CHAPTER 12: THE PLAN

“L-Lola, how did you get in?” Rodney recovered first.

Lola just smiled. “I won’t tell you the secrets of the trade just like that, hijo.”

He approached and embraced her in a form of greeting.

"H-How are you, Lola?"

"I'm good. It's good to see you together. If only it's just the two of you," Lola gave Shelley a disapproving look. I cringed secretly at the open animosity.

“You should have told me that you were coming, Lola. I could have picked you up,” Rodney said again as he was putting down the bags he was holding.

"Enough of this. I need to talk to you. Let's all sit down. And since your friend is here, let her hear what I have to say," Lola’s face is serious. She walked back to the sofa where she was sitting when we came in. Rodney and I looked at each other secretly while Shelley slowly raised her hands to cling to Rodney’s arm.

"What is it, Gran?" Rodney sat together with Shelley. I chose another spot to sit on.

Lola took a deep breath before she looked at her grandson.

“I didn’t want to shock you but I need to tell you this,” she sighed again. “I have a colon cancer at stage four.”

Rodney was unable to speak, his face devoid of any reaction.

"Gran, I don't like that joke," he said afterwards, trying to laugh it off.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Lola met his stare. But Rodney surrendered first and looked down when he realized how serious his grandmother is. He was shaking his head, unable to process the information.

"I'm leaving this world soon.." Lola was saying as if to herself. She looked up at the ceiling to prevent her tears from falling.

Rodney held his head with his hands and I saw his shoulders rocking as he try to suppress his emotion. I wanted to approach him, to hug him, to share his sorrow, to console him. But Shelley was right there beside him, gently rubbing his back to comfort him.

Rodney stood up and went to his grandmother.

“Lola..” then he hugged her tightly.

I was surprised to feel my warm tears that dropped on my thigh. I frantically wiped them as I watch Lola and Rodney trying to comfort each other.

“Lola, we can still look for cure, right?”

Lola looked away at her grandson’s question.

“Listen to me, Rodney. I want to see you and Mira building a family. I want you to get married within the month.”

I drew a sharp breath.

Rodney pulled away from his grandmother and looked at me, and then to Shelley.

Shelley’s face is a picture of disagreement and irritation.

“Lola, there is something you need to know,” he said slowly afterwards and went back to Shelley’s side.

"Mira and I.. we are not in a relationship." He held Shelley’s hand. “Shelley is my real girlfriend.”

Lola raised her head and looked at the two. “I know. Mira already admitted it to me.”

I chewed on my lips as Rodney gave me a dismayed look. I looked away and hid my emotion.

"She admitted it when I confronted her. I am not a fool, Rodney. I told you I can still sense these things. And I also know that Mira is a good person, that is why I want you to marry her as soon as possible."

"Lola, I'm sorry. I love you, you know that. But I cannot do what you want. That would be unfair to the three of us.”

"Well, Mira agreed to marry you already."

Rodney’s gaze flew to me once again. Even Shelley was sending me dagger looks.

"Then, I'm telling you that I'm not agreeing to this!" Rodney said with conviction.

Lola sighed.

"If you won't marry her, I will disinherit you. I will liquidate all of my assets and distribute them to charitable institutions."

His jaw clenched. "Do it, Lola. I can live with what I have earned through these years. I can bear to lose your wealth. But I'm not marrying Mira, because it is Shelley that I love."

I involuntarily grabbed my chest. It feels painful as if it is being squeezed.

I already know this fact, I am nothing for him from the start. I am just an extra. But why does it still hurt?

Lola saw me and then gave Rodney a pointed look. I know Lola must understand what I am feeling at the moment.

"All your life, I'm the one who took care of you. I was not just your grandmother. I was practically your parent. Is there anything you asked of me that I did not grant, listen to or considered? I'm dying now. My only with is to see you leading a life with someone I can trust, someone who can love and take care of you. Think about it first. It's a request, a last request, from a dying old woman."

I saw these words slowly piercing through Rodney’s conviction. He looks conflicted.

“Lola..” he said after a while, looking as if he’s really hurt. “What about my relationship with the woman I really love?”

“Someday you will realize that she is not the girl meant for you. That I was right in insisting you marry Mira.”

Shelley wanted to speak but Rodney stopped her by squeezing her hand.

“Can’t you just like Shelley for me? Can’t you just accept her the way you accepted Mira? She’s not a bad person, Lola. I love her and she loves me.”

Lola narrowed her eyes at them. “I know what my heart sees, Rodney.”

After saying that, Lola stood up. “I am leaving now, I already said what I have to say.”

Silence enveloped us once Lola is gone.

