The Blue Of Your Eyes

by Jamila Mafra

“It's all right. I'll wait for you outside.”

  Albert put on his best suit and convinced himself that he should move on with his commitment to marry the woman he did not love.

  "Matthew, I'm already getting nervous about your son's delay. What's going on in that room, huh? I'm distressed. Did he give up on being engaged?” The bride asked, distressed.

  “Calm down, Brianna. Albert would never do that to you. Look, there he is.”

  Albert was about to go downstairs. Annette was beside him. He suddenly felt a weakness in his legs. He fell off the stairs. He rolled the steps to the floor and fainted.

  “Albert! My God! Son!” Annette ran down the stairs.

  The guests crowded around Albert.

  “My love! Albert, wake up! What happened to him? Why did he fall off the stairs?”

  "He must have slipped," Cherry suggested.

  “I'll call the ambulance. Annette, he was not he feeling well?” Matthew asked nervously.

  "He was a little strange in the bedroom. But it looked great. I did not see him slip into anything.”

  "Albert, wake up, my love!” Brianna cried out in despair.

  "Accidents like that happen very quickly and we hardly ever realize what actually happened," Richard said, approaching his friend lying on the ground.

  “The ambulance is on its way. Do not touch him, Brianna. It could be worse. With the fall he may have bruised his spine.” Matthew warned her.

  "My husband is right, Brianna. We can’t change his position until the rescue arrives.”

  "The ambulance arrived," Cherry said minutes after the accident. "The nurses are coming in with the stretcher to get him."

  “Everyone, please. My son will be put on the stretcher.”

  “I'm going to the hospital right now.”

  "Let's get together in my car, Annette.”

  “Yes let's go.”

  "I'll go with mine," Richard said.

  The guests left from the mansion. Everyone lamented what had happened. Richard and Cherry were the first to go to McKay Dee Hospital, Ogden's most respected.

  "Doctor, for God's sake, save my son!" Annette begged, following the litter that was led through the cold corridors of the emergency room.

  "Sorry, but you can’t come in. You have to wait outside.”

  “But it's my son! I have the right to know what you are going to do with him.”

  "Do not worry, my love. Our son is in good hands. It will be all right. Doctor, she understands, we'll wait here.”

  "What happened to Albert? I'm desperate," Brianna asked anxiously, as she paced back and forth.

  "My brother must have tripped, so he fell off the stairs. But Albert's going to be okay, right Mom?” Meg tried to console her future sister-in-law with her childish innocence.

  "But of course he will, Meg. Do not worry. He'll get better, daughter.”

  An hour later, Dr. Smith appeared in the waiting room.

  "So, doctor, what's the news about my son?"

  “What's wrong with him?”

  “Keep calm. Your son has fractured a vertebra and is being operated on. After the surgery we will do more exams to find out what he really has. Before being sedated, he regained consciousness and reported weakness in his legs.”

  "Yes, now I remember well that he felt weakness in his hands in New York. He even let a cup fall.” Brianna remembered nervously.

  “Doctor, what do you think he has?”

  “Without the result of the exams I cannot advance any diagnosis. First let's see how he recovers from the surgery and then do whatever it takes to find out what he has.”

  "I can’t believe this is happening right now that I'm about to get married!" Brianna lamented the new reality.

  "Contain yourself, Brianna. Marriage can wait. My son's health is more important than anything.” Matthew emphasized reprovingly.

  "My husband is right. Now is not the time to worry about marriage. Brianna, you're very nervous. Go home, rest. Then I'll call you and tell you how the surgery was.” Annette advised.

  “No way. Albert is my fiancée and I'm going to stay here until I know he's OK!”

  Cherry and Richard entered the waiting room.

  “Girl, how's Albert?” Cherry asked, hugging Brianna.

  “Is he awake?” Richard wanted to know.

  “Albert broke a vertebra. He's undergoing surgery.” Matthew replied.

  "I hope everything goes well," Cherry said.

