CHAPTER NINE
" Don't all talk at once," Renee joked lamely.
" Oh Renee, I'm so sorry," Leah replied immediately. She stood up and hugged Renee.
Then everyone began making their condolences. While the women were surrounding Renee, Leo, Mike and Don each hugged their brother.
" Now I feel stupid," Don confessed to Raph.
" About what?"
" About our argument before. Now I see why you've limited Megan's visits, she needs to be at home. I can understand that."
" You're not angry at me anymore?"
" No, I feel bad for you now." Don sighed, " such an awful waste of life. She's only what, thirty two?"
" Thirty three actually." Raph gave his younger brother a small smile, " I'm sorry about bringing up your divorce."
" It's okay, I guess I'm too sensitive about it." Don smiled back.
" What argument?" Mikey broke in.
" It doesn't concern you," Don told him before walking over to his sister-in-laws.
" How's Megan taking this?" Leo whispered as he glanced at his niece. Her aunt Leah was sitting beside her with an arm around Megan's shoulders. Megan wasn't crying, she looked so calm.
" She's putting on a brave face," Raph replied, " but deep down inside I think she's crumbling. I guess she figured she has to be strong for her mother."
" Think I'll talk to her," Mikey decided suddenly and went to join Megan. Raph watched as Mike said something to her and Megan laughed. Trust Mikey to make a joke at a time like this.
* * *
It was six-thirty and the barbecue was over. Raph's brothers and sister-in-laws all went home. Raph started the clean up.
Two thin arms snaked around his waist and a body pressed up against his shell, " The party went well didn't it?" Renee asked him.
Raph turned around in her arms and put his own arms around her, " I think it did. It was definitely subdued when we dropped the bombshell."
" Now that everyone knows," Megan spoke up, " they'll feel sorry for me and give me special treatment. I hate that!"
" If they do, just humour them," Renee advised, " I very much doubt they'll treat you any differently than they have been in the past."
" I hope not," Megan sighed. She helped her mother to clear the table. Once everything was cleared away and looking more tidier, they went inside for the night.
" Anyone want a hot drink?" Megan called from the kitchen. Her mother was settling herself on the couch in the living room.
" A cup of tea would be great," Renee replied yawning.
" Nothing for me." Raph said, " I feel like taking a walk though. Megan, do you want to join me?"
Megan did not want to leave her mother alone, what if something happened to her while they were out.
" No thanks,"
" Okay. I have my cell phone in case," Raph kissed Renee on the forehead, " I'll be back soon." He left the house as if he couldn't get out fast enough and this annoyed Megan.
As if she had read her daughter's mind, Renee assured her, " he feels cooped up and needs some time to himself."
" I guess," Megan said.
" You can join your father you know. Nothing will happen to me."
Megan brought the freshly made cup of tea to her mother, " Are you sure? I'd forgive myself…"
" No, go on. If you hurry you'll catch up to him," Renee waved her off and Megan ran out the front door and saw Raph walking down the street.
" Dad, wait!" she called and he stopped.
" Changed your mind?" he asked when she had caught up with him.
" Mom told me I should go," she explained.
" Megan, she does not want you to stop doing what you love because she is sick." Raph reminded her, " just continue to live your life as normally as possible."
" I know, you've told me this already. But it's hard. How can we go on living when Mom will stop living?"
" I don't know Megan," Raph admitted, " we have to try. For your mother's sake."
When father and daughter returned home twenty minutes later, Renee wasn't om the couch.
" Mom?" Megan called, telling herself no to panic. She looked in the kitchen and her heart nearly stopped
Renee was lying on the kitchen floor, out cold.
" Don't all talk at once," Renee joked lamely.
" Oh Renee, I'm so sorry," Leah replied immediately. She stood up and hugged Renee.
Then everyone began making their condolences. While the women were surrounding Renee, Leo, Mike and Don each hugged their brother.
" Now I feel stupid," Don confessed to Raph.
" About what?"
" About our argument before. Now I see why you've limited Megan's visits, she needs to be at home. I can understand that."
" You're not angry at me anymore?"
" No, I feel bad for you now." Don sighed, " such an awful waste of life. She's only what, thirty two?"
" Thirty three actually." Raph gave his younger brother a small smile, " I'm sorry about bringing up your divorce."
" It's okay, I guess I'm too sensitive about it." Don smiled back.
" What argument?" Mikey broke in.
" It doesn't concern you," Don told him before walking over to his sister-in-laws.
" How's Megan taking this?" Leo whispered as he glanced at his niece. Her aunt Leah was sitting beside her with an arm around Megan's shoulders. Megan wasn't crying, she looked so calm.
" She's putting on a brave face," Raph replied, " but deep down inside I think she's crumbling. I guess she figured she has to be strong for her mother."
" Think I'll talk to her," Mikey decided suddenly and went to join Megan. Raph watched as Mike said something to her and Megan laughed. Trust Mikey to make a joke at a time like this.
* * *
It was six-thirty and the barbecue was over. Raph's brothers and sister-in-laws all went home. Raph started the clean up.
Two thin arms snaked around his waist and a body pressed up against his shell, " The party went well didn't it?" Renee asked him.
Raph turned around in her arms and put his own arms around her, " I think it did. It was definitely subdued when we dropped the bombshell."
" Now that everyone knows," Megan spoke up, " they'll feel sorry for me and give me special treatment. I hate that!"
" If they do, just humour them," Renee advised, " I very much doubt they'll treat you any differently than they have been in the past."
" I hope not," Megan sighed. She helped her mother to clear the table. Once everything was cleared away and looking more tidier, they went inside for the night.
" Anyone want a hot drink?" Megan called from the kitchen. Her mother was settling herself on the couch in the living room.
" A cup of tea would be great," Renee replied yawning.
" Nothing for me." Raph said, " I feel like taking a walk though. Megan, do you want to join me?"
Megan did not want to leave her mother alone, what if something happened to her while they were out.
" No thanks,"
" Okay. I have my cell phone in case," Raph kissed Renee on the forehead, " I'll be back soon." He left the house as if he couldn't get out fast enough and this annoyed Megan.
As if she had read her daughter's mind, Renee assured her, " he feels cooped up and needs some time to himself."
" I guess," Megan said.
" You can join your father you know. Nothing will happen to me."
Megan brought the freshly made cup of tea to her mother, " Are you sure? I'd forgive myself…"
" No, go on. If you hurry you'll catch up to him," Renee waved her off and Megan ran out the front door and saw Raph walking down the street.
" Dad, wait!" she called and he stopped.
" Changed your mind?" he asked when she had caught up with him.
" Mom told me I should go," she explained.
" Megan, she does not want you to stop doing what you love because she is sick." Raph reminded her, " just continue to live your life as normally as possible."
" I know, you've told me this already. But it's hard. How can we go on living when Mom will stop living?"
" I don't know Megan," Raph admitted, " we have to try. For your mother's sake."
When father and daughter returned home twenty minutes later, Renee wasn't om the couch.
" Mom?" Megan called, telling herself no to panic. She looked in the kitchen and her heart nearly stopped
Renee was lying on the kitchen floor, out cold.