfect Mix of 407 and Silver Linings

                I waited for another hour outside room 407. I couldn't explain what I was feeling. I wonder what was the logical explanation of why Tam is feeling this way? She looked fine each night, she was okay when we slept together. It might just be a pregnancy thing. If my mom didn't experience the same thing, doesn't mean that Tam's experience isn't normal. Right? So everything that has just happened a while ago must be an overreaction on both sides. Tam will be okay. I know she will. She is a fighter.

                My constant and never-ending thinking was put on hold when I saw a doctor opened Tam's room. Once he did, I immediately butted in and asked him if she is going to be okay. But before he could answer that, Tam's dad immediately took the doctor's attention and then closed the door.

                "Okay Red, breathe..." I told myself before I get really angry again. But I did think about entering the room and punching him the face. Instead, I decided to wait here and talk to the doctor. It wasn't long before the doctor opened the door and asked me to come in. Once I did, I can see Claire and her mom sitting on the side, both of which are still teary eyed. The dad was standing there beside Tam and really looked upset when the doctor asked me to come in.

                "So, I was told you were with the patient most of the time?" The doctor asked.

                "Yes"

                "Can you answer a few questions for me so we can proceed with the diagnosis?"

                "Of course, anything for Tam"

                Then the doctor asked me many questions which was pretty standard. Like how much and how often she eats, and if she was feeling sick the past few days. My answers were mostly positive, sometimes I have to answer "My mom knows but she's not here". And whenever I answered that question I would give Tam's dad "the look".

                There were also weird questions like if she engaged in sex. Of course I answered no, and we didn't have sex. Who would do that to someone pregnant? I think it's insult to injury for Tam's case.

                Then there was that one question which became our cliffhanger.

                "How often does she go to the doctor and which hospital so we could get her records."

                "Claire knows" I answered while I looked at Claire.

                "I thought she said she'll finally go with you?" She answered.

                "What she never went to the doctor for checkup?" Their mom added.

                "Hmm.." The doctor sounded dismayed. "In that case, thank you Red."

                "Doctor, is she going to be okay?"

                "I'm sorry but the family requests privacy on the matter." He answered back.

                "Thank you doctor, but my family has been more of a family to her than this one" Then I walked out.

                I waited outside for the doctor to go out, and when he did I asked him how she was and the doctor simply said.

                "I'm sorry but I cannot tell you, but son, we will try our best to monitor her condition."

                "So she's in critical condition?"

                "I'm sorry I have to attend to other patients." He said as I watched him walked away.

                "She's stable now, but she's not out of the woods yet" I didn't notice that Claire followed the doctor outside. After saying that, she hugged me tightly just like how Tam does it when she is so sad. I didn't know that hugs run in the family.

                She stayed outside with me throughout the night. She occasionally goes inside, she even snuck in a picture of Tam while she was sleeping for me to see it. It was really sweet for Claire to do that. Soon, we started talking about things about Tam.

                "You know, she mentions you a lot while we were in high school." Claire said.

                "What? Why?"

                "She says you write the sweetest of letters, she even made me read some of them and I became her assistant editor in chief. Haha!" Claire said. "She also told me the night you kissed her for the first time"

                "What? She did?!" I was shocked.

                "She loves you Red, that's why she turned to you because she knows you'll show nothing but love for her." She said. "In fact, the reason why I never talked to you a lot is because I hated you so much for taking so much of my sister's time!"

                "Seriously?"

                "Yeah but I couldn't hate you for so long... not after what you did today... for the past months." She continued. "You are the best brother-in-law ever!"

                "What?!"

                "You'll marry her right? RIGHT?"              

                "Aren't we too young to think about marriage?"

                "Haha, I knew you were meant to be together, I feel it in my veins!" She enthusiastically said.

                For the first time since being in the hospital, I feel comfortable and confident that Tam will be okay. And who knows, maybe Claire is right, we might get married someday. Afterall, we love each other. We just have to get through this.

                "Claire?"

                "Yes Red?" She replied.

                "Have you ever thought how life just finds a way to combine your misfortunes and fortunes so that at the end of the day, life becomes meaningful?"

                "What?"

                "Ever since seeing your sister again, everything became a perfect mix for me."

                "What do you mean?"

                "That even though we are here - which is quite possibly the saddest day of our year, I knew there's always going to be silver lining" I added. "Everything will get better..."

                "Red, my sister will walk out of those doors on her own two feet and tell us both that everything will get better" She said.

                I gave Claire a rare smile while she gave me a big pat on the back.