Just Live

Chapter 20

Maine spent the rest of her break from treatment with the people close to her heart and her family made sure that they eat as a whole as much as possible. The Mendozas and Faulkersons also had barbecue parties at the ranch and at the Faulkerson household, both families enjoying each other's company like they've been doing it for years. RJ accompanied her to get together with her friends as she requested; he packed food for them on their day trips to explore the country side; and he took her out on dates since opportunity for one was a challenge due to the nature of Maine's health status when they returned home from their trip. RJ did those while fulfilling her request for him to give importance to his university classes.

What they say is true; time flies when you're having fun. Four weeks of no treatment sessions went by in a whip for Maine.

Without moving his head, RJ's eyes moved from his laptop screen and landed on Maine who was in bed. He caught her eyeing him and she quickly hid her face behind the book she was reading.

With a chuckle, RJ went back to working on a paper for his online class, only to sense that Maine was stealing glances from him.

"Love, pinagnanasaan mo na naman ako, noh?" He said without looking up from his laptop.

"Kapal," Maine replied from the bed, throwing a pillow at him. "Nananahimik ako mag-basa dito eh."

RJ smirked when he saw her smile behind her book. "Okay, sabi mo eh."

It was just one of their usual teasing and banters with each other, and it was actually a form of how they lambing each other, as RJ puts it.

He has been spending more time with Maine since she was back on chemotherapy after her four weeks of rest. Her latest MRI showed an improvement, though not as much as they had hoped for. The tumor in her brain decreased in size, but it was still there. Radiation did its work, and now, she was to be on her second course of treatment for six months.

Considering the aggressive nature of the tumor, her oncologist prescribed a much higher dose of chemotherapy to be taken for five days straight, six cycles in total with a break of twenty-three days in between each one. A higher dosage meant more side effects for Maine, especially nausea which hit her really hard previously, as well as fatigue and more sleepless nights.

During the first cycle, sleep was extra hard for Maine to grasp. She lacked energy from overall fatigue from chemotherapy and sleepless nights, which was why for the current, and second, cycle she was prescribed medication to help her sleep at night.

"Love," he said again, breaking the silence in her room. "You're teasing me."

"Feeling mo."

"Isa pang nakaw tingin diyan, I'm gonna come cuddle with you."

"Hoist, Richard, work on your paper. Humaharot ka na naman eh," Maine said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Cuddle?" He asked like a five year old asking for a cookie.

"Nope, diyan ka lang sa table. Eto eh, ang kulit. Para kang bata, kailangan bantayan."

RJ laughed before turning his attention back to his work and Maine continued to read her book.

"Nak? RJ?"

Both turned their heads to the door when Mary Ann showed up. "Baba muna kayo, nagluto ako ng meryenda."

"Sige po, tita, thank you po," RJ replied with a smile.

"Sige, nay, sunod po kami pagkatapos ni RJ."

Mary Ann chuckled when she saw RJ pout. "Okay. RJ, taposin mo na yan para makakain na kayo. Strikta tong bantay mo."

"Oo nga po tita, eh, ayaw ako pakainin."