North Star

Chapter XIII

The doctor called me about the test I had before if I am compatible to her.
"I guess the Lord is helping you,son. You're compatible. We can set the date for her operation."
"How much is the probability?"
"It's 70%."
"Can we do it early?"
"Sure we can. Next week will be good."
She sometime went out to breath fresh air. But she has to wear a mask for protection.
Now,we were in the rooftop to watch the sky in San Fransisco at night. There are a lot of stars.
"I'm sorry" she said. She's sitting on her wheelchair with a blanket in her stomach.
"For what?"
"For telling you bad things few days ago."
"It's fine."
"How is the test?"
"The doctor said we're compatible" She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"Are you happy?"
"Of course. Knowing that you are my donor. I'm sure that I will be safe."
"Yeah,you are. I told you so."
"Thank you."
We stayed there for a couple of minutes. We're looking at the sky together.
"Wow,it's shooting star. Did you see it?"
I nodded my head.
"Let's make a wish."
I closed my eyes.
I wish her wish will come true.
"Are you done?"
She was smiling. Her eyes were smiling too.
"What is your wish?"
"Secret. I'll tell you if I get better after the operation. "
" Tsk,it won't come true if you don't tell me."
"It's funny. Do you know when I was still in the Philippines, I never became weak. I am always strong. Then one time,they brought me to the hospital and I was in the verge of dying,I saw my mom crying,I tried my best to get better. They were talking with the doctor and so I was discharged. My family didn't allow me to do household chores at home and I continued to work as online instructor. I did part time job in a university. I enjoyed myself travelling another country. But my mom keep on nagging me about my medicine for girl's day. She never allowed me to go out from the country during my special day."
"They never told you anything?"
"Like what?"
" nothing."
"They were strict about the food I ate. "
My tears are about to fall from my eyes.
"Are you crying?" She asked me. I pulled her wheelchair and I sat on the edge of the rooftop.
"Careful,you might slip."
"I'm fine."
I put my two hands in my pocket.
"Are you serious when you said I have to find my true love?" I asked her. She smiled at me.
"Are you gonna do that?"
"If I would do that,what will you do?"
I looked at her eyes.
"What should I do?" She laughed.
"You should cry,get angry,hit me real hard and divorce me." She laughed again.
"It won't happen, you have to do my favor right?"
"What if I said No."
"Why? Do you want to stay with me,forget yourself and take care of me forever?"
"I'm fine."
"No,I won't allow you that. Do it,Mattheo. I'm begging you."
"Let's be honest now. "
"What do you mean?"
"Just be with me until six months is over. Bear with me okay?"
"Okay."
"Within six months, you have to be healthy too. "
"Call"
A minute passing by,there is silence between us.
"Do you have boyfriend back then?"
"No. I had one sided love before it was painful. So I never did it again."
"Who is your first love?"
She looked at me.
"He's here. I hope he knows I'm dying."
My heart ached again. Why I asked her that question?
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"What do you mean he's here? Is that your reason why you are here?"
She smiled again.
"Yeah. But I feel it's hard to tell him now especially in this situation. I don't want him to know I'm dying."
Who is he? Do I have to find him?What if she would die and she wants to see him? No. She won't die! Is that her wish that their paths will cross again? And I even made a wish that he wish would come true? Am I stabbing myself with my own knife?
I didn't realize that I'm crying now. What should I do? Should I  let her go?
"Why are you crying?"she then asked me. I am crying real hard. Do I look like a whining baby this time?
"I'm fine. Are you worried about me?"
"No. "
"Then why are you crying? I'm not breaking up with you just to see my first love?!"
"Really? If your first love appear in front of you,you won't forget me even if I'm here?"
"Hmm. I'll introduce you to him."
"I'm worried you might change your mind"
"Am I that crazy? You are here for me. Why should I ?"
"I'm scared."
"Don't worry you'll get your promotion without any ruckus about our relationship. No one will know that we are just arranged."
But in my case I never think it is just an arranged marriage. I served it as out of love,we are bound to each other. That we are destined to be together. How should I tell you this? I know I'm not your first love. I know you pretended to be fine and you came here just for him.
"Stop crying. Cry when I die."she said.
"Don't say that. Let's get inside."
I pushed her wheelchair to the elevator.
"Before the operation, can we take a picture?"
"For what?"
"I want to see it when I get better."
"Okay."
We went back to her room. I thought she's fine. But when she lay down on the bed,her nose was bleeding and her head was aching too painfully.
"P-please call the doctor. "
I was nervous and shaking.
"Go. Hurry. "
I immediately called the doctor.
When we came back,she is unconscious already. She fainted and sweat all over her body.
"Get ready for a cold bath. She's burning."
The nurses were in a rush.
"I'm sorry,we went to the rooftop and when we came back,she has nosebleed already."
The doctor didn't say anything at all. They were doing their job silently.
I went out and called my mom.
After thirty minutes,they came.
"What happened?" My dad asked.
I never answered but I only cried in front of them.
The doctor came out.
"We need to do the operation as early as possible. Or else we have to do the monthly chemotherapy."
"What?"
"Yeah,her cancer cells are deteriorating her immune system."
"When ?"
"Tomorrow will be good. "
I have work tomorrow. But I have to be absent for once.
"Okay "
"She has high fever and that's the reason why her nose was bleeding. The next stage of this will be vomiting blood. And that's the worst case scenario. We can't stop the cancer anymore so as early as now,we have to proceed the bone marrow transplant."
"Thank you doctor."
We went inside the room. She's on the bed sleeping. Her face is pale.
"Son,you have to be strong for her."
I slowly nodded my head.
"Yeah,I will do that. "