“AAArrrrgggghhh!” Shelley screamed suddenly. She stood up and faced me. “You snake! I should have known better than to trust you! What did you do? Did you brainwash her?!"

Rodney stood up and stopped Shelley.

"Babe, let's talk calmly about this. There is no need for blame game."

"What?! You take the side of this woman, too, Rodney?? Can’t you see, she intentionally did this! She really wanted to take you away from me. She wanted to steal you!"

"Shelley, please!" Rodney raised his voice. Shelley was taken aback.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe that girl was able to play you and your grandmother! Why, just because she looks innocent? If I know, she planned this all along. And I was such a fool to entrust you to her. She seduced you subtly that you didn’t even realize it yourself."

Rodney closed his eyes tightly as if he’s losing his patience.

“Shelley do not get swayed by your emotion! Can we be rational here for once??”

"Rational?! How can I be rational? How do you explain this?!" She moved closer to me and grabbed my arm, raising it to show Rodney the bracelet I am wearing.

"Babe.." Rodney was unable to move. "That's.. that's just.."

"What?! I saw this bracelet early this morning. I thought.. I thought you were gonna give this to me," Shelley reproached, short of crying of anger. “And then I will see her wearing this? What do you want me to think? What do you want me to feel? Should I feel glad??”

"Babe, it doesn't mean anything more than friendship," Rodney explained.

"Yeah, sure," Shelley answered sarcastically.

I took a deep breath and stood tall, before slowly approaching them, wearing a fake smile.

"Tsk, tsk! Poor Shelley."

Rodney turned to me, confused with my sudden change of behavior. But I ignored him. In fact, I avoided to meet his eyes. I'm so afraid of what I'm going to do. I'm so afraid that he will see through me.

I faced Shelley, her eyes look grim and ready to kill me. I held my chin with the arm that is wearing the bracelet as if I am brooding. Resentment filled her eyes when her eyes caught the thing.

And I smiled triumphantly at her.

"I did not ask him for this. He gave it to me on his own volition. Actually, I was surprised. Not that I didn't like it. It's so touching. That's very sweet of him to give me this, right?"

Her eyes are suddenly in slits. She moved to attack me.

"You bitch! I’ll pull out all your hair!"

"Shelley-!" Rodney promptly caught Shelley by the waist. I also evaded her swiftly. I anticipated her to react like this.

Rodney turned to me.

"Mira, what are you doing?"

"What?" I asked innocently. "I'm telling her the truth."

Rodney is shaking his head in disbelief. He is looking at me as if he’s seeing me for the first time.

"I will let you, two, talk. So that you can properly say goodbye to each other before we get married. "

"What?!"

“Rodney will never marry you! I will never let him!” Shelley screamed at me.

I laughed mockingly.

"Let's see about that."

Shelley hugged Rodney tightly. "Please tell me you won't marry her. Tell me, Babe."

“What’s happening to you, Mira?” Rodney calmly asked me. I can see that he is trying to control himself.

I stared at him. "The earlier you accept what's going to happen, the better, Rodney. Your grandmother is dying. Can you really refuse her dying wish?"

He was unable to answer so he just clenched his fist. The he dropped himself on the sofa as if strength left him.

"Babe, don't tell me that you are going to agree to it. Babe, I can't accept it. It's going to kill me!" Shelley followed him and embraced him tighter while bawling. He hugged her back and looked at me.

“Lola is not dying. She might just be doing this to force me to marry you.”

“We both know it’s easy to confirm whether that is true or not, right?”

"I don’t understand you, Mira. Are you telling me that you actually want this?"

Do I want this? Hell, do I want this??

Whoever wants to be an antagonist? Why am I even doing this? Why do I have to be the villain?

I bit my lips because in my heart, I know the answer to that.

Our conversation was interrupted when Rodney’s phone rang.

"Hello Doc?"

…

"So it's true.." he almost whispered to himself. "Is there still a way to cure her?"

…

"If that is the case, why wouldn’t we do that-?"

…

"Why wouldn't she-? If there is still a chance.."

…

"Yes Doc. I will definitely convince her. Yes, as soon as possible."

Rodney looked as if he aged so much after he dropped the call. He was silently clenching his jaws as he took some time to himself.

"We're getting married," he declared while looking at me.

Shelley looked shocked. "No!" her face looked hurt and betrayed.

And even though she is never really treating me well, I really sympathize with her this moment. And guilt is killing me. I only wanted to make Lola happy. I only wanted to protect Rodney. But I never once stopped to consider her or her feelings.

Does it make me a monster?

‘I'm sorry Shelley.’

"Listen first, Babe."