  "After the surgery he will do several tests to find out why he is feeling weak legs," Meg explained to his brother's friends.

  "It must be no big deal. Albert is so young and so strong. He will recover soon.” Richard was optimistic.

  "That's what we all expect, Richard," Annette said, hugging her husband.

  A NEW YEAR

  It was Christmas Eve and Gabriel had the day off. He should have stayed at home helping with the preparations for the supper her parents were organizing in Santos, but he was surprised that Ana Lucia did not contact him after lunch at the restaurant and thought that date could not go blank. He had to see his beloved one more time.

  "Concierge, what is Mrs. Margareth's apartment? I'm friends with her niece. My name is Gabriel. I'd like to speak to Ana Lucia.” he said, in front of the Acapulco Beach Building.

  "It's apartment 403 on the fourth floor. I'll call you over the intercom and ask for permission to come up.”

  “Thank you.”

  "Mrs. Margaret, there's a boy here claiming to be friends with your niece. His name is Gabriel.” the concierge warned her.

  "Yes, you can let him go up," he said.

  “Come on up, boy.”

  “Thank you.”

  Gabriel went upstairs and rang the doorbell. Margareth opened the door.

  "You must be Gabriel!" She smiled at the boy.

  “Yes It's me. And you must be Aunt Margareth. Am I right?”

  "Yes, I am Aunt Margareth."

  “It’s nice to meet you. He held out his hand.”

  "It's my pleasure, boy.”

  “Is Ana Lucia there? I need to talk to her.”

  “Come in and make yourself comfortable. Ana Lucia went to the supermarket with my husband. They bought some things for supper. Sit down. She will be back soon.”

  “Excuse me.” He stepped inside and sat down on the couch.

  "Would you like some juice?"

  “No thank you. I tried to call her, I sent her a message, but I could not get an answer from WhatsApp.”

  “She lost her smartphone. She probably dropped at the gas station. Ana Lucia is so distracted.” she said.

  “What a pity. It was such an expensive phone. She told me she brought it from the United States.” Gabriel lamented.

  "Yes, it's a pity.”

  Freddy and Ana Lucia entered the apartment. They carried shopping bags in their hands.

  “Ana Lucia, look who's here: your friend!”

  “Gabriel!” She exclaimed in surprise.

  “I tried to call you, but I could not, so I came here!”

  "Oh, I just lost my cell phone," she said.

  "Your aunt told me that you lost your smartphone at the gas station."

  “Yes! Wow! It hurts my heart just to remember that I lost a cell phone so dear!” She pretended to be in pain.

  "I want to know if you're up for a walk on the beach with me." Gabriel invited her.

  “Right now?” She asked.

  “Yes now.”

  "I'm coming back from the market, and I promised to help Aunt Margaret prepare the sweets for our Christmas dinner at Santos's house," she said, trying to dodge.

  "I thought they were having dinner right here in Enseada."

  "At first, yes, but my cousin insisted so much that she persuaded Aunt Margaret and Uncle Freddy to spend Christmas night with her. Sorry, I did not introduce you to my uncle. Gabriel, this is my Uncle Freddy. Uncle, this is a lon
gtime friend, Gabriel.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Freddy.”

  “Just call me Freddy.”

  “As you wish, Freddy.”

  "I'm going to the kitchen to take the bags."

  "Let me take your bags, Ana Lucia. Freddy reached out to take the bags.

  “Thank you Uncle.”

  "Ana Lucia, you are fine to go out with your friend. I can handle to bake the sweets for supper. I'm more than used to doing it myself.” Margaret released the niece for the walk.

  “Are you sure, aunt?”

  "Yes. Don’t worry my dear.”

  "Come on, Gabriel.”

  “Let's go.” He stood up.

  ***

  Side by side, they walked down the sidewalks toward the beach.

  "For a moment I thought you did not want to see me again," Gabriel commented, wanting to know more.

  "I have no reason not to want to see you. I just lost my phone. Besides, I was sure you'd come to look for me in the building.”

