Five Days to Goodbye

A week before the wedding, I brought my mother to my fiancee's hospital for a sedated endoscopy. My mother woke up early in the morning, combed her hair back until not a strand was out of place, changed into her best but already bleaching shirt, and wore a pair of new shoes. She held her number and said quietly, "If Lorelei's busy, we can just let this go. Don't waste her time." I patted her arm. "It's alright. I made an appointment. It won't waste her time." She woke up at five in the morning and waited until eleven without eating anything. By then, my mother's legs were already trembling. I texted Lorelei, "Mom can't hang on much longer. How many are left until us?" It took her a long time to reply. "Wait in line like everyone else." Another hour went by. It was our turn, but the nurse called the father and son who had been sitting all this while. Through the crack in the door, I heard the boy ask, "Who are those outside, Lorelei? Are you sure you can let me in first?" Lorelei Shaw answered, "Yes. I'm acquainted with those two. I can convince them." I looked down at the slip of paper that was already drenched with my mother's sweat. She was the one who paid for Lorelei's PhD program. We were supposed to get married in five days, but now, we were only acquaintances to her. I rolled up the slip and tucked it in my pocket, then held my mother up and went to the nearest breakfast place. The moment we sat down, I texted all our friends and family. "The marriage is off." Chapter 1 Quiet Dinner It was an unusually quiet breakfast. My mother sipped her soup and tried to calm me down. "She didn't mean it. Don't strain your relationship over this. The marriage will proceed." I said nothing and put a piece of bread on her plate. My mother ran a breakfast place in our hometown. She would wake up every day before dawn to make the doughs, the pastries, and the juices. Lorelei happily took her money to pay off her PhD program, but she never asked how my mother made her money. All the bills and coins were stuffed in the drawer, covered in dirt and the stench of oil. The calluses and blisters on my mother's hands were proof that this was hard earned money. Every time I came home, I told her to catch a break. She would wipe her face off with a towel and put up a wrinkly smile. "I will, once I make enough for your house's downpayment." Earlier this year, she kept complaining that her stomach wouldn't stop hurting. I talked to Lorelei and asked if she could give my mother a slot with her family privilege and arrange an endoscopy for her. She refused. "I'm a supervising doctor. I have to lead by example!" I thought she had a point, so I made an appointment a week earlier, right before our wedding. I made it a point to tell her multiple times. She would tell me she got it, but she never did remember it. It was just something she said to shoo me away. I took my mother home and got another appointment at another top hospital. Time stretched on until seven at night. She didn't call or text or even ask if my mother had done her endoscopy and if we wanted to go out. An hour passed. The food I made had gone cold, yet she hadn't returned. I called her, but it only rang for a moment before she hung up. I texted, "When are you coming back?" She gave me no reply. I picked up my fork and was about to eat, but my mother held my hand down. "I don't think that's nice. She probably has a procedure going on." The light shone on my mother. She smiled, and wrinkles folded her face. Her hair was already graying, and it told me she was already getting old. I put my fork down, trying not to cry. My phone buzzed. Seeing the notification, I tapped on it, only to see Lorelei and the father-son pair holding up peace signs to the camera. Behind them was a luxurious room, and beside her were our colleagues. There was a feast on the dining table too. One of the nurses who knew me tagged me. "Lorelei's treating her childhood friend to dinner. Where are you?" I stared at the screen until it started to dim, then typed, "Maybe she thinks I don't deserve it." I put my phone down and told my mother to eat. "She's treating her colleagues to dinner. Let's not wait for her." My mother's hand froze, but she put up a smile and comforted me. "Of course. She has to manage her network. We can't help her, but we can support her." I ate quietly, but every bite felt like it was eating into glass, and it hurt my mouth. A few bites later, Lorelei called. She said icily, "Delete that." Chapter 2 Unfair Treatment I held my phone and went into the bedroom. "My friends and colleagues follow me on Instagram. They're going to think badly of Chris. We grew up together, and his father is my godfather—" I interrupted, "So you let him cut in line when we've waited for four hours?" Dead silence followed, as if someone had choked her. I continued, "My mother stood until she was sweating. Her legs were shaking, and all for an endoscopy. You wanted us to wait in line like everyone else. Your friend and his father were relaxing and