Concealed beauty

Chapter 2

My mom has cancer.

It's been a week since mommy was diagnosed with cancer.

The doctor said it could be treated, they could perform a surgery, they could provide chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. We were willing to do anything for my mom to survive.

"Belva, please think it through, you need to have a chemotherapy!" they were fighting again. Isang linggo na rin silang nag-aaway.
Hindi pumapayag si Mommy magpachemotherapy, she will not tell us why.

"I told you Aden, ayaw ko!" Mommy then went to their room, she locked the door.

Daddy went to the bar, I followed him.

"Daddy, what is happening? Bakit ayaw ni Mommy?" naluluha kong tanong.

"Anak, don't worry, I will try to convince her again, okay? Don't cry, masyado kang maganda para umiyak, come here." he patted the chair next to him. Umakyat naman ako sa upuan. He was drinking wine.

"Daddy, stop drinking, sige ka lalaki yung tiyan mo, di ka na macho!" pagbibiro ko. He then chuckled.

"Anak, please stay strong okay, I am so sorry you can't enjoy your summer, we were planning to visit Canada pero di tayo makapupunta."

"It's okay dad, family above everything else, and besides, I won't risk mom's health for temporary happiness, mommy's health muna bago ang enjoyment ko." I said.

"Thank you for understanding anak, what did I do to be blessed by such wonderful children. Tawagin mo ang kuya, umalis muna kayo ng bahay, maglakwatsa kayo kung gusto niyo, you need to unwind, tawagin niyo ang driver, I will let you have my atm card, you know the password right?"

"Yep, your wedding day, the day you met mom, and the sum of my birthday and Calix's" I said.

"You got that right, sige na, at susuyuin ko muna ang mommy niyo."

"Calix, saan tayo pupunta?" I asked him the moment he entered the car, siya lang kasi ang kinausap ng driver.

"We are going to the library, pag-aaralan natin yang cancer na yan." he seriously said.

We wasted five hours in the library, kaming dalawa lang, we studied every little detail of mom's cancer, its symptoms, the treatment, the after effects of the treatment and many more.

Nagamit lang namin ang card ni daddy sa pagbili ng pagkain namin pauwi, dumaan na rin kami sa favorite bakeshop ni mommy , binili namin ang favorite cake niya.

We were welcomed by mom in the kitchen.

"Ang dami mo naman atang niluluto mommy, anong meron?" Calix asked.

"That is a secret, mamaya ko na sasabihin kapag kumain na tayo." She winked at us then continued cooking.

At exactly 7:30 pm, tinawag na kami ni mommy sa hapagkainan.

"What's this all about Bel? Papayag ka na bang magpachemo?" Daddy asked. Ang kaninang nakangiting si mommy ay nawala.

"Please Aden, let's not talk about that now, please." Natahimik si daddy at nagsorry at nilambing si mommy. It was a sight to be seen, I promise na hahanap ako ng kagaya kay daddy, he is the best dad, and he is the best husband.

Kumain kami ng kumain, we tried our best to not touch mom's health while eating, we ate, we talked, and we laughed.

"So what's this all about mommy?" Calix asked. We were eating dessert now, kinain na rin namin yung cake na binili namin ni Calix kanina.

"Well, Calix, remembered what we promised you? We promised you na kapag grumaduate ka ng valedictorian we will let you study in your dream school in England, given that you passed the test? Well the test came and you passed!" Mommy said happily.