My ride, I love you

Mork

Chapter 8: Mork

ACHOO!!!

That's not me. My uncle sneezes so loudly it echoes in the whole house. The younger uncle snatches a sheet of tissue paper and hands it to him while complaining.

"Cover your mouth for coughs and sneezes. You're spreading the cold."

Uncle takes the paper and blows his nose into it vigorously.

"I guess I caught a cold from Mork."

"Hey, I'm cured already, uncle. Don't blame me."

I hastily claims my innocence. That day, after dropping the doctor off, I came home and made the instant ginger tea with warm water. And yeah, it's just like he said. I fully recovered before I could finish the whole box. My nose feels great and my throat is no longer scratchy., without needing the antibiotic pills. I dislike taking an antibiotic medication because it makes my pee stink.

"You've already given it to me before you were cured."

Uncle keeps pointing the finger at me.

"Yeah, and you sneezed loudly without covering your mouth, you're gonna pass the damn cold to me, too."

Younger uncle joins the battle. I think I better rush upstairs to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

"Hey, Mork, wait." However, a voice stops me in my tracks after just three steps.

"Yah, younger uncle?"

"You still remember that he and I have a check-up appointment for diabetes and blood pressure tomorrow, right? Have you booked a day off at work?"

I nod. "Yah, I told bro Fueang already. You two don't forget to wake up early, we'll have to queue up and get the blood tests done. Even with the appointment slips, we have to hurry there."

"I know. And you, don't go to sleep late tonight. Gotta wake up early."

"Yesssss, sirrrr."

My two uncles sound like soulmates. They began having high blood pressure one after another, a year apart. And when they got diabetes, they started around the same time as well. I was so confused how they coud have diabetese, because none of them are obese. Like I told you, these old men are vigorous and muscular. But the doctor said it comes from several factors. Looking healthy doesn't mean you'll always be strong. I need to be careful as well.

So it is my duty to take them both to their routine check-ups every two or three months. Actually, they can manage on their own, but it is better to have someone accompany them while waiting for the calls, in case one of them needs to go to the restroom or submit the blood sample.

And that's my responsibility. Plus, the hospital where my two uncles are going is the same hospital Doctor Tawan works at.

Who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll get to see him.

While my head is thinking, my legs brings me into my bedroom and past the bedside table. On its surface, I catch a glimpse of the photo in the frame, a photo I took with Fern... I still haven't yet gotten around to replacing it with something else.

Earlier, I just put it face down and thought about replacing the photo, because it hurt every time I saw a picture from the past when we were still together. I didn't want a constant reminder about the pain of losing Fern.

I can't remember putting the frame back in its upright position. Maybe I unintentionally put it up while dusting and cleaning my own room.

Right now I can look at it with neutral emotion. It doesn't hurt. I don't feel anything. And since I don't feel anything, I haven't changed the photo out or discarded it yet. So the photo of us is still in the frame, to remind me that once upon a time in my life, she used to be with me.