“You are not going to fight in that competition, Case!” Adam yelled and I glared at him in defiance, my nose flaring in anger.
“You can’t tell me what to do!” I screamed at him in frustration. We’ve been going at it for more than half an hour now and I’m getting tired of his shit. I will fight if I want to fight. He can’t control me.
“Yes, I can and you’re not competing, end of discussion.” He stated firmly and I snorted at him. He thinks he gets to call the shots here? Well he better get off his high horse before he gets thrown off.
“You’re not my father,” I seethed at him and he narrowed his eyes at me.
“Well, I know for a fact that he wouldn’t want you to go. If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t let her risk her life for anyone. Hell, I wouldn’t let her street fight!” His voice raising an octave higher and we continued to yell at each other.
“Shut up! Both of you, you’re giving me a headache. It’s too early to yell. Can’t we calm down and talk about this like civilized people?” Monic emphasized while rubbing her temples, looking agitated with us. She set her elbows on the counter and closed her eyes.
We both turned to her simultaneously and yelled a “No!” in sync before turning to each other and went back to glaring.
I heard her sigh and the chair scraping the floor before feeling a hand settle on my shoulder and a petite body slipping in between Adam’s bulky physique and I. She was trying to calm the both of us down before we bite each other’s head off which, in all honesty, was not working that well.
My gaze snapped to the kitchen door when I heard soft thuds on the ground and saw Adam’s younger brother, Pio, who was still 4 years old, waddled in and rushed towards me.
He was wearing a yellow polo shirt and a pair of trousers that reached an inch below his knees. He had this cute bowl cut that gave him the special effect to melt anyone’s heart.
During my visit, he seemed to have taken a liking towards me and was fascinated by my hair.
“Casey! Casey!”
Now, normally, I would’ve wrung any person’s neck and practically gauge their eyeballs out if they so much as call me by that nickname but let’s face it, I’m a sucker for this little guy.
A small smile graced my face and I could feel my features softened once my eyes landed on him.
As he approached us, he reached out and motioned for me to pick him up with puppy eyes. I chuckled at his tactics, I seriously need to toughen myself up to those eyes or he’ll surely be the death of me.
I picked him up by his underarms and rested him on my hip, securing him by placing an arm across his back.
“What’s up, little guy?”
He jutted out his lip and I frowned, not liking the fact that he’s upset.
“Whose face do I have to mess up?” I asked him in a serious tone and I was serious. If anyone dared to hurt Pio, I will have their heads. In just an hour, the little guy already had me wrapped around his tiny finger.
He shook his head at me and grinned instead, his dimples making an appearance and I silently awed at the sight. This boy will be the end of me someday.
“Mommy said she wants to talk to you.’’ He said slowly and I nodded.
“Okay, tell Mommy I’ll be there in a bit, yes?” I lowered him to the ground.
He nodded enthusiastically, “Okay!” His foot touched the ground and he give me a small wet kiss on my cheek. He rushed out, and left me to giggle at the way he ran.
‘That kid is definitely going to be one heartbreaker. I mused silently in my head. I turned to Adam that was staring intently at me, looking like he was deep in his thoughts.
“This isn’t over; far from it. But we’re going to talk about it later,” I told him, snapping him out of his thoughts and he nodded stiffly. I turned on my heel and headed to see Carla.
I reached her room and opened the door after knocking thrice. The sight of her on the bed, her body half covered with the duvet broke me and almost made me lose my composure then and there.
I might not know her and we might have only met once before but she’s such a lovely woman and mother to her children and she was so accepting when she thought I was Adam’s girlfriend that I felt happy for whoever Adam’s bride would be.
“Hey. Carla, you wanted to see me?” I spoke softly, taking a seat at the foot of her bed. She smiled when she met my eyes, her eyes seemed so exhausted and it threw me back to when I saw her last. She looked so different, so worn out.