  "I'm going to spend the night with my parents in Santos. I have not told you anything before, but now I live here in Guarujá.”

  “Where at?” She was curious.

  “On Avenida Dom Pedro I. I rented an apartment just for myself in Edifício Ilhas do Atlântico. It's been a while. I thought it was time for my life, to be independent of my parents.”

  "That's good, because you're working here.”

  "You have to go there and taste my pasta any day," he invited her.

  "Maybe one day I'll try out your culinary skills."

  They reached the beach, down to the sand, walked along the shore.

  "Ana Lucia, the way you talk, it seems you're afraid to go to my apartment.”

  "You do not know me, do you? Do I have reasons to be afraid?” She asked him ironically.

  “Of course not. I'm not the bogeyman.”

  "I'm sure it is not."

  “You want a corn?”

  "Yes, I do. I love corn with margarine.”

  They went to the kiosk just ahead of where they were.

  “Wow! The beach is already full.” She commented, covering her eyes because of the sunlight.

  “Like every sunny holiday, even more so in the summer season. Two corns and a spring water, please.” He motioned the kiosk worker.

  "How I missed the Brazilian climate of beach, sun, and corn in the kiosk..." She expressed her longing.

  They already had the corn in their hands. Ana Lucia tasted it, put more margarine.

  "Ana, you still have not told me what happened in the United States.”

  “What do you mean?”

  "Do not even try to hide anything from me. I know you. Every time I touch the subject of the United States you hesitate, change the conversation, and begin to talk about the longing you felt from here. Something very striking and not very pleasant happened to you there in the land of Uncle Sam and you are going to tell me now what it was.” He summoned her.

  “Your impression, you're imagining things. What happened there was not even extraordinary.”

  "So something really happened?"

  “I promise I'll tell you later. But now let's get into the sea? I'm crazy to go for a swim.” she suggested, taking him by the arm.

  "Hell, I'm not even in the right shorts."

  "Who cares? Take off your shirt and let's go! I'm going to get into shorts and regatta.”

  “You won. Let's go.” He took her hand.

  ***

  The clock marked 11:30pm on December 31, 2016. Enseada Beach was crowded with tourists and locals, who, as usual, anxiously awaited the beautiful fireworks display to receive the New Year that would begin. The buildings were all lit by the lights on the apartments.

  “How I missed the sensational climate of the New Year on the beach, in the company of people that I like so much.” Ana Lucia showed her joy alongside Margareth, Freddy and Gabriel.

  "You look beautiful, Ana Lucia." Gabriel praised her, holding up a bottle. "Look, I brought the non-alcoholic champagne you asked for."

  “And we brought the glasses. Get yours. In a few seconds we will be giving the beginning of a new year.” Freddy handed out the glasses.

  "It's good to have you with us," Margaret said through the presence of her niece and Gabriel.

  “Guys, Countdown!” Ana Lucia exclaimed excitedly.

  “Five, four, three, two, one!” everyone counted together.

  The fireworks made the sky colorful at that moment. Everyone embraced.

  “Happy 2017, Ana Lucia! Gabriel wanted her with the face close to her eyes.

  “Happy 2017!” She said with a smile.

  Gabriel stroked Ana's face and said nothing else, just kissed her. She responded totally to the feeling.

  “A toast to 2017. And to love!” Freddy offered, raising his glass.

  “A toast to this unforgettable night on this beautiful beach!” Margaret cheered.

  "A toast to Aunt Margareth and to you, Freddy!" Gabriel wanted to.

  "May 2017 be our year of achievement, Aunt and Uncle!” Ana Lucia exclaimed contentedly.

  Gabriel hugged Ana Lucia picking her up.

  “Ana, there is a super cool party of a friend going there in Santos. He just sent me a WhatsApp calling me to go. Let's go?” He invited her excitedly.

  “Have fun, my dear!” Margaret counseled her, smiling.

  “So let's go. Ana Lucia smiled took the hand of her beloved and they went to the car.

