xxv.

maybe annie shouldn't have let you know this, but she figures she didn't want to lose your trust and feel guilty for the rest of her life when you and her parted ways after your father dies. so she tells you anyway.

     the truth is, soon after you left for abu dhabi, your father showed a bad sign and annie instinctively called the ambulance and soon, she was inside the ambulance with your father on the bed. karl was hospitalised and warded immediately while waiting for the on-duty doctor to check up on him. she was not allowed to take care of karl like how she does at home since they have nurses to look after him.

     she wanted to call you soon, but thought you were busy. and she thought that, after years, you might miss the life you once had back then, and let you have all the fun. let annie and her only to worry about karl. she was about to take a relieved sigh, but the next thing she knows, the doctor told her that karl doesn't have much time left.

     annie was taught not to panic in any kinds of situation she is facing, but when she heard that from the doctor, she panicked. maybe it was her fault that she feels as if you and karl are her family now. but after a year of living with you, how could she not feel as such?

     she called you to deliver the unfortunate news. and she called again and again and again, even when she was still taken to voicemail after a few more tries. she stopped for a few minutes. and called again when the doctor had informed her that the oxygen mask had no function to karl anymore. it's either you bring karl home to save you from the expensive hospital fee or let him go. here. in the hospital. take off that oxygen mask and let him free of his misery. because there's no cure for alzheimer's disease even though, initially, it was cardiac arrest that took karl to the emergency department.

     you didn't know what to do. you wanted to bring your father home. you wanted your father for as long as you could. but there's another side that you need to consider, in which, you'd torture your father if doing so.

     takinf annie's advice, you agreed to let the doctors take off the oxygen mask and do their job. you were there to watch, with annie by your side. you wish mick could be here but the hospital was strict with their regulations. only family members are allowed in. and you had to bribe the doctor to let annie in with you, telling them that annie was a nurse before she was your father's caretaker. and when you hear as the heart monitor changing from the constant beep, beep sound to a constant beeeeeep, you feel the sky falls on top of your shoulders.

     the next thing you know, you're at the cemetery.

*

"thank you for coming," you say to one of the neighbours. "karl would be happy to know you're remember him."

     "thank you. say hi to britney for me."

     "it's nice of you to remember him. karl would appreciate that."

     there were a lot of thank yous today that at some point, you started to get bored saying it that you just smile and nod your head as you send those visitors to the front door. you had enough hugs, too, but you can't get rid of it especially when they were the one who pull you into their arms first, caressing their palms on your back. sometimes, you feel as if they're invading your personal space. but you don't want to be rude so you let them. at least, for today.

     and there were nothing that you didn't hear from those who visited today. there are always be strong or your father must be proud of you or you must inherited a fortune from your father since you're the only child! or it's so sad just because you lost your only family member. you don't have siblings, aunts and uncles, a mother, grandparents from either of their sides. if you need anything, just give us a call. you know you don't need their help to any extend but you politely, smile back and wave them goodbye.

     the only people you love to see aside from the schumachers, annie and the vettels are, marc and franco. they didn't say much, but their smiles and hugs are enough to tell you that they will do anything for you. like you can bunk in marc's house if you're afraid to sleep in the house by yourself. if you have any trouble with your car, they can give you a free fix. if you needed money, they'd lend you some. you might need two of the offers, but either way, you're thankful with their presence.

     marc and franco were the last visitors to leave your house. and when they did, you finally can breathe normally as you shut the front door, already on another mission. sure, your father died. you threw a funeral service, but as the person who is still alive, you still have responsibility.

     "hey, let me do that for you," hanna says as she snatches dirty plates in your hands. "go sit over there. i'll get mick bring you some water in a minute."

     you're mentally exhausted from arguing with anyone right now. the only thing you can do now is smiling at hanna, appreciating her presence here with sebastian and their kids and norbert. "thanks," you mutter, watching her short blonde air bounce as she truts into the kitchen.

     as you sit by yourself in the living room, watching the vettels kids playing by themselves silently while their parents helping you with chores, watching the adults going back and forth the kitchen as if this is their home, watching corinna and annie giving orders, watching gina somehow making jokes in the kitchen to light up the mood and mick standing in the kitchen not knowing what to do though he tried to help, you realise that you might lose your father, but maybe you gain another, two maybe three mothers, a grandparent, a sister, little siblings. most importantly, you gain a partner who understands you inside and out, and you didn't plan to lose any of them soon.

the end