THREE
Mr. Lucas and I are just walking through the hallway silently. It seems like he is really searching for something.
I'm comfortable with him but it just that I could not think of any topic for a conversation knowing that he will not pay attention to me no matter what.
"Hey, your friend was waiting for you." I told him with exhaustion. We're already walking for half an hour...
He suddenly stopped so I also did. "Are your friends also there?"
"Yeah."
His body slowly faced me. "Let's leave them alone then."
"Huh?"
"Gideon!" a bitsy voice made a hoot. Looking ahead, I saw a ten-year old boy on a wheelchair. Oh, that was Samuel! That kid lost his right leg due to a car accident.
But wait, what did he said? Gideon? Was that Mr. Lucas' name?
"Hey Mr. Santa Claus, do you have a gift for us on Christmas again?" Paul asked, the twelve-year-old cardiac patient. I just noticed right now that we already reached the pediatric lobby.
Paul had been diagnosed with a heart disease the day he was born, and until now he was being undergo in surgeries but a months ago the doctor declared that the kid's heart was not responding to any treatment so all they need is a heart donor. And in that case, that wasn't really easy.
Gideon—based on what I heard—smiled at the kid. "But the last Christmas was just four months ago..." then he messed the kid's hair.
"So, are you their Mr. Santa Claus?" I asked, not glancing on him. Instead, I position my right knee on the floor to level my eyes on these lovable kids.
"Yes, Naomi! Gideon is our Santa Claus! He has a gifts for us every Christmas." Samuel answered and leaned his body to me despite sitting on a wheel chair just to kiss my cheeks. I giggled at the kid and pinched his cheeks. This little boy once confessed that he had a crush on me. Hoping he could walk again.
"Hey Samuel! Don't just kiss any girl!" Gideon suddenly shouted. Samuel replied to him, "Naomi is not just any girl, Gideon!"
"Gideon..." I repeated with a teasing voice, and lifted my head to look at him. He did not looked at me, but I know that he felt ashamed.
Finally, I've got to know his six-lettered name.
Gideon. So, he's Gideon Lucas?
"Are you two going out?" Hannah suddenly asked me with a lollipop on her mouth. A five-year-old girl who acts older than most of us. She was admitted last week due to dengue.
"No, we're not." I smiled at her. She frowned then shifted her gaze to Gideon. That name really suits him. Gideon Lucas? It makes sense.
"Don't look at me like that, Hannah." Gideon said. "Naomi already told you, right?"
I couldn't hide my smile. "Did you just called me by my name, Gideon?" I whispered, emphasizing his name.
He looked into my eyes and smiled—smirked. "What do you prefer to be called, Naomi or Damaris?"
My eyes widened up. "H-How did you know about my second name?"
He also fell on his knee, and leaned forward to me. His breathe smells like a mint, but it also smells a kind of cigarette. And he told me boastfully, "I just did."
"Are you two are going to kiss?"
I immediately looked away as I heard Hannah. "N-No, Hannah. We're just talking..."
"Hmm..." Hannah put away her lollipop from her mouth. "It does not required for a two person talking to only have a very little distance."
Jaw dropped. That was the initial reaction if you heard the sharp and direct words from a kid who's younger than you for twelve years.
"Good morning, Naomi."
"Good morning, Gideon."
I stood up when I heard Samuel's mom. "Good morning, Mrs. Anderson." I greeted her back. The car accident months ago had killed his husband and made her son lost a leg. And as a mom, she's trying her best to look fine despite her struggles.
Gideon also stood up.
"It's too early in the morning, are you two already eat your breakfast?" Mrs. Anderson asked, slightly raising the bag that its strap hangs on her shoulder.
"Not yet." Gideon replied.
"That's great! Then, let's eat together." Samuel started bouncing with excitement.
"I'm no—" I was about to decline but Gideon interrupted saying, "Sure."
"But I left my lunchbox on the room." I whispered to him.
"Then don't eat with us. Just join us." he whispered too in a harsh tone. "For the kid's sake, Dam."
"Did you curse at me?"
"What? No! I said Dam, as in Damaris."
I just 'ohh'. Until now, I was wondering how did he knew my name.
"Gideon, Naomi, don't fight!" Hannah threw herself on my leg, and hugged it tight.
"Where did you put your lunchbox?" He suddenly asked me.
"On my table. Why?"
He didn't answered me but he just took out his phone and called somebody. "Grab the lunchbox on the bedside table of the bed next to me. It's color..." he looked at me so I mouthed 'yellow'. "It's yellow. Give it to me on the cafeteria."
We headed to the cafeteria on the ground floor with the three kids who keep on arguing over their favorite flavor of popcorn. Paul wants sweet and sour, Samuel likes barbeque, and Hannah insisting the cheese flavor are better than all of these flavors.
Gideon went to the counter to get his breakfast meal. Mrs. Anderson brought foods for her son and for the other kids. She usually do it since they sell vegetables on market. And me, I'm waiting for my lunchbox.
"Cheese are kind of abominable. At first, you'll like the cheese flavor but if it's too much, you will just turn it away." Paul persist as we sat down on a six-seated-table.