having snacks. All he did was a blood pressure check. A nurse could've done it, and you let them cut in line." Somehow, that struck a nerve, and Lorelei raised her voice. "Your mother stands for half a day all the time, and now you're telling me she's getting princessy all of a sudden? You're fighting with me over something trivial, and that's just petty!" "If I were petty, I wouldn't have made you dinner. You didn't even show my mother around when she visited, but you were so eager to act like another man's daughter-in-law. You booked them a room and treated them to a feast!" "Enough!" Lorelei screamed into the phone. "Look at you, you disgust me! Keep this up and the marriage is off!" I stayed silent for a long time, then someone opened the door. My mother came in looking heartbroken, and I hung up in a panic. "Don't get in a fight, Michael. My stomach doesn't hurt anymore. It's alright." She smacked her belly to prove that she was alright. But people at her age were at risk for stomach cancer. Last month, when I brought lunch for Lorelei at her hospital, I passed by a patient who died from late stage stomach cancer. As I looked at the enveloped corpse, I was reminded of my own mother, who ate at irregular times and kept saying her stomach hurt. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest back then. Lorelei laughed at me, saying I worried too much. I quickly forced a smile and raised my hands at my mother. "That won't happen." "Yeah, and talk it out with her when she comes back." I noticed the anticipation in her eyes, and I clenched my fists. "Fine," I said quietly. Soon, the door opened up. In came Lorelei holding a bunch of stuff. Behind her was that father-son pair. She didn't even look at my mother. Instead, she bent over and grabbed two pairs of new cotton slippers for them from the shoe cabinet. So that was why she snatched the slippers from my mother the day before. She said, "She's old, and her feet smell. She can wear an old pair, and after she leaves, I can throw them out." My mother had just arrived, and this woman was already thinking about how to kick her out. I wanted to argue, but my mother tugged on my sleeve and told me to be quiet. Then, she rubbed her hands and bowed as she simpered at Lorelei. "Lorelei's right. Old slippers are fine. They feel good, and I love them. Let's not fight over this." Flames of fury burned within me, but my mother clenched my hand tightly. I didn't even need to look to get what she meant. She wanted me to endure this. Once the two changed into the slippers, Lorelei stood up. "Michael, tell your mother to stay in a motel or something. We can't house this many people." Your mother. That was how she addressed her since the day before. She was respectful when she was taking money from my mom, but now that she was a supervising doctor, she got haughty. I said nothing, and she pointed at the pair. "This is my godfather, and that's his son, Chris Gray." I held my fury down and greeted them. Her godfather said nothing. Instead, he strode ahead and slapped me. "You bastard! Know some shame! You don't even know my goddaughter that well! How dare you move in while she's gone?" Chapter 3 Leave I was stunned and held my cheek. When I snapped out of it, I wanted an explanation, but Lorelei turned around and shielded them. "He didn't mean it! He just has a short temper!" Chris stood behind him, still going on, "Don't stop us! Men like him need to be taught a lesson!" Chris' father jabbed a finger at me. "Yeah! If you actually know her, she'd have invited you to dinner! I've seen a lot of people like you!" He charged at me. Lorelei stopped me but let those two do whatever they wanted. Only my mother shielded me. I looked away for one second, and Chris' father slapped my mother. Everything went silent. My mother didn't fly into a rage. Instead, she wiped the blood off her lips, then she smiled at Lorelei. "It's alright. It's a misunderstanding. We get that he has a short temper." She was still holding me tightly, worried I might start a big fight over her. She always said, "Lorelei's great. She found her footing herself and is a leading physician in a top hospital at her age. You found a great wife. I couldn't give you a good life, but I found you a good partner. As long as you're okay, I can let everything else slide." That was why she kept tolerating and enduring the mistreatment. Even when she saw Lorelei tossing the food she carried a thousand miles into the bin, she waved it down. When she realized Lorelei refused to save up for a house, she handed me her savings and said she'd saved up enough for my house. Even when Lorelei didn't come home with me for the holidays, she cooked up an excuse for her. "She's busy all year, and this is when she gets some time off. Coming back and forth is tiring. Put yourself in her shoes." Our understanding ended up with nothing but insults and slaps. Lorelei acted like she just snapped out of it, and she held my hand. "Calm down, Michael. I'll apologize in his place. He's just worried about