CHAPTER 3

Promise me that you will fight it"

"Oh, Mimi ----------"

"No, Mom. promise me. Please" I said in tears.

"I promise." my mom said painfully

"Thank you, Mom".

I sit down quietly beside her praying for a miracle because I believe that if I keep on asking, it will be granted to me.

" Mimi?"

"Mom I'm here, beside you"

"Am hungry. Can you please get me a hot spicy chicken soup?"

"Of course Mom, I will. Wait for me OK"

She gave me the best smile of hers. I have this strange feeling that this will be her last supper. I walked straight to a nearby restaurant and bought the cheapest chicken soup that was on their menu. That's the only one that I can afford.

"Mom, I'm here" I helped her to sit down so that I could feed her the soup, giving her bit by bit and also blowing on it to cool it down a little.

"I'm full."

"ok. Drink some water to push it down "

"Thank you. Mimi?"

"Yes, mom. Are you okay?"

"Yes, my baby. My angel, be strong. Don't let the situation or circumstances change who you are. Don't let it turn you into a person that you will be ashamed of. The time will come when you will cruise the head of all those who curse us with pain and suffering. Fight until you win. ascent until you reach the top. Don't be like me, don't end like me. l, love you, Mimi. I failed you, Mimi, and I'm sorry. I didn't plan all this -------"

" mom. it's okay it's not your fault "

"The fault is all mine. I didn't protect you enough -----"

"Mom, why are you even saying all this stuff? Don't tell me that you are planning to leave me, are you? Remember your promise,e, Mom."

"I love you, Mimi"

"I love you too, mom. You have to rest now Mom. You are exhausted from all this discussion " After helping her lay down properly. She muttered I love you to me before she slept off. God, I know you exist and I know you can hear me. Please don't take her away from me. After making sure that she's okay. I went outside to receive some fresh air. After some minutes, I fell just like that. I feel like they took something from me with force.

"No no no. It can't be. No!. " I ran back to the ward to see the doctor and two nurses trying to revive my mom. They did not allow me inside.

"What's going on? Is she okay?" I'm scared beyond measure. Please save her. The doctor came out and met me.

"I'm sorry Miss Mimi"

"What are you sorry about, is she okay? Can I see her now?"

"We tried our best"

"I know you are trying your best doctor and I will make sure to get the money for her surgery."

"We lost her. Accept my condolences."

"Con what?"

"She died at 5:45 pm" That's when it clicked on my brain.

Can it get any better? How can I face this world? What did I ever do wrong? why is there no one to run to?

"Miss Mimi, we are so sorry for your loss. We have to take her body to the morgue. Please let us...."

"No, you can't take her away from me. she's just sleeping. She will soon wake up" I cried so bitterly

"But....."

"No, but. she's not dead. She...she.. promised to fight. She promised that she would not leave me. She has never broken a promise. Mum, wake up. Tell them that you are just having a rest. Please mum." I cried bitterly, shaking her so that maybe she would wake up.

"Dammit! Mom, wake up. don't just lie there doing nothing. Please Mom don't do this to me. Please don't. I beg you, please. Doctor, I can't breathe, it's painful, please take the pain away. I...I...I can't...." The doctor and nurses rushed to me before the darkness overcame me. I wake up to see myself lying down on a bed with a drip. I removed it, were my sandals, and ran to my mom's ward. She was covered

"Mom, why will you lie to me? Why would you make a promise that you can't fulfill? What did you want me to do? tell me" The doctor with two men came to take her away

"Miss Mimi, I know how you feel. I know how the pain is. It swallows the whole part of you."

"don't tell me that you know how I feel because you don't. I'm just 15 years old, and she's my only family. She protects me from this world. How am I going to face it? How I'm am I going to survive? who did she leave me for? She did not even wait to eat the fruit of her labor. I have no one to turn to. No one"

"But you still have to let her go. She tried for you, Miss Mimi. She fought, if not she could have been dead a long time ago. Please, she needs to rest from the pain she passed through."

she was taken away from me to the morgue where a body will be prepared for burial. It's now me against the world. No one to tell me that is going to be alright. It's all me now. I cried, I morn until there were no more tears to shed.

After my mom's burial and paying off the hospital bill with the little money my mom and I saved, life became more difficult for me. I can't even afford one square meal for myself. Any day I see food, it's a day of celebration.

"Please sir, I can do anything. I need this job"

"No work for a smelling little pig you. Don't you get it?"

" please sir"

"get out of here before you infect my customers with an incurable disease"

"Please..."

"get out...!"

That is what people have been saying to me. No one to employ me, no one to help me. But thank God I have shelter. At least my mom left me a house. Will I call it a house or a cottage? Just a small house with a room, toilet, and kitchen she bought when my father threw us out. She used to say that the worst thing that will happen to someone is not to have a place that will shade you from trouble. She said to have where you will lay down your head before any other things.