"You really think I'm going to listen to you?" Anthony smiled, albeit coldly. The way he was looking at her had Junia's words stuck in her throat.
He wanted to be over the whole episode, but before he could retreat to the comfort of his house, Junia stopped him.
"I have to go, Anthony. You should look after your mother in the hospital. It's the least you can do."
Before walking away she rested her hand on Anthony's, much to his dislike. He felt a piece of paper slip into his hand. "The address," she told him. "Talk things over with her." Anthony didn't look at her as she left. He was done with dealing with anyone for the day. He would drink everyone away that night, he decided.
When morning came, Anthony wasn't so grateful for being sober. He looked at the dreaded piece of paper Junia had left him as it lay on a table in front of him.
Anthony knew of his mother's condition — but for her to be hospitalized? All sense of trust seemed to be fading away from him, maybe even that for his own mother.
Laura was his mother, nonetheless, so he found it in himself to get up and see her, at least. At the hospital, Junia was visiting Laura as she often would. The air seemed to get tenser and tenser as the days went by. "Are you feeling any better?" Laura didn't really need to respond. Junia gave a tight smile.
She suggested to head out and find some food Laura could enjoy, but the woman declined. "I couldn't enjoy anything right now anyway."
"He'll have to come around," Junia tried to reassure her. "He's a busy man, after all."
Laura put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Thank you, Junia, for all your support. But I'm not that dense. I know he'd sooner leave the family than sort things out with me."
"He wouldn't," she said as she stood to find a glass for Laura.
"He knows his duties as a son," she tried to sound certain.
Laura sighed in response. She had no more energy to say more.
As Junia left the room to fetch water, she did not expect to see Anthony.
When he saw her, he turned on his heel to retreat like it was a new reflex. "Anthony!" She walked up to him. "Where are you going?"
She could see his shoulders sag as he sighed. "She's been waiting for you, you know that." He turned to face her properly, with an uncertain look on his face. "How could you suspect your own mother?" Junia scolded. "Do you really think we could deceive you somehow after all that happened?"
He simply stared at her. "Just be a good son and go see her."
Albeit hesitantly, Anthony entered his mother's room.
Upon seeing Anthony, Laura had to stop herself from smiling. It felt like she would be getting what she wanted, finally. "So you finally came," she said, instead.
"Need to see for yourself if I'm sick or faking it?" Anthony clenched his jaw to compose himself. "I'm not here to argue, Mom.
You should go home to rest. I don't understand why Junia has to come to visit you everyday."
He couldn't seem to find anymore affection in his words towards his mother. "Are you just here to spite me, then?" His mother's words were cold. "Do you hate me now, Anthony?"
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