I didn’t even notice that tears were rolling down my cheeks until she beckoned me to come nearer and wiped my cheers dry in a motherly way. I sniffled and tried to stop the tears. The gesture was so familiar to when Bryant would comfort me when I got scared that I couldn’t help but hug her.
It was an awkward position but I was too far gone to care.
“Hush child, I’m still breathing. It’s all that matters.” She pulled back, patting my cheeks softly and I returned the smile she offered me weakly.
“I’m sorry,” I told her softly and wiped the stray tears that decided to betray me.
I’ve honestly never cried for anyone else than Bryant and to feel this much affection towards someone I barely know was just improbable.
But you are feeling it and it’s real.
“Cassandra, promise me something?”
I shook my head, not wanting to hear what she’s about to say.
“No, Carla. You’re going to live. Don’t make it sound like you’re not going to make it. I know you will. I know you will make it. I’m sure. You’re strong and- and-”
She cut me off by pressing her index finger upon my lips to shush me.
She smiled softly at my denial, “Case, I know when I’m beat. We’re all bound to die in the end, to return to the man above. I’m not afraid to die. I’m afraid of what my death will do to my children.” She voiced her doubts and the minute I heard her statement, I saw her in a brighter light, I saw the fighter that she was, the fierce woman behind the calm, motherly exterior.
I saw her. I finally saw what’s underneath all those layers of smiles and motherly affection she shows to her kids. She is the strongest woman I’ve ever met and in that moment, I let my tears fall, not bothering to hold them back anymore,
In that moment, I felt pride surge in me just for knowing such a brave woman.
I nodded at her, “I’ll promise you anything, Carla. Anything,” I told her after a moment of silence.
The smile was still intact as she told me what she wanted me to do. I kept on having to swallow the lump in my throat as she told me what she wanted me to do and I tried my best, I really did, I tried to keep the tears at bay as much as possible.
It wasn’t easy but when she finally finished telling me her request, I nodded and gave her a weak smile and another tight hug.
“You’re a great mother and a beautiful woman, Carla. Inside and out,” I whispered into her ear and she chuckled lightly.
“Funny you said that, it’s exactly what I thought. You’ll make a great mother yourself some day and I’m going to be sorry that I won’t be able to see that happen.”
I kept a tight smile on and gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving her bedroom.
The door closed with a silent click and I slid down the wall beside it.
Dear God, why did the best people have to go? I asked silently as tears streamed down my face.
Soft footsteps echoed through the dark corridor whilst I lowered my head.
“Casey? Why are you crying?”
A pair of tiny feet appeared before me and Pio wrapped his hands around my neck. “Is it because of mommy’s sickness?” Pio asked and when I didn’t answer, he continued. “It’s alright, Casey, don’t be sad. Mommy told me when Grandpapa passed away, that God picks off the best people on Earth like we do when we are in a garden full of flowers.”
His small hands patted my back in what I think was an attempt to console me and my conscience decided to chastise me.
Look at you, Casey. You’re here crying because of a woman you don’t even know is dying, being consoled by her son.
I felt like an idiot. For once, my conscience was right. I was supposed to comfort this small boy, not the other way around.
I sniffled and hugged him back. “You’re a good kid, Pio and your mom is really proud of you.” I told him whole-heartedly and I didn’t need to hear it from Carla because even a blind man could see the obvious adoration that’s always present in her eyes whenever the little guy is around.
Pio was too young to lose his mother, to lose his role model. No, it won’t happen to him. Not in this age. Not on my watch.
In that moment, whilst hugging the little boy close to me, I promised myself something.
I’m not going to let you die, Carla. I’m going to fight for the treatment you deserve. Your kids still need you to guide them through their lives and I’m not just going to stand here looking like some bloody fool, waiting for you to breathe your last breath.
I’m going to fight, Carla. I promise I’ll fight till my very last to give you the money to fund the best treatment out there.
Don’t worry Pio. I won’t let anything happen to your mommy.