First thing in the morning, Angelo asked me the address of our new apartment. I give him our address, wondering why he needs it. I continue preparing our breakfast together with Ms. Lucy and Candace. Though we have limited space, things work out fine for the three of us.
“Candace, Ms. Lucy, sorry for the inconvenience yesterday. You guys shouldn’t have witnessed it, I was ashamed.”
“Angel, I don’t mind, I understand the situation. Besides, you and your mom are so nice to us. You both treated us as your family. I couldn't complain,” Candace said, chopping the carrots.
“Candace was right, Angel. Don’t worry about what happened,” Ms. Lucy seconded. “Let’s focus on taking care of your mom. That’s what we’re here for, right?”
“Alright, thank you, guys. Mom and I are lucky to have you both. You two deserve more than a monthly salary. I hope we can just adopt you when we get back to the Philippines.” I joke. We laugh in unison.
“Enough with that. Let’s cook this soup for your mom and next is our breakfast. We need to hurry up,” Lucy reminded.
We finish cooking and I start to plate mom’s soup when someone knocks on our door. Lucy and I exchange looks, eyebrows creasing in confusion.
“It’s not Margarette, right?” Candace asked.
“Why would Margarette follow us here? I'll check who's on our door."
On my way to the door, my heart is hammering in my chest for an unknown reason. The assumption of having Margarette behind the door makes me angry. I open the door to check if it is Margarette who wants to disturb us this time but it’s not.
“Angel, thank God you’re fine.”
The man hugs me without permission and I like it. He locks me in his warm embrace like he hasn't seen me for years. I feel the need to return his warm greetings so I wrap my arms around him. It’s pure and real, not an illusion.
“Angelo, I didn’t expect you to come quickly. I’m sorry to have disturbed your work but we’re fine now,” I said as he unwrapped his arms around me.
“I don’t think so,” Angelo said as he roamed his sight in every corner of the apartment. “This is not the right place for you and your mom. We have to move to the hotel I already booked, spacious enough for the four of you.” Angelo says as she looks at Candace and Lucy.
“Hotel? Isn’t it too expensive to live in? We don't know how much longer we have to stay for mom’s chemotherapy. I’m sure we can manage to stay here. We only need a car and a driver for our easy move around the city.”
“Angel, no. We will discuss this later. For now, I badly want to see your mom. Where’s your mom’s room?”
“Follow me. Ms. Lucy, Candace, please wait for us. Let’s have breakfast together later.” Lucy and Candace nod at me as they start cooking.
Angelo follows me to the first room where mom is sleeping. She looks like sleeping deeply as we enter. I gesture hush to Angelo, tiptoeing as I get close to the bed. Angelo does the same.
Angelo sits down slowly on the bed.
Angelo gently touches mom’s hair to avoid waking her up. I let him look upon mom while sleeping and sit on the small couch, watching them. This is the moment that I always wish will never end. The three of us being a family, a typical type of family.
I grew up wishing to have a family and now God gave it to me but it’s painful that I know it wouldn't last. I’m trying my best not to cry as I watch Angelo admire mom in silence. I know he loves my mom even without a word coming out of his mouth.
Mommy slowly leans on the side where Angelo is sitting. She opens her eyes, fixing it to the man sitting on the edge of the bed. Mom doesn’t seem to recognize Angelo at first until Angelo tucks mom’s hair.
“Athena, it’s me. How are you feeling?”
“Angelo, you’re here.” A bright smile slips on mom’s lips. She looks like not in pain anymore as she speaks.
“I came for you and Angel. I heard what happened and I already fixed things with Margarette so there’s nothing to worry about. We can now focus on your full recovery.”
Mom looks at me as if to confirm if I was the one who informed Angelo. I show an open-lipped smile to confirm it. I can’t deny it anyway.
“I thought, I’ll have to wait for a long time to see you again. Thanks for coming.”
“Oh, I miss you,” Angelo said, his voice brittle. He leans over and hugs mom and mom wraps her arms around Angelo.
“I miss you too.” Mom’s voice, almost a whisper.
My tears escape watching how strong their feelings are for each other. I wipe my tears immediately.
“Athena, it’s okay now. I will transfer you and Angel to a safe and comfortable place. A place where you’ll have more space to walk and a panoramic view to help you feel better.”
“Angelo is that necessary?”
“It is. Everything is settled, all we need to do is pack your things. A car is waiting for us outside the apartment.”
Mom looks at me, seems to be waiting for what I have to say.
“Let’s have breakfast first.”
“Sure. Let me feed Athena since I already had my breakfast on the airplane.”
Ms. Lucy, Candace, and I are having breakfast while Angelo feeds mom. Around 10 in the morning, we are ready to go. Angelo called two men to help us carry our things, and he volunteered to push mom’s wheelchair all the way to his car.
The hotel is not so far, a few minutes we arrive in front of the towering building of the Marina Bay Sands. The place where Maddox and his parents stayed when they had a family vacation.
I'm sad thinking I barely have time for Maddox. I don't have a choice, my mom should come first.
Our hotel room was the biggest I have ever seen, a presidential suite. It has 3 bedrooms, 3 furnished balconies, 2 living rooms including 1 baby grand piano, steam and sauna facilities, gym, and the list of features and amenities goes on and on.
Despite the beauty of the hotel, I can't fully enjoy it thinking how I would tell mom and Angelo what the doctor told me yesterday. Anyway, I need to tell them the truth.
"Mom, let's share the same room. You can't be alone here, it's too big. Lucy and Candace will share one room as well."
"Sure. I love sleeping with you, sweetheart. Let me get on my bed now."
"Let me." Angelo scoops mom and carries her to the bed.
After arranging our stuff in the closet, mom fell asleep, Angelo is watching her. Angelo is really heaven-sent. He makes our job easier by helping mom rest.
“I need to talk to you. Just the two of us, please,” I ask Angelo.
“Sure.”
We walk to the first balcony where it’s just me and Angelo, looking at the beautiful city view. It’s my first time to see such beautiful scenery from the top floor of the hotel. Surely, money can do almost anything we want.
Sadly, there are limitations to what it can do to us. Just like mom’s situation. No matter how much money Angelo has, it seems like he can’t save mom anymore.