Away from the hospital, an elder couple enters a house after coming back from grocery shopping. Welcomed by darkness and piled-up dust scattered on the first soft breeze seeping into the house, inducing a sneeze from the older woman.

The old man laughed, watching how his wife cutely wiggled her nose to prevent another sneeze from coming and said, “It seems that our son-in-law hasn’t come home ever since Cherry got in the accident.”  

“It felt like the world was ending when I heard about it. Can't imagine how Brandon must have been feeling.” Cherry’s mom said with an understanding sigh.

Removing their coats and shoes, they entered further in the dim house, threading their way in to the kitchen. Placing the groceries on the counter, Cherry’s mom said, “I will start preparing dinner. You can make yourself comfortable.” and rolled up the scuffs of her sleeves, before pulling out the vegetables.

“You sure you don’t want me to help you?” The husband asked, his hand already gripping the handle of the fridge.

“That’s sweet, but I got this, Richard. You’re not familiar with their kitchen yet and I’m worried that you’ll hurt yourself more than you’re going to be helpful.”

“I’m not that bad.” Richard grumbled petulantly, rolling his eyes at his wife before opening the fridge. His face instantly beamed at the sight of the stashed away cans of beer. Grabbing the can of beer, he popped the tab before taking a big gulp out of it.

As he was taking a sip, from the corner of his eyes, Richard noticed how the soft lines on his wife’s face deepened. The corner of her lips tugged down with a grimace. Already knowing what brooded his wife’s mind, Richard pulled the can away from his lips. He closed the space between them by one step and placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder, his other hand still holding on to the chilled can.

“Still worried about it?” Hearing the question, the scowl on her face deepened.

Wearing a smile on his face, Richard gave a small squeeze to her shoulder. A squeeze that wasn’t meant to bruise but meant to encourage. “Don’t worry Bri. You saw our daughter, and she’s fine. Though it was unfortunate that she got in the accident and suffered memory loss. We were at least able to confirm that she remembers nothing from that time and she never will.”

Briana’s lips pressed into a thin line. She placed the knife down on the cutting board and turned to the side facing her husband, who shared the same height as her. “I know, but I just can’t let this bad feeling go-”

“Ssshh.” Richard moved his hand from her shoulder to her head, stroking it gently from crown to nape. Behind her blue eyes, there was a sharp glint.

“Richard Andres Baker, did you just hush me? What did I say about that-!” Briana said through gritted teeth as her hand went for Richard’s cheek, pinching it between her thumb and index finger with all her might.

“O-Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I’m sorry!” The hand that was patting Briana’s head a second ago stilled, its fingers spread with tensity, twitching each time pressure got exerted on his cheek. His body shrunk away, trying to flee, but like a fish caught on a hook, Briana didn’t let go. “I won’t do it anymore!”

“You better!” Giving Richard’s cheek one last good pinch, Briana let go with a huff.

Richard stumbled a step back from the pain, placing his hand on his bruised cheek, trying to soothe away the red tint. “God, that hurt. Have you been training in secret, honey?”

“I’m not sure if you would still be standing in front of me if I was.” Narrowing her gaze at her husband, she folder her arms in front of her chest.

Richard chuckled nervously before closing their distance again. Cupping Briana’s face, he said as he peered into those lovely sea-blue eyes, “I was only trying to calm you down, Bri. You have been jittery ever since the news.”

Briana’s irritation shimmered down. “I know, but-”

Her words never got the chance to leave her mouth as Richard pressed his lips on hers, minimizing the anxiety circling in her gut. Disconnecting their lips, he softly bumped his forehead against hers, whispering in his calming voice, “We will be fine, Bri. Our family will be fine.”

Briana placed her hands over the hands that cupped her face, sighing as she closed her eyes, trying to ride on his easiness. “I hope that you’re right.”

...

The next day, darkness created by clouds drew over the city. Water falling from the sky spotting the ground. The pitter-patter sound amplified over time, hitting the windowpane, drenching it until the outside world became a blur. The earth using this time to get nourished and the people using this time to shelter themselves in their homes, enjoying their alone time.

In one room of the hospital, laughter seeped through the gaps of the door, brightening up the hallways. Cherry and April both sat on the bed, their legs stretched out as their backs perched on the headboard. Giggling as they went through the pictures stored on April’s phone.

“Oh! And this one!” April said, her voice edged with mirth. Her finger stops swiping at a picture with Brandon hurled over a toilet while Cherry and April made a peace sign in front of the camera. “This picture got taken at a restaurant after we forced Brandon to chow down a mega large pizza in an hour.”

Cherry’s shoulders trembled as she tried to keep her laughter in. “Why did we do that?”

“Because the price was a free ticket to all you can eat ice cream for a year!”

“No way! Did we win?”

April grinned ear to ear. “Obviously we did. Brandon hated us after that- wait no, let me rephrase that. He hated me after that. With you, he acted as if you weren’t my accomplisher.” April scoffed at the remembrance of Brandon’s stale attitude after that. That man made sure to let April know about his sufferings in the pettiest way. Putting salt in her tea, telling her the wrong time and place of their meetings so that she would have to wake up at the crack of dawn, but still end up running to the right meeting place- oh now she’s annoyed. The tendons at her temple were twitching together with her brow.

While April mulled over the past that got her smoldering with resentment, Cherry took the moment to continue scrolling through the phone. The look in her eyes kept teetering between curiosity and uneasiness. “It’s sad that I don’t remember any of these moments. It seems that we had a blast.” Cherry confessed, her face still holding a smile but her voice coveting edges of wistfulness.

