Just Live

Chapter 16

They all knew it wasn't going to be easy, but everyone put an effort into constantly making Maine feel that they were there through the good days and through the bad days. Her parents were always in the hospital with her, and her siblings took turns in spending time with her. RJ, on the oher hand, spent days and nights with her in the hospital, along with Mary Ann and Teddy.

It was 2 in the morning when RJ woke up and found Maine awake in bed. She didn't notice he had woken up so he decided to just watch her from the couch while Mary Ann slept in the recliner.

Maine was pre-occupied with something on her laptop and whatever it was, he knew it something special to her. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were moist. RJ made subtle movements to try and take a peek at her screen and saw that it was a video of Maine and her friends.

The camera was on her while she drove and was singing with friends so he thought it must be one of their adventures. He was right and wrong at the same time; clips of Maine and her teammates in the locker room came on and as he watched the video from the couch, he realized it was one of her swimming competitions.

Just after Maine was congratulated by her coaches in the video, she paused it and leaned her head back on the pillow, closing her eyes as tears fell from them. She quickly wiped them off before anybody sees her and checked to see if her mom was asleep; she was, but RJ wasn't. The light from her laptop illuminated her face, making her tears visible to RJ.

"RJ," she said as she lifted her head off the pillow. "Did I wake you up?"

He stood up and shook his head while he walked over to her.

"No, love," he answered softly while he sat beside her and took her in his arms, giving her a sweet kiss on the forehead. "Ano pinapanood mo?"

Maine rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around him, her eyes darting back to the screen.

"The clips were taken a few months before I got diagnosed. We were just having fun on our way to an event. Alam mo, love, isa yun sa pinaka-importanteng events sa buhay ng isang swimmer. Hindi lahat nabibigyan ng ganung chance."

RJ lovingly held her in his arms while he listened to her story, encouraging her to share her thoughts and feelings with him.

"Kasama ko yung iba kong teammates when we competed for a slot to represent Canada in the FINA."

"FINA?"

"'Mhm. FINA. It's the world championships for aquatics, kasama na swimming dun." Maine paused before talking again in a quiet voice. "I got in, love. I made it to the Canadian team."

She nestled her head on his chest and wrapped her arm tighter around him, wiping her tears while replaying the video.

"Alam mo, love," RJ said softly. "Kahit di pa tayo magkakilala nun, sobrang proud ako sayo. Sobra pa sa sobra."

Maine looked up and mouthed a thank you with a smile.

RJ wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks. "Ang galing galing ng love ko eh. Ang galing galing mo," he said while caressing her cheeks.

"Thank you," she replied quietly. "Kaso di ko na magagawa yun eh. I can no longer represent Canada at the world championships tomorrow. I'm gonna be here doing therapy coz I'm trying to walk on my own. Kung eto nga ang hirap, RJ, pano pa kaya ako makakabalik sa pool?"

"Love..."

"Sorry, love, nagdadrama lang. Bukas na kasi yung competition and I can't help but think that I should be swimming tomorrow."