GAIN OR LOSS?(Episode 3)
'Muscular dystrophy?' Derek said finally, breaking the silence. He asked as though he was not currently reminiscing Mother's words over the telephone, her grief-stricken voice, her subdued sobs in between the conversation. He had left all he had on his plate and hurried down. Now, there he was, after arriving from up North where he lived and worked, where his life was.
There he was, pacing up and down Larry's little clinical- or rather, death-room- with a thousand thoughts sliding into his mind. Sweet-bitter memories sprang up in his thought process. Sometime ago, he was more than just a big brother to Larry; he was his hero, his biggest fan and cheerleader. But now, he barely knew him. In fact, Derek barely knew the entire family. Being in the same room with his small family after years of absence from their life caused him to feel a sense of shame. He stared deeply at Father's middle aged face and noticed his bloodshot eyes. He shifted his gaze to Mother, their eyes met but hers had a faraway look. And on the bed lay his parents' bundle of joy, life oozing out of his system. Derek's 25-year old body trembled, somewhat involuntarily. His hand shook even harder, like a victim of Parkinson's disease, as he reached out to hold Larry's near-flaccid hand in his. He had stopped being there for his little brother 5 years ago, and now that he was finally there, Larry was away, in the confines of sickness and unconsciousness. Muscular dystrophy, why?
There he was, pacing up and down Larry's little clinical- or rather, death-room- with a thousand thoughts sliding into his mind. Sweet-bitter memories sprang up in his thought process. Sometime ago, he was more than just a big brother to Larry; he was his hero, his biggest fan and cheerleader. But now, he barely knew him. In fact, Derek barely knew the entire family. Being in the same room with his small family after years of absence from their life caused him to feel a sense of shame. He stared deeply at Father's middle aged face and noticed his bloodshot eyes. He shifted his gaze to Mother, their eyes met but hers had a faraway look. And on the bed lay his parents' bundle of joy, life oozing out of his system. Derek's 25-year old body trembled, somewhat involuntarily. His hand shook even harder, like a victim of Parkinson's disease, as he reached out to hold Larry's near-flaccid hand in his. He had stopped being there for his little brother 5 years ago, and now that he was finally there, Larry was away, in the confines of sickness and unconsciousness. Muscular dystrophy, why?