  ***

  The party happened in a house on Gonzaga beach. As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by an electronic music that Ana Lucia loved and marked that night: "Runaway" - Galantis. They went straight to the dance floor, where they danced with all those songs. Hear me Now - Alok played after.

  "What do you think of us running to the beach and taking an unforgettable sea bath?" Gabriel made the invitation, already taking her arm, toward the beach.

  “I find this idea madly incredible! Let's go now.” Ana Lucia agreed quite happily.

  As they crossed the still-filled strip of sand, the song "Firestone - Kygo" was being played in a kiosk. It was the theme song of the instant they kissed in the sea. Then they played water on each other. Gabriel was sure that the love he discovered to feel was true and forever.

  HOSPITAL

  Brianna arrived at the hospital minutes after the doctor confirmed Albert's diagnosis. He called the family in his office to break the news.

  "Doctor Smith, what is my son's illness?" What does he has? He has been in this hospital for fifteen days; Christmas and New Year have passed here. Can he go home?” Annette questioned him.

  “Calm down, Annette. Let the doctor speak. What does my son have?” Matthew asked anxiously.

  "Doctor, what is my fiancée's illness?" Brianna asked anxiously.

  "I regret to inform you, but Albert was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis” the doctor uttered the harsh words.

  "What are you saying, Doctor? Is this a disease that makes a person crippled in a wheelchair without being able to move?” Brianna asked again, desperate.

  "That's the one, miss. I'm sorry.” the doctor confirmed.

  "I cannot believe my fiancée will be crippled! My God!”

  "And there's no treatment that can stop the worst from happening?" Matthew asked, trying to keep his cool.

  "We'll pay whatever it takes to see our son well," Annette insisted, already in tears.

  "There are drugs to slow down the degenerative process, but nothing to ensure that the disease does not progress in the most severe way. The patient should be accompanied by a multidisciplinary team of physicians and physiotherapists. There are cases where the disease stops to evolve and the patient has a reasonable life even with many limitations. There is also research on alternative treatments with adult and embryonic stem cells. You may even try alternative treatment in China.

  "As a father, I wi
ll do my best to ensure that my son has the best possible conditions. How many days does he still have to stay here in the hospital?”

  "I do not doubt that, Mr. Bennett. Your son's going to stay here for a couple of days, then he'll be discharged and he can go home.” the doctor explained.

  "Doctor, how long will he be paralyzed?" Brianna asked, and then let out a heavy sigh.

  “Each organism reacts in one way. It can take decades or months. I advise him to start walking with a cane. Between five and twenty years Albert will be in a wheelchair completely without movements if the disease progresses more severely.”

  "Does Albert already know, Doctor?" Matthew asked, distressed.

  "Yes, the patient was the first to know. He was very sad, of course, but he behaved with maturity. You can go to the bedroom to talk to him.”

  "I'm going to talk to my son right now," Annette said.

  "I'm going with you, my love.”

  Brianna wept unmistakably.

  "Brianna, will not you come with us to the bedroom to talk to your fiancée?"

  "I cannot talk to him right now. I'm disturbed by the news of his illness. I’ll go to my house to reflect. I'll be back tomorrow.” Brianna left.

  DISAPPOINTMENT

  “Annette.”

  “Brianna! Why did it take so long to get here?”

  "I had some things to solve. How's Albert?”

  "And you still ask? Her fiancée discovers that he has a terrible disease and does not have the bride next to him to support him!”

  "Stop censoring me. I need to talk to him right now. I made a decision and he has to know from me.”

  "Then go and talk to him! What are you waiting for? The room is number 104, on the next corridor.”

  “I'm really going to talk to him. Excuse me.” Brianna headed for the hospital room.

  She walked in without asking. When he saw her there, Albert felt no joy, he was afraid.

  "Brianna, at last you have come," he said, lying on his bed, his head held high.

  "How do you feel, Albert?"

  "Now I still feel good. But as the years go by, I'll be stunted in a wheelchair, unable to move.”