CHAPTER 4 - Herwin
It's Saturday, Maeve does not need to worry about anything, she can just lazing around with her girlfriend till the clock shows one in the afternoon.
Caroline stepped out from the bathroom just finished the shower.
“You meanie didn’t wait for me” Maeve whined.
“Wait for..?” Caroline puzzled.
“Taking a bath together!” Maeve chirped.
“No~ Maevy is so naughty~” Caroline’s turn to whine
“Oh no~ no matter how many times, Caroline’s reaction is just the cutest!”
“Eeeeeh~ there’s no way~”
Maeve just smiling in satisfaction to see her beloved girlfriend in such a good mood to play around with her.
“Now, go take a shower. I’ll prepare our breakfast. I mean, brunch.” Caroline commanded.
“Ye~s~” Maeve drawled.
It was a beautiful and happy life with Caroline. Her whiny and clingy behavior was the most attractive thing for Maeve. Caroline attended All-Girls Middle School at Wellspring. Just about 30KM away from Everhills. Twice a month, she will come over to spend time with Maeve on weekend but every morning, Caroline will text her, and sometimes at night, they will video calling if they have time and if Maeve is not so tired after school and part-time working. It somehow turned into their small routine. Even Caroline was the one who will text her first every morning, she never complain, they’re doing just fine.
After she finished shower, she quickly getting dress, grabbed her phone, and step to the dining room. The food was already served. Caroline greets her with a very warm smile. A smile that she can’t get enough of from the beautiful and enchanted girl before her.
While enjoying their brunch, Maeve scrolls through her social media when she remembered something important today.
“Oh no! I forgot!” Suddenly Maeve gulped realizing her mistake.
“What’s wrong?” Caroline questioned.
“It was Herwin’s treatment day,” Maeve answered. Showing Caroline the Instagram stories of Esther, Herwin’s big sister where it says they’re in the hospital again for another little brother’s treatment.
Caroline raised her brows.
The Instagram Story was posted at 10 am today means Herwin’s treatment should be done now. Usually, she will give him a visit after the treatment because he will be hospitalized for the weekend. It becomes her responsible even Herwin repeatedly said he doesn’t mind if they won’t show up. It’s just regular treatment, after all
“Thank god, the treatment went well. I got to see him!” Maeve uttered.
“You mean, us?” Caroline hinted.
“Caroline wants to come along?”
“Of course, you wouldn’t just leave me here alone, right?” She pouted her mouth.
“No! I’m glad you wanna come along, let’s go!” She sang excitedly.
Caroline pouting face changes into a pleased smile.
“Everyone must already be there. I can’t imagine what will he say if I tell him I forgot about that.” Maeve doubted.
“If it was me, I’ll sulk.” Caroline shared her opinion.
“Hehehh.. but since it’s Herwin, he probably doesn’t mind.”
***
“I thought you’re going to sleep all day,” Herwin commented.
“Don’t compare me to you. I’m not a sleepyhead like you!” Still mocking even though she’s made a mistake.
Herwin doesn’t give any reaction.
“I’m sorry..?” Maeve apologized.
“For insulting me?”
“Because I forgot, idiot!”
“Hahah.. don’t apologize, idiot!” He replied.
“Did everyone already came?” She wondered.
“I’ve seen Demi, Ender, and Asfar. Alan and what was his name..”
“Shun.”
“Yeah, him.. they came but I was sleeping. Old man and Esther taught me.” Herwin stated.
“I see. I’m the last one, huh?” She sighed.
“Stop it, it doesn’t matter, though..” He blurted.
“But..”
“I’ll go to sleep if you still wanna talk about it,” he warned.
“Fine…”
“Err... I’m sorry for interrupting, I.. um.. washroom..” Suddenly Caroline blurted in.
“Go ahead,” Maeve responded.
After Caroline left, they kept silent for a while.
“Maybe I should get one too..” Herwin voiced.
“One what?” She asked.
“Girlfriend.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know, I want to at least have some fun too.. with the rest of my life.” He stated.
“Just a waste. It wasn’t fun at all.” She replied.
“Oh, yea? Having a girlfriend wasn’t fun? Wait till your girlfriend hears it..”
“Well, for you. I knew you’re not interested in that. Why fake yourself for something stereo-typically fun for others but not for you?” She expressed.
“You’re right. Come to think, it will consume my life with relationship issues, fighting, being jealous, lies and tears. In the end, I’ll have to leave her. That just savage.”
Maeve glanced at him with an annoyed look. Waiting for him to finish blabbering.
“What?” She questioned without context.
“What..?” Of course, he would ask back.
“All you said was ‘I don’t have much time left,' ‘I will leave her’, ‘For rest of my life,' what’s with all that?” She snapped.
“What? Am I wrong?”
“You sounded pitiful but it makes me angry.” She stated.
“I wasn’t intending for a pity nor anger.” He replied.
Maeve doesn’t respond.
“I only have about a year left. You should start accepting reality.” He muttered.
“What was that?!” She snapped in a louder voice.
“What do you think your old man and your sister feel if they hear that?!” She continued.
“They probably heard it million times already.” He uttered.
“Stop talking like there’s no hope anymore!”
“There is no hope anymore!” He confirmed.
“You are STILL alive!!”
“I can tell that.”
She gritted her teeth. Very angry.
“Stop play dumb! Why do you think you took these treatments for all the past years? Why did you come to school? Make friends? No matter how short you live, so what if they said you’re just can live until 17 years? 17 years is still a lifetime! You’re alive!”
“I’m tired. Going to sleep.” That was all he can respond to.
Maeve sighed.
“Sorry.”
“I’m not forgiving you. Because you apologized. I thought I already told you I hate apology.” He said while facing away from her.
“Don’t apologize and I’ll forgive you.”
He can’t hear anything from the girl anymore.
“Good. I forgave you.”
He still proceeds to sleep.
“Can I stay here?” She asked.
“I don’t mind, but what about your girlfriend?”
“You’re right. I forgot about that.”
He chuckled.
“You should stop forgetting things while you’re still young,” he commented.
She just gives a slight curve on her lips.
“I’ll leave. See you on Monday.” She said as she standing up ready to leave him alone. Sleep.
“Okay.”
The door sound startled her a bit before she saw her girlfriend’s face emerged from the room.
“Sorry for the wait.” Maeve’s voice sounded weak.
“Don’t mind.”
“Let’s go home, shall we?” Maeve changed suddenly into more cheerful.
Caroline let out her sweetest smile and took Maeve’s hand. Maeve replied with a smile.
“Let’s go.”
They’re left.
-CHAPTER 4 ENDS-