20. Shock message and a promise
Jay's P.O.V.
It might take a few minutes for the doctor to come, but it felt like hours. Carlos' cramps were not getting any better. He could hardly breathe and slowly the anger spread again in me. It wasn't fair! Why he? The youngest and most innocent of us. The doctor pushed past us and sprayed him something.
"What are you doing?", Mal asked suspiciously. She was just like that. Especially when it came to Carlos. I knew he was like a little brother to all of us.
"A remedy that relieves his cramps." And in fact, they were getting better. Evie was still crying and I went over to put my hands on her shoulders. I knew how important Carlos was to her. The two had known each other for a long time and I knew that they had developed stronger feelings for each other in the meantime. The doctor did a few other examinations on the boy in front of us who had fallen asleep. Mal gave me a look that told me everything and let incredible anger rise again in me. Finally, the doctor stepped back and looked at us with a straight face. An uneasy feeling spread through me, Evie started to shake a lot and Mal didn't move, but I knew her well enough to know that she was also very worried. "I have something important to tell you," said the doctor, looking at each of us.
"Say it already!", Mal hissed and her voice sounded tense. What would come now? I had no inkling of the facial expression.
"The disease seems to be spreading faster than expected. I'm sorry to have to tell you, but he won't be there for six months. If he's lucky, maybe a few more weeks." That was too much! Everything in me stood still for a moment, trying to understand what the doctor had just said. We would lose Carlos much sooner! And a half year wasn't much! The tremendous anger in me suddenly turned into deep sadness. Why? I didn't know how many times I had asked myself this question, but nobody seemed to be able to answer it. I had clung to the thought that we had half a year to prepare for his death. But now it seemed like we had to do it from now on. But that was too much. I looked at the sleeping boy in front of us, my little brother. Evie was still staring at the doctor in stunned tears running down her cheeks. Mal's gaze was fixed, but it was clear that she felt the same pain as we did.
"It can't be!", she shouted in a tearful voice. The doctor looked at her pityingly.
"I am sorry." With these words, he left the room and left us completely stunned and overwhelmed. Mal got up from the bed and went to the window. At that moment Evie collapsed on the bed crying. I couldn't comfort her. I didn't know how to deal with this message myself. Mal looked briefly at me and at that moment I saw the pain glint in her eyes.
"We have to accept it, Jay." I knew how she went about these things. She tried to suppress everything related to feelings, especially those that really hurt. But we loved Carlos too much for that. I didn't know how much time passed when I stood frozen in the room, Evie cried, Mal stood at the window and nobody said a word. Eventually, Evie calmed down, but probably only because she had no more tears and was too exhausted. I too could free myself from my rigidity and Mal came resolutely towards us. Finally, she stood in front of us and held out her hand. "Let us promise we'll stay with him no matter how hard it is. Until the end." I swallowed when I realized that it would be soon. Evie put her hand on Mal's.
"For our beloved Carlos." She was still fighting against the tears but trying to be strong. I also put my hand on that of the girls.
"Forever."