Hannah rolled her eyes who sit down between me and Mrs. Anderson. "No, that won't happen. Right, Naomi?"
"I like barbeque flavor." I replied while helping Mrs. Anderson to arrange the food she brought.
"See?" Samuel shrugged with boastful.
Gideon came up with a tray; it has a rice porridge, bread and banana. I chuckled to tease him with his breakfast. He gave me a death glare before sitting down across me.
"How about you, Gideon? What do you think?" Paul asked the guy on his right side.
"Huh?" Gideon furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Which flavor in popcorn do you like the most?" Hannah repeated the question.
"I don't eat popcorns."
Silence.
A very long silence.
The whole table was in silence until Mrs. Anderson broke it. "Let's pray, everyone."
Mrs. Anderson led the prayer, "Lord, God, we shall be thankful for this blessing we received every day, hope this meal will lead us to erase our illnes—"
"Here's your delivery!"
Our eyes opened in surprise. Everyone's eyes on him, Jared. He gulped before handing me my yellow lunchbox.
"Thank you." I smiled at him.
He bowed to us, in ninety degrees. "I'm sorry for disturbing your prayer...I didn't mean it."
"No, no. It's okay." Mrs. Anderson told him. "Why don't you join us, then?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I have to go back." Jared declined with a grin. And I added casually, "And talk to Ruth."
"No!" he denied and chuckled. "She has a boyfriend."
"Oh. So you guys already talked to each other, huh?"
Jared scratched the back of his neck and nodded shyly. Woah, I'm being a bad friend here, being a matchmaker even though my friend was already taken. Sorry, Ruth.
I chuckled. "Okay, okay. So you may go and accompany them."
He nodded and bowed again.
"Thanks for bringing this!" I shouted at him before he could enter the elevator, he turned back and bowed again.
"Who's that lollipop?" Hannah asked me.
"Gideon's best friend." I answered.
"He's not my best friend."
Suddenly, Paul and Samuel whooped seeing the pancakes, eggs with rice, sandwiches and yogurts. This could be the evidence how much she love her son.
So, I opened my lunchbox and...
I heard a chuckled from the guy in front of me. I just sighed staring at the carrots, mash potatoes and beans. Great breakfast meal.
Our breakfast filled with a lot of laughter. Even though Gideon didn't talk too much, he still laughed with us. The topic suddenly changed into the two of us when Paul asked us if we will get married soon.
"How did you came up with that thought?" I asked him with a chuckles while eating beans.
"I want to witness a wedding."
One of my eyebrow raised. I cleared my throat before asking again, "Why do you want to witness a wedding?"
"Paul's parents didn't get married until his father died." Hannah answered instead, chewing her sandwich.
"Oh really?"
She nodded then pointed the boy in front of me. "So, Gideon. Ask her to marry you."
"I will be the priest!" Samuel raised his hand with a spoon.
"Hey, hey!" Mrs. Anderson stopped the kids. "Gideon and Naomi has no relationship so they won't agree with your play. Just eat, okay?"
The two kids, Hannah and Samuel, was coerced to nod.
"Why not?" Gideon shrugged his shoulders. "Do you really want to witness a wedding, Paul?"
Paul nodded with a beam.
He looked at me.
I shook my head.
He stared at me.
Again, I shook my head.
He made a disgusting puppy eyes.
"I don't like what you're thinking, Mr. Lucas."
"Why? It's just a play."
"Paul should witness a real wedding, not a wedding play." I rolled my eyes.
"Look here," Gideon desperately made a deep sighed, crossing his arms and placing it on the table to lean forward. "Do this favor for Paul and I will pay you back."
"Hmm..." I glanced on the three kids, their ears are waiting for me to say yes. And with a sighed I told him, "Fine, fine. You will pay me back for what I did, okay?"
"Okay, Dam." He made an okay sign with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. "Just eat and you still have a consultation later."
Until nine o'clock came, I had to push him just to walk to the office of Dr. Hudson since he did not want it. Luckily, I'm with Jared so I don't get bored. Jared will be the guardian of the immature lucas-boy. And I want to laugh to imagine it.
Doctor Hudson wasn't there so we had to wait a little longer. I told so many things to Gideon but I couldn't get any better response from him—no—I did not get any response from him.
"Good morning," a rough voice said after a creek sound of the door.
"Good morning, Dr. Hudson." I greeted him.
"Ohh... why are you here, Naomi?"
"I just accompany them." I pointed the two boys. "I'll go ahead then..."
Gideon did not glanced on me so I just bid goodbyes to Jared and Dr. Hudson instead. The consultation session lasted for almost thirty minutes, and I'm just waiting there outside. I would lie if I didn't say I took a nap while waiting on the bench. I feel so bored.
"Still here?"
I turned back as I heard his weary voice. Depressed. That's the feeling I could see on him right now. Maybe Dr. Hudson said bad things about his condition.
"Are you done?" I asked cheerfully despite my worries.
