CHAPTER 6: What's Important for Him

MAYBE THIS IS the punishment from the Almighty made for him if there is really one up there because of what he did to his grandma. He had three to four part-time jobs while he was studying at the university at the same time but all the money that he’s earning from it is he gives to Veronica without even thinking that his grandmother needs him too. It’s not her fault that she's saying okay all the time even if the truth is she’s having a hard time. As a grandson of the remaining family that she has, it’s time to do what’s best for her because she deserves to have a good life too but what did he do? He forgot about her the moment that he met Veronica.

Now he doesn't know if he can return all the love and effort that his grandmother did for him because he still doesn't know what’s her condition now.

He is inside the hospital at the front of the emergency room where he is waiting for the news about his grandmother. As the hours passed, he became more and more anxious. Both of his hands are on his head while he is crunching on the chair he is sitting on. Channel’s hand is on Martin’s back and tapping it like she’s reminding him that everything will be okay and all they have to do is believe in it.

He can’t do that!

He can’t just sit back without finding out the real condition of his grandmother.

“Martin, nothing will happen to your grandma,” Channel said. “You know how strong she is, right? She’s ready to fight for the two of you, you know that.”

He didn’t say anything. He just looks at his sister who fell asleep in the chair outside the operating room while waiting for their grandma.

“You want me to wake her up?”

He shook his head a little and rest assured his friend that it was okay.

As the hours passed by, Martin became more anxious. If he can enter the operating room and ask the doctor about any news, he may do it now. 

Before the clock struck at ten, one of the doctors immediately came out inside the OR. He looks so tired, his hair is messy after removing the Polypropylene bouffant caps on his head which is the one that some medical staff have been wearing when they enter some premises that need one inside the hospital.

“D-doc!” Martin’s voice cracks because of the tension that he feels. He immediately gets up from the chair they occupy. 

“What happened to Amang, Doc?” Channel asked after stepping a little more so she could be at the front. “Is she going to be okay? Nothing will happen to her, right?”

“Are you the patient's guardian—”

“Yes, we are!” Channel immediately claimed.

“The patient is under observation for now. We are still finding out what is going to happen to her for twenty-four hours. You know that the patient is too old for the surgery that we’ve made but as you want to pursue this operation, we also did our best. Right now, it’s all up to her. But remember, this time is crucial—”

The further that the doctor explains the situation of her grandma, the more Martin understands that she’s still endangered which made him even froze from the place he’s standing up. 

“Are you okay?” Channel asks with a worried voice. “Hey, Martin! Are you okay?”

Martin almost fell from his position the moment that everything sank into his mind! 

“I–I need to get money, Channel,” he said as he looked at Channel absentmindedly.

“What are you going to do?” she asked with so much worry.

“I will go to my part-time and—”

“What?” her voice raised so high that made the other people near them look in their direction. “You need to calm down, Martin. This won’t do any good to you!”

“N-no! I need to do my part-time job so that I can pay for my grandma's hospital bills!” 

Martin tries to get away and walk outside of the hospital but Channel is restraining him.

“You’re not thinking straight, Martin! Come to your senses, please—”

“Let him!” a voice from afar shouted. “Let him do what he wants. This is his coping mechanism, Channel. Trust him. He will come back.”

“But, Ben—”

“Please, Channel…” Ben gets Channel’s hand from Martin’s sweater.

Channel just made eye contact with Ben while trying to figure out if he was really serious that they would let him be alone now that he was not on his mind. Later on, Channel also agrees.

“He will be okay, right?” She's worried about Martin. “I hope he will be…” There’s nothing she can do but observe his back while he's walking far away from them.

“Of course not—”

“Ben!” Channel shouted with so much annoyance. “It’s not time to make a joke, Ben!”

“He’s not going to be okay for now but It’s the only thing that we can do for him, Channel,” Ben took a deep breath while catching a look at his friend. “Martin needs to feel the pain and frustration that he feels right now. He blamed himself, Channel. No matter how much we try to tell him that this is not his fault, he will still feel guilty because Amang is the only family that is blood-related but this is what happened to him. 

“You’re right…”

You know how frustrating it is to feel that you became an idiot for a long time and one day, your silliness will have a domino effect on your life?” Ben sighed.

The both of them became quiet for a moment and just looked in the direction where Martin’s heading.

“This is the first time that I have seen him like that,” Ben worriedly said. “Martin is the kind of person who doesn't seek help from others even if he is having a hard time in his life. It is connected to there’s nothing he can lean on when he's growing up. You know her mom died when he was just eight.”

“I remember Amang told me that too…”

“Amang told me that Martin instantly changed that time. He doesn’t like anyone to see his emotions anymore. He wants Amang to feel that everything is alright even if he’s having a hard time—that’s why Amang became so thankful that Veronica came into Martin’s life. Veronica is the reason why he expresses his emotion once again.”

“And that bitch hurt him big time,” Channel couldn’t help but take a deep breath because she’s really pissed off by what she found out. 

MARTIN COULDN'T MAKE himself go to the hospital the moment that he walked away from the thing that would make him blame himself even more. For the past three days, all he could do was work his ass off so he could provide for all the things that he thought Amang needed. For the first time, all the part-time work he is doing is not all about Veronica but the person who truly cares for him. He just wished that Amang's given him a second chance to repay all the things that she had done for him.

Now, Martin is working inside the restaurant as a waiter. He also took the job of some who applied for days off so he could get more money. He also doesn't attend the university at the moment because he already passed all the remaining projects that need to be passed on before they will be busy again with their thesis that he needs to pay some attention to.

He doesn't know when the last time that he took a break was the moment that he started working from this ship. As much as possible, he doesn't want to stop because all that comes to his mind is the blame that he puts on himself for what happened to Amang.

He is thankful to his neighbor and friend who takes turns so that there is someone who looks at his grandma even if she’s still staying inside the ICU.

The moment that he gets the order inside the kitchen, Martin immediately places the food on the tray. He also double-checked if he got it all so wouldn’t make mistakes the moment that he presented himself to the customer.

"It’s all good, Chef!" one of the employees confirmed that there’s nothing that they forgot.

As carefully as he could, Martin placed the food on the stainless tray and went straight to the customer's table assigned to him.

The moment that Martin is near their table, and makes eye contact with the customer, his fist is automatically clenched! He tries his best to calm down but anger takes over his body as he can see how proud Lucas holds Veronica's hand while he remembers the night that they beat him up so badly…