me." I did nothing. I hit no one, nor did I yell at anyone, but this woman wanted me to calm down. Then, she turned to the Grays. "This is a misunderstanding. Michael's my fiance, and that's his mother." Chris sized me up and said, "That's him? Your taste in men is terrible." His father sneered. "You don't even know him this morning, and now he's your fiance? Even if that's the case, he can't move in before you're married! He knows no shame!" She said nothing. That woman didn't even defend me while her godfather and his son insulted me. She didn't tell them my family was the one that paid for this house's downpayment. I heaved a sigh and held my mother, wanting to leave, but Lorelei grabbed me. She frowned. "Where are you going?" I flung her hand away and stared daggers at her. "We're done, Lorelei." The corridor was dim, yet the swelling on my mother's cheek was still visible. The bloodstains on her collar stung even more. Lorelei caught up to us. "Hey, let's calm down and talk. Don't throw a tantrum. You and your mother can't leave! Who's going to serve Chris and his dad?" My mother didn't tell me to stay. With her trembling hands, she quickly pressed the elevator button. Chapter 4 Not Happening My mother and I stayed in a hotel for the night, and I took her for an endoscopy the next day. It was the same process, and we got the results in just two hours. It wasn't cancer. It was a gastric polyp. I could rest easy after hearing that. Meanwhile, Lorelei kept calling me through the process. "We're adults now! Don't run away from home over every little thing!" Any affair about me was nothing to her, while the Grays were important. "Chris wants your limited edition coat. I gave it to him. It's not like you're wearing it anyway." That was new. I was going to wear it during the holidays. "Chris wants to be the best man, but he has no suit, so I gave him your three-piece." That was the only piece of groom attire I had. She asked nothing about my mother. All she talked about was the Grays. I replied to none of her messages. My focus was on my mother's surgery. When she was pushed into the operating room, the nurse stopped me in a hurry. "Mr. Samson, you'll have to pay the surgery bill first." "I deposited thirty grand into my tab." "Someone emptied it out this morning." I paid that using the family account, which meant only Lorelei could take it. Sweat drenched my body. My savings were cleared out after the downpayment and deposit for the wedding planning company. If I had no money, the surgery would… I called Lorelei, "You took the money I saved on my tab in the hospital?" "Yes." "Give it back. My mother's surgery is today." "It's too late. I bought a watch for my godfather and spent the rest on Chris' wardrobe." "What about my mother's surgery?" "Take out a loan or borrow some money." "You're a monster! My mother paid 500 grand for your PhD program, and you won't even pay for her surgery?" She paused for a moment and quickly continued, "I can, but this is punishment. What would the others think if you let another doctor perform on her but not me?" The nurse was urging again. I held down my fury and pleaded, "Lend me some money. We can talk it out later." "Sure, but I need you to sign something." "What is it?" "My godfather likes our house, and he wants to live out his retirement here. Sign some papers and give him the house." "Why should I?" "Because you've been in love with me for ten years, and you won't give up on me." The sun was scorching outside, but my whole body felt cold. Not enough that they squeezed me and my mother out of that house, not enough that she took the money meant for my mother's surgery, and now she wanted to take the last thing I had. I closed my eyes and hung up, then I called the bank to mortgage my home and get a loan. The staff answered, "I'm sorry, but we don't give out two loans on the same house. Someone took a 300-grand loan yesterday." My hand was shaking. Lorelei had prepared everything. She knew I would never agree to give the deed to another person easily, so she got a loan and bought a house with it, but I had to pay the price. I hung up and called one of my family's friends back at home. Five minutes later, I got 50 grand and quickly rushed to the nurse's station. Lorelei was still discussing which property to purchase. The Grays were there too. "Are you sure he won't make a fuss about mortgaging this house, Lorelei?" "Nah, we're getting married tomorrow. He can't wait to marry me. He won't start anything." Chris' father patted her shoulder. He praised, "You're a leading surgeon, and he's just a regular employee at a corporation. He should feel lucky he has you!" Lorelei nodded. Our wedding was the next day. It was eleven, and all the food was already served, but none from my side showed up, let alone me and my mother. Only Lorelei's colleagues were there. In a panic, she quickly made a call. Our mutual friend roared, "You bitch! You took his house and money for his mother's surgery. Do you seriously think he'd still marry you? Fuck off!"