Chapter 50
Death is eradicated. Death is someone’s fault. Death is a process.
Those were the last lines of the book that I just finished before I got out of bed. I didn’t expect the ending. It was beautifully crafted; the words were picked carefully by the author. Letters are weaved like a blanch of dress.
It was indeed a happy ending, but it made me cry. The character didn’t die at the end, yet he lost everything, but he found himself in something that would give him happiness. a thing that will make his life move in circles.
"What made you upset?" Mom asked, and she starred at me as I consumed my breakfast. I forgot she was around while I was reading. Since my brothers are already used to my reactions to the book that I am reading, I wasn’t paying attention because I had my mom, who wasn’t.
Do I look drugged or what so ever?"
"I just read a book. It’s devastating. It has this feeling that I couldn’t move on."
Mom placed his coffee-filled mug on the table and sat beside me. Felix said that you read a lot. Sometimes your eyes even pop out when you read a sad and heartbreaking book. "I'd like to see my little girl cry over a book."
"I don’t look pretty with tears on my face, though." I chuckled. I wouldn’t cry in front of her. I’ll look miserable, broken, and ugly.
"Whatever your feelings, you’ll always be pretty for me." She finished spreading jam on the bread. She bit it. I can see my resemblance to her. We have the same eyes. We share the same mood. We share the same might. She’s truly my mom. Felix drove me to the supermarket today. "He's a sweet guy."
"I agree. A lot. But I don’t like him when he’s the mad type of guy."
"Really? He ever got mad? He’s the sweetest being I’ve known in my entire life. "He's a cupcake."
"He doesn’t like me referring him to sweet things."
"But I’d love to."
We shared a laugh. a kind of laugh only two connected persons could share. "He said he'd bring a lot of books later. His boss’s daughter is also a book lover like you. It looked like they were moving or needed shelf space, which is why they’re giving some of their books to you."
My eyes sparkled with joy. More books! But I don’t have any shelf space left. Maybe I’ll place it near the television or on the stairs.
"Maybe I have to buy a new bookshelf by now."
"Maybe we could go out together?" Mom grinned at me with a mischievous smile.
We waited for Jay to arrive before we checked for a bookshelf. Of course, we can’t bring the bookshelf ourselves. The delivery might cost as well if that’s an option.
Mom doesn’t have a job. I was surprised to hear that my brothers are giving her cash for meal preparation and such. They treated her like their own mom.
"This one looks fine." Jay pointed to the white bookshelf with geographical patterns on the sides.
"But isn’t that too modern?" "I'm looking for a wood-style one."
I wasn’t picky when it came to these things. I just like to pair the one I am buying with the one I already have at home.
"This one?"
I chuckled, Jay laughed, and even the store owner giggled. Mom pointed to an unfinished bookshelf, which was literally wood without any paint or design. Gosh, that’s a literal wood.
We spent almost thirty minutes picking out the right bookshelf that suits my style and my room. When we got back home, Felix was already there. We spent an hour assembling it in my room. The new bookshelf and the old one resemble each other. My brother did the most work when assembling the shelf, making me think they have experience in carpentry.
"What are your thoughts on your new bookshelf?" Jay asked, looking around, if they missed a screw or something.
"It’s wonderful. Now I can place more books on it."
"Then you can buy more books," Felix added. I was amazed by the number of books he brought home. a box of books circulating around the internet that I’m definitely curious about. "Books are your own kind of drugs."
"No, books are her babies," Jay corrected.
They’re both right. Buying books is, for me, a form of addiction. Reading them transports me to different places. It makes me feel like I'm talking to people I've never met in my life. It entertained me in a good way, without any harm. Romances make me feel the kiss of true love. Horror, thrillers, and suspense chilled my bones from skull to toe. Historical fiction taught me a lot about war. If there’s anything I could bring to a deserted island, it would be a book.
The three of us shared dinner as the night deepened. I don’t know what’s with this feeling of quietness and ease. It felt like a great war had finally ended. I love the night, and it makes me want to binge a book about darkness and such. When Felix finished washing the dishes, I came back inside. Before I did, I heard a whisper. I didn’t mind it. It could be my imagination. It wasn’t real.
For the next hour, I watched a movie with Mila and my brothers. They’re the sweetest kind of combination, like marshmallows and hot chocolate. I want to experience this moment most of the time. I feel complete even when I’m not.
"Danger is everywhere." I concluded as we reached the third act of the movie. "It’s a looming force from a distance, waiting to attack."
"As old as I get, I realize we can’t stop danger or death. It’s natural, and it’s everywhere. "What I know is that we can learn how to face and survive it," added mom.
I looked at my brothers. Felix and Jay I couldn’t let them suffer from danger or pain. We’ve lost our parents before, and I couldn’t lose them both.
"Who’s up for a bowlful of fries?" I asked. They chuckled and raised all of their hands. I stood up and headed to the kitchen. I pulled out the frozen fries and poured a lot of oil on the fryer. Even though I’ve read that fries contain a lot of calories, I couldn’t help but love them, especially when watching a movie with my family.
When danger is around, it’s the family that sticks together that surrounds.