She looked so happy in these pictures. She never knew that her lips could stretch so wide in a smile. And those delighted smiles only happened around him. Her husband. She is still weary of him, hesitant and scared at how to world around her has moved on fast while she’s still stuck in the past, which for her was the present.

Her hands wrapped around her arms, turning herself small. It felt like some random spirit possessed her, had fun with her body, and when they were done, gave her body back after turning her world upside down.

Noticing the shift in emotions in her friend, April placed her hand on Cherry’s, giving it a slight squeeze to gain her attention. “This must all seem so crazy to you, right? Being married.”

And Pregnant- was pregnant, Cherry thought once again as her eyes lowered to April’s stomach, hidden behind maternity clothes, but its presence jarring to Cherry. She couldn’t help but wonder how her own child would have felt in her arms if she had only just hadn’t chosen that damn day to drive.

There was this sickening twist in her stomach and she had to force herself to tear her forlorn gaze away from her friend’s protruding belly, afraid she may start spilling out words that aren’t refundable.

April drew in her bottom lip between her teeth, watching how her friend’s face turned a few shades darker. She pondered, her mind and feelings conflicting with each other about the choice of words that she should use for the discouraged Cherry. Last time April was too elated at the news of her friend waking up from her deep slumber that she wasn’t able to think straight. But after she went home, suspicions toward Brandon budded inside of her and each passing day was like water for the growing bud, allowing April to think more. She couldn’t help but think that Cherry’s accident was weird, but she didn’t have any evidence to back her thoughts up. At the same time, she didn’t want to doubt one of her friends. Also, she doubts that Cherry is in need of a barrage of unwanted worries.

“But Brandon- ugh I can’t believe that I’m going to say this.” April groaned begrudgingly, cutting herself off as she tilted her head heavenward, contemplating if she should carry on. “His ego will start the grow if he hears this, so make sure not to repeat the words that I’m about to tell you, okay?” She pressed with urgency behind her voice, receiving a slow nod from Cherry.

“Brandon is a good man. I have witnessed the weight of love that he carries for you, as I was forced to be the spectator for many years. I’m not telling you to accept him immediately, but consider giving him a chance. Observe him for a while and after that, decide if you still want to be with him.” None of the words spoken by April was a lie, but she made sure to put emphasis on the word ‘observe,’ giving her friend a subtle hint. Not noticing how that hint flew over Cherry’s head.

Cherry soaked in the words like a sponge. She had contemplated staying with her parents for a while until every lost fragment in her head got sorted out before deciding, but seeing the pictures and hearing her friend’s opinion, should she perhaps give Brandon a chance?

Three knocks sounded from behind the door, startling both Cherry and April out of their engaging conversation.

“Y-Yes?” Cherry answered. The door slides open a hairsbreadth, revealing Brandon’s head peeking through.

“May I come in?” His eyes wandering from April to Cherry- a sign that it was time for April to hit the road again.

“Sure, I was going to leave now, anyway.” April said, swinging her legs over the bed. Cherry panicked for a moment and reached for her friend’s sleeve, twisting her fingers in the soft fabric. Cherry threw a glance over her shoulder, her brows quizzical raised at her friend, whose enlarged eyes implored her not to go, shaking her head deliberately. 

April offered her a benign smile, her lips shaping out the letters that spelled ‘You will be fine.’ Carefully she pried herself free from her friend’s vine like hold, throttling her way out of the room, but not before giving one last wary glance over her shoulder.

Brandon stepped into the room and Cherry noticed him carrying a plate on top of it, sitting a bunch of apples as he closed the door behind him. “I hope apples are still your favorite.” His steps were measured and controlled, his eyes scanning Cherry’s face for any discomfort.

Cherry blinked copiously at him, her face blank but a thunder brewing in her chest. Keeping her friend’s words in mind, she mused in a soft voice. “It is.” Her answer was a permission, giving him the approval to come closer.

The muscles in Brandon’s face relaxed, his smile turning natural. He didn’t realize how nervous he was for Cherry’s reaction until he felt his taut shoulders loosen and droop as he took a seat next to her bed. Placing the plate on his lap, he cuts the first apple, peeling its skin in a spiral before dividing it in four pieces.

“You’re skillful with the knife.” Cherry commented, her sight fixed on the bulky fingers using the small fruit knife delicately. The movement was precise, with no faults.

Brandon froze in his seat. His gaze moving momentarily from the apple that he was holding to Cherry’s face before going back to the apple and continue slicing it.

“Isn’t everyone?”

Cherry snorts, “Not I. Whenever I try to peel an apple, I just take a chunk of its flesh with it. That’s why I just bite them instead of cutting it.”

“That’s true. I always forbade you from peeling fruit or vegetables because you would minimize their size by two-fold.” He shook his head with a quiet smile at the remembrance. “Such a waste of money.”

“I think April was wrong about you being only kind to me. You sure don’t sugarcoat your words with me.”

Brandon blinked his eyes obtuse at Cherry. “I’m sorry, but when was she ever right?”

“Ha!” Pearls of laughter escaped Cherry’s mouth, melodious and contagious, beguiling Brandon into joining her. Their chorus of snickers and giggles filling the room.

“That’s mean.” She said, her words still holding beats of laughter. Eyes closed in the shape of crescent moons as she held her stomach with her hands, a few groans interrupting her joys as her body was still sore with bruises that were now turning nauseas green.

She didn’t notice how Brandon turned reticent next to her or how his eyes locked on to her held a different meaning, like a predator prowling on its prey. How his heart beats out of excitement for the new chance blessed to him or how it cried out for her affection.