DOLORES AND TYLER

          Ethan opened the door to the ward and went in. Charlotte's mother turned to look at him. Charlotte was still sleeping, she was getting paler every day, her eyes were a deep hollow now her lips were turning purple. He moved closer to the bed. 

       "How is she?" he asked, holding her frail hands. Her hand felt like it would break if he squeezed it. 

       "She was okay last night," Mrs Hernandez answered pushing back her wheelchair from the bed and giving Ethan enough space.   "She was okay last night, she was smiling and talking to me." She wiped her tears.  "She is dying slowly and it's hurting me and the doctor said she is going through more pain than I can imagine, but my daughter would always cover up, she would always smile like everything is alright." The woman was sobbing now. 

       Ethan went over to her and hugged her. He placed her head on his abdomen and wrapped his arms around her.   "Shhh, she is a very strong and unique woman." 

        "I wish cancer happened to me instead. I am useless enough and I have lived a life that it's no longer meaningful. But she has a long way to go. She has not enjoyed the good things of life yet, she has not found a man to love her, she has not done her fairly wedding, and she has not even fulfilled her dreams of becoming a fashionista. She is so cheerful and lively... "

      A lone tear was trekking down Ethan's left cheek and he quickly wiped it away. He might have known Charlotte for a very short while in his life, but she was everything her mother had described, funny, boisterous, impactful and peaceful. He patted the woman's back and looked at Charlotte. Her eyes were open and she was staring at them. 

      "Charlotte," he called and blinked to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. 

       "Are you guys gossiping about me?" she asked, her voice sounding so weak and faint, that she tried to sit up. 

       "Charlotte," Ethan called again and went over to her. He sat on the bed and helped her sit and he hugged her.   "I'm sorry I couldn't make it last night." 

      Charlotte spanked his back.  "I told you to stop apologising. Where is Faith?" 

         "She had an emergency." 

       She wrapped her arms around him.  "Let me be in your strong arms for now."

      He held her tightly.  "What was your dream?" 

    She chuckled faintly and whispered.  "I stole all the good things of life from a convince store. I would want to do that in reality." 

      "You want us to rob a convince store?" 

      "Should I count that as a dying wish?"

  He chuckled.  "When do you wanna do that?" 

     "Today, tomorrow, as long as I am alive." 

      "Alright, your wish is my command." He carried her fragile body and stood up.  "I'll carry you like this until you are ready to steal. Thinking of it now, it's gonna be an adventurous experience." 

      She snickered and he joined her. He carried her like that around the room like he wanted to soothe her to sleep. Her mother watched them with a sad smile. 

                                     * * *

      Dolores Floyd has refused to look cheerful and she easily snaps at people these days. She has been thinking about what would happen if Ethan didn't come back before the next president of the company is voted in. She had heard rumours, some vultures wanted to snatch the company from them. She stood by the window of her office with a glass of wine. Wine seems to be her best friend and companion these days.

       She looked out of the window, recalling the events that have happened recently and the conversations she has overheard from the staff, her conversation with Tyler, Ethan's assistant. As much as she hates to admit it, he was the only one she could trust in the company right at that moment. He had proven that he was loyal, although she still made him timid. 

      She had invited him to sit and eat with her at the company's canteen. He had sat there in front of her, looking down on the table and picking his fingers daring not to look at her. He was a lanky, slender guy with a bobbing Adam's apple. She had sat there too staring at him. The silence had lingered for a while and their food had been left untouched. 

      Dolores had cleared her throat and had drunk water from the glass cup in front of her before she broke the silence. 

      "Why ain't you eating?" she asked. 

     "I don't have an appetite." 

     "That's a lie. Are you going to say the truth or risk getting fired?" 

       "The truth is..." He had hesitated. "The truth is that...you make it difficult for me to...breathe freely." He had grabbed the glass in his front and had drank the whole water there. 

      "I do?" Dolores had asked peering at him. He didn't say anything else. He had glanced up at her and quickly removed his eyes.  "I didn't know that. Was it because I hassle you about my son?" 

       "Yes, ma, Mrs Dolores." 

       "I'm sorry about that. But can't you see that I'm desperate?" 

       "Desperate about what if...I may ask?" 

      "You know that our company is at stake don't you?" 

     Tyler had become visibly uneasy. 

      "You know that there had been rumours about some people trying to vote Ethan out of this company?" 

      Tyler had hemmed and hawed.  "I guess... Well, I guess there was some talk." He avoided her eyes. 

      She had known it.  "Look at me, Tyler, I won't bite." He had slowly looked up at her.   "What do you mean?" 

       "Nothing." He swallowed hard.  "You know...you know how talk flies around, the usual talk." He had dropped his head down again. 

       "No, I don't know. What talk?" 

   He had glanced up at her again and had quickly put down his eyes again.  "Do you really not know or do you want to confirm it from me?" 

       "Yes, I want to confirm it from you. It might be a rumour to you, but your boss' position is at stake. Tell me what you heard and who you heard it from." 

      Tyler had turned red.  "No, I really don't think I should." 

      Dolores had reached out and had held his hand.  "Tyler, listen to me, nothing gonna happen to you as long as Ethan remains the chairman. You need to tell me all you know to help me help Ethan. You know his uncles want to take away this company by all means." She had felt his hand quivering under hers. 

      He had squirmed in his seat and had grimaced, then looked around, then leaned closer. "Well, Mr Childress is going about trying to convince people to vote for him in the upcoming meeting. They can't wait for the three months to elapse so that they would vote Ethan out… I didn't agree when they came to me." 

      Dolores' hand had slipped away from his and she had leaned back on her seat, exhaling deeply in exasperation. 

     She sipped her drink and looked out of the window and wiped the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She knew once her husband dies, his brothers won't let her and her children live in peace. It even hurt her more that she seem to be the reason why her son left home. Since they were not seeing him, they decided to push forward the motion of overthrowing him. If he was around, he would have heard what was going on and he would have done something. 

       A knock came on her door, but she didn't answer it nor turn. The knock came again and the person came in and walked toward her desk.  She waited for whoever it was to say something but the person didn't say anything.  She turned slowly and saw Tyler standing there, wavering like a leaf in the winter. As usual, his face was down. 

       "Tyler?" she called as she walked towards her desk. "What is the problem?" 

       "I... Can you give me some time to take a leave?" 

       "Are you resigning?" she asked looking alarmed. 

     "No, no, no," he said quickly.  "I have something to take care of." 

      "Is anyone giving you trouble? Is it about the discussion we had two days ago?" 

       "No ma, I promise. It's something personal." 

    Dolores stared fixedly at him.  "Are you sure?"

      "Yes." 

      "I don't believe you. If you are saying that truth, look me in the eyes and say you will come back." 

       He lifted his face and looked into her eyes for the first time.  "I promise to come back here. I really have something to take care of." 

     She stared at him for a while.   "Alright. You can take some time off. How long?" 

        "I won't take up to a week, but I'm travelling out of town." 

       "You are travelling out of town?" 

        "Yes, ma'am." 

        "What?" 

        "I have promised to come back." 

       "Alright, you can leave now."

       Tyler left the office. Mrs Floyd fell bac k and leaned on the chair.   "Is that how hard I've been on him?" She sighed and placed a palm on her head.