80 Albert’s True Condition (1/2)

It was so late but the two men inside the study room were wide awake as an owl.

”You fought with mom?” he asked his father directly.

”She's just upset.” he saidtrying to brush off the topic.

”About what?” Lyndon asked when he saw his father's intention. The man's face turned serious. Lyndon could not help but feel nervous on the inside.

”I forgot our wedding day and our plans together. I also forgot to greet her. That's why she's sulking.” he told him the truth and with it, there's a slight change on Lyndon's face.

How come he forgot? As long as he remembers, his father will always be the one to surprise his mother over simple things. They will dine out or just in their home.

Seeing that his son is beginning to think things over, he said, ”I am getting forgetful this past months. I don't know why so I took a neurological exam secretly.” he paused and he hesitated a bit.

Lyndon's feelings are in mix. He could not understand what he's feeling in the moment but the panic and nervousness from within him is currently surging like a tidal wave.

”My brain is rapidly deteriorating and in the long run, I might have an Alzheimers.” Albert said while bobbing his head down as he did not want to see Lyndon's pained expression.

Lyndon automatically slumped down on the couch and in shock.

What? His father will have an Alzheimer's?

”I'm taking medications now for the prevention and for the nourishment of my brain. I just don't want to burden you son, that's why I waited for this moment.” he added when Lyndon was still in shock. He could not really sort his emotions now.

He stayed silent trying to calm himself down. Albert did not say anything and stayed standing rooted before his son.

After a while, Lyndon gathered courage to speak and look at his father's face. He looked at it intently. The man who taught him everything and became more than his father, he also became his friend and a confidante. He's too afraid to accept that there will be aday that he will not see his father's face anymore.

”Did you tell mom?” he asked after a long silence in the room. The atmosphere is heavy and he don't know how to break it. Albert shook his head indicating that he did not tell Rodora about his health condition.

”Are you telling her?” he asked again as he stared at hi father's eye. He could tell that despite everything, he still stand tall and accepted everything like a man. He did not see a sadness in his eyes instead, he can see determination and will to live.

”Yeah. I'll be telling her during our vacation to Maldives. And from there, I'll go back to country P. I want to stay there for the time being and it's up to your mom if she will join me.” he's afraid that Rodora won't take him anymore if he will gone senile and useless old man. He also don't want to see the same expression he had seen in Lyndon on Rodora's face. He could not bare to see Rodora hurt but he also could not bare to lie to her. He will still chose to hurt her with truth than be happy with a lie.