Two months and a week after Sarah's check-up...

3rd Person's POV

Sarah's hair is completely gone. She is now bald and her skin became saggy. Her eyes have lost their shine and the bags under her eyes became visible.

She is almost skin and bones. Upon her doctor's last visit, she was diagnosed with refractory cachexia. It was only later when they found out that she has pancreatic cancer. This cancer has been the underlying cause of her refractory cachexia.

Her mother, Sally, has been crying for several nights in their bedroom and her father could only console her. They have been praying incessantly every night and day.

They are keeping their faith strong and intact despite of what their family has been going through. They know for a fact that their daughter will not be with them for a long time but they are still praying fervently for God's grace.

"Anak. Here's your breakfast. Kain na tayo?" Sally's voice was quivering when she saw her daughter's frail form.

Sarah opened her eyes at the sound of her mother's voice. She managed a smile as Sally approached her with a tray of fresh orange juice and her favorite pancakes made by her.

Sarah struggled to lift herself up but failed to do so. She was weaker than ever.

Sally, thankfully, was able to place the tray on Sarah's bedside and was able to reach her in time. Tears of sorrow escaped from her eyes as she never imagined seeing her like this. Helpless and sickly.

"Oh, teka! Wag padalos-dalos, anak!" Sally interjected but Sarah only let out a chuckle.

"K-kaya ko po, Mama." Sarah answered almost in a whisper. When her mom has finished sitting her up, she sighed. "S-sorry, Mama."

Sally looked up at her in confusion. She sat across her on her bed and began to feed her.

"Sorry saan, anak?" She asked and spreaded a chocolate syrup on top of  the pancake using a butter knife before slicing a portion of it and bringing it into Sarah's mouth.

Sarah chomped on it slowly and winced when she tried to swallow it. Panicking, Sally brought the glass of juice for her to sip on to.

"Sorry kasi ang hina-hina ko." Sarah was able to say despite her gentle voice.

"Hindi ka mahina, anak." Sally said firmly. She sliced a part of it and fed her again.

Sarah chewed it slowly and pushed it to her throat to swallow it but it pained her even more.

"Inom ka muna, anak." Sally said and let her sip on the juice again.
As soon as Sarah was done, she felt her own tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Mahal na mahal po kita, Mama." Sarah managed to say and met her mother's forlorn gaze. "I will be watching over you and papa."

"Anak, naman!" Sally protested and wept bitterly on her daughter's shoulders.

✉✉✉

Night time came and Sarah's dad, Mario, went to her room to check on her.

He found her gazing outside her bedroom window and watching the star-filled sky.

He was torn between taking a step forward to aide his daughter or to be quiet and look at her from afar to see her bottled up emotions that may come out of her anytime.

He waited for ten minutes but all he ever saw is the calmness in her eyes.

He decided to add five more minutes to see if she will flinch but she didn't.

But when he was about to walk towards her, she turned to smile at him weakly, "Bakit ayaw mo po pumasok, P-pa?"

Mario swallowed a lump in his throat and managed a smile. He continued walking towards her and sat at the edge of her bed, observing her.

"Tinitingnan ko lang ang prinsesa ko." He grinned and ruffled her head  but stopped when he realized what he was about to do.

"P-papa naman eh!" She protested with a soft giggle escaping her throat. "Nahiya ka pa! Tuloy mo na!" It was Sarah who pressed his hand on her bald head and smiled.

Her eyes mirrored her father's tearful look. Pain is evident in both of them.

"I love you, anak." Mario said sobbing. "I-I'm sorry, wala akong magawa."

Sarah shook her head and opened her arms to invite her dad for a hug which he promptly responded. Mario found himself crying so hard on his child's shoulders.

Sarah patted his back and said, "y-you have done enough, Pa. You have loved me and provided my needs hanggang ngayon. And, I am grateful."

When they both pulled back from the embrace, they both laughed seeing each other's faces.

"Ano ang gusto mong kainin, anak? Nagugutom ka ba? A–" Mario asked and she cut him off by interrupting him.

"B-busog pa po ako, papa. Dinalhan ako ni Mama ng meryenda kanina." She said and smiled.

"Okay. Gusto mo bang buksan ko ang TV? Netflix, gusto mo manood ng kdrama?" Mario asked and this time,  Sarah agreed.

He urgently pressed on the television and switched it to Netflix. He let her have the remote and she chose this particular series called Vincenzo.

As they began to watch, Mario felt his daughter rested her head on his shoulders. He can't help but to cry silently. Knowing his daughter's days are numbered pained him.

He just hopes and prays that God will let her live longer. But if his daughter wishes to rest, sino ba siya para tanggihan ang hiling ng anak niya?