1 Meet Mandy
BRRRRNNNGGGGG!
She almost fell from her bed. She fumbled for the lamp switch but couldn't find it.
BRRRRNNNGGGGG!
She heard it again and then realized it was her mobile phone ringing.
"Who would be calling at this hour?" She thought.
BRRRRNNNGGGGG!
She felt under her pillow where she usually puts her phone when she sleeps but didn't find it.
"Where is that darn phone!" She got up and tried to look under her bed to see if it had fallen. She saw a faint light coming from near her bedroom slippers. She grabbed it before it rang again. She didn't even looked to see who was calling.
"Hello?", she said in a husky, just-woke-up voice. She cleared her throat. She was about to talk again when she heard a familiar voice from the other end.
"Hello, Mandy. Did I wake you?" It was her dad.
"Uhm, no Dad. I'm already up," she lied. Her father doesn't like it when she wakes up late. He believes that getting up early is somehow related to success.
"Good. I need to see you today. Can you drop by at the office? We can have lunch together."
"Sure, Dad," she answered. She wanted to say she can't see him today because she had plans to meet her friends. After all, she just graduated from college two days ago and wanted to hangout. Being inside an office, especially her dad's office, is the last thing on her mind. But saying "no" to her dad had been difficult for her ever since her mom passed away. She knew her dad wanted to see her often. Many people say she is the striking resemblance of her mother. And she believes it was the reason why her dad wanted to see her. He misses her mom. And she knew it even though he tries to hide it.
"Great! I'll see you around noon. I love you."
"Okay, Dad. See you. Love you, too."
She ended the call and went back to bed. She looked at the time on the phone. It was only 5 o'clock in the morning.
"Why was he up so early?" She thought. She wanted to go back to sleep but couldn't. She kept thinking why her dad called her so early.
"Maybe he wanted to make sure I don't make plans today. But why does he want to see me?" She couldn't think of a reason why so she decided to get up and get her day started.
The floor was cold because of the air-conditioning. Mandy had moved in this apartment for college. She wanted to go to a college dorm like all her friends but her dad insisted that she have her own apartment. And as always, she couldn't say "no" to her dad. She had always believed that her dad had hired a secret bodyguard to follow her around, not because he wanted her safe, though that is probably part of the reason. But the real reason, she believes, is to make sure she doesn't date anyone, at least while she's in college. Her dad had always been overly protective of her. Mandy could never understand why he was like that. Maybe because she is the only child or maybe because she looks like her mother.
Mandy's dad had insisted on installing carpeting for the apartment. He said it would get too cold in the winter. But Mandy begged him to leave the wooden flooring. She had always liked wooden floors. The sound of her shoe on the wood while she walked made her feel less lonely in the apartment. Her dad gave in and left the wooden flooring alone but all else, he changed. Her dad had good taste, though, so the apartment looked nice. It had that welcoming feeling.
Mandy started to make coffee. She could never go through the day without having a cup or two in the morning. It somehow awakens her senses — and she felt she needed to be awake today. Something inside her is telling her that today is a different day. Today, something will happen that will change her life — and the frequency of drinking coffee.
She checked the fridge for something to eat but found nothing appetizing. She figured she could just grab a sandwich before meeting her dad. But then again, she thought she would skip breakfast and just eat lunch later when she meets her dad.
She took a shower and got ready for meeting her dad. It was only 9 o'clock in the morning so she wasn't in a hurry going out the door. She took time to pick her dress and matching shoes, making sure she wore something her dad would approve. Her dad was the conservative type. He doesn't like revealing clothes or tight-fitting dresses. Mandy wasn't into sexy clothes either. She had nothing against mini skirts or tight jeans or see-through blouses. She was simply brought up to dress modestly. The influence came from her mom who would always be nicely dressed even if she would just buy something in the grocery. Mandy also took time to do her make-up the way her dad wanted it. Not for anything, but Mandy hated upsetting her dad. She picked up her favorite lipstick. This was the same shade her mom frequently wore.
She put down her lipstick when she remembered her mom.
Mandy was just in senior high when her mom got sick. It wasn't serious at all — at first. Her mom was breathless one day so her dad took her to the hospital. The doctors didn't see anything wrong with her except that her hemoglobin was low — too low, actually. She underwent blood transfusion, hoping to fix the problem. But it only got worse. She got weaker and weaker. She was given oxygen round the clock. She was still able to talk to Mandy, reassuring her that everything is alright, that there was nothing to be worried about and that she would be out of the hospital soon. A couple of days later, her mom slipped into a coma. The doctors say there was a blood clot in her brain. She underwent surgery. They had successfully removed the blood clot but her mom didn't wake up. After about a month in the hospital, she succumbed. Only her dad was beside her mom. Mandy went to school that day. She was called to the principal's office in the middle of her English class. She was told her mother might not make it and she needs to go to the hospital. She was excused from school and her dad's secretary picked her up. She was still on the way to the hospital when her dad called her and told her that her mother was gone. Mandy told her dad to wait for her, to not let anyone take her mother away before she arrives at the hospital.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mandy was inside her mother's hospital room. All the equipment had been taken out along with the tubes attached to her mother. Only her mother was there. She looked peaceful, like she was only sleeping. It was hard to believe that she has passed away. Her dad stood beside her. He looked like he had just finished crying and was about to cry again but he was trying hard to hold it back.
Mandy was devastated. Her dad was also in a bad shape. It all happened so fast. Nobody saw it coming. Everyone expected she would survive. Mandy's dad had thought of suing the doctors and the hospital but changed his mind. Mandy had told him to let it go. Even if he files a case, it wouldn't bring her mom back.
Mandy remembered the funeral for her mom. Their house was full of people saying sympathies and expressing condolences. She couldn't remember how many hugged her and told her to be strong. All she could remember was her mom lying in the casket, eyes closed, hands interlaced on top of her abdomen. Even in death, her mom was beautiful. Mandy and her dad stood together as they watched her mother being laid to rest. The soil slowly filling the hole where they had lain her mother. She felt her heart grow heavy as she watch the casket slowly being covered with soil. She realized she will never see her mother again.
Mandy and her dad didn't talk much after the funeral. Each one made their way to their rooms, each one grieved on their own. It was the following day that her dad finally spoke to her.
"What are you planning to do today, Mandy?", asked her dad. Mandy shrugged. She didn't plan on doing anything that day. She was too tired and too sad to think.
"Alright then, I will let you skip school today. I, on the other hand, will go to work. I will see you tonight. Let's have dinner together. Sounds good?" Mandy nodded. She didn't want to have dinner that night but when she saw her dad's eyes — the longing to be with someone — she couldn't say "no". And Mandy realized that that was the very first day she said "yes" to her dad even is she didn't want to.