He nodded, and let out a sighed. I looked at his back, I saw Jared, and they had the same expression. Jared wiped his tears and said, "He's going to die..."
Gideon kicked his butt. "You still have a class, right? So go back to your school, punk!" and he pushed his friend. Jared had no choice but to leave.
As soon as his friend left us, I looked at him. "Everyone will die, though." I said, looking down. Everyone will die, that's a fact.
"It just that...we might die anytime?" he sounds not worried, but for sure his face won't lie. He started to walk forward.
I lifted my head to stare at his back then followed him. "Yeah." I replied. "It just that we're ready to die. How about those people outside? They're not ready, but still death will come after them."
Gideon chuckled. "Like if they got on an accident?"
"Yeah, like that. So we should be thankful, right? We still have time to do the things on our bucket list."
"But still, I'm worried that those kids will never saw their future."
"You mean, about Paul and the other kids?"
He nodded. "They are just too young to have a limit of breathing."
Too young to have a limit of breathing. That phrase hurts me.
I just saw them as a bunch of kids who wants to play despite their sickness, with no burden. However, I never consider their situation and struggles. But this guy in front of me appreciate those things.
"I mean it," he said. "About the so-called wedding play."
"Seriously?" Chuckles went out from my nose, not from my mouth. "You don't want to befriend with me, but you like to marry me on a so-called wedding play?"
"Did I said I don't want to be your friend?"
"No." I pouted. "But you never told me your name. Did you know how much I went through just to know your name?"
Even though I could not see it, I know there is a smile on his face. "I told you, my name is hard to pronounce."
"How come is that? It's just Gi-dee-yon."
He suddenly stopped, and faced me. Smiling from ear to ear, "That's not how it should be pronounced, Naomi Damaris Benoni."
Wait, I never told him about my whole name.
"How—"
It's too late to ask him because he was already gone.
***
Glancing on my wristwatch, it says eleven forty-three in the morning, still, I busied myself perusing the bible though I've read it for many times. Currently, I'm reading 'The Gospel According to St. Matthew' from The New Testament. In the story of Two Blind Men Receive Sight, Jesus said, "According to your faith be it unto you." Jesus could save us whenever we're on the edge of your life, just called His name and faith on Him.
I leaned my head on the headboard as I felt a little ache on my head, and massaged my temple.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Ruth was sitting on the bedside chair, feeling bored while staring at the window, not looking at me. It's already lunchtime here in this hospital, its meal time for the lunch is from eleven-thirty in the morning to two-thirty in the afternoon.
"I'm not hungry." I replied.
Ruth nodded.
"By the way, do you know someone that will get married soon?" I asked her in a serious way. Hoping that Paul could witness a real wedding so I wouldn't be on that so-called wedding play.
"No, why?"
"Hmm...nothing." I shook my head with a small smile, then I sighed. Suddenly, my friend straightened her back and glanced on me. "Dad called me."
"Uncle wants you to help him on your restaurant?" I asked as I closed the Bible. Well, I've known this girl for such a long time.
"You got it right again." She chuckled. "Will it be okay to leave you here alone?"
I patted her shoulder. "Of course. Probably your dad really need your help. Uncle didn't usually called you if it is not an urgent matter."
"You're right." She smiled at me and start to unpack her things. "So I'll go ahead."
I just watched her back as she went out.
Rachel already left an hour ago, she had an afternoon classes. She attended Harvard University. She had a pretty face and a pretty brain.
"Whoa," a voice made a strong reaction. Lifting my head on the right side, Gideon was standing there, leaning his shoulder on the wall while looking at me. "I never thought you like mythical books."
I just stared at him. He probably sensed what this means, but he gave me a smirk. "Does it make you mad?"
I smiled. "Nope."
Gideon hissed. "Are you really fond reading that?" he pointed the Bible in my hands with disgust face.
"Yeah. I'm really fond reading this." I proudly said to him.
"Are you a Christian?" he asked, and I nodded in response.
"Why do you ask? Are you also a Christian?"
"I don't have a religion." He answered coldly and goes back to his bed, but still facing me. "You know, different religion can't marry each other."
"So we can't marry each other. I'm a loyal Christian. So, just find other girl." I advised him with a full smile, relieve that our wedding-play will never happened.
"But why aren't you forcing me to believe that your so-called God exists?" He asked curiously. "I've seen a lot of religious people keep on insisting to those Atheists that their God actually exists."
"God exists for those who believes in Him."
He chuckled and nodded in satisfaction. "I'm a Christian turned to be an Atheist. Unlike to others, I'm not against with your God, but I don't believe in Him. How about those other religions? Why everyone had a different gods?" then he smirked. "Also, you can do whatever you do even though it is against that mythical book. It's just a book made by a normal people."
"That's not make you an Atheist, you're still a Christian who just neglected what does your religion required to do." I said and looked away. "Everyone had a different beliefs, all we need to do is to respect each other."
I heard him chuckled. "Yeah, right. But still, I don't believe on mythical characters." He said rudely. "Not once, and never."
When he said that, I don't believe him. Not once, and never.
Published Date: January 4, 2018