“Congratulations, Aaron.”
Aaron said a soft “Thanks,” and gave a small bow. She then walked towards her mother standing three metres away, booklet now in hand. Aaron then took a deep breath, trying to conceal her trembling, then opened the booklet.
Of course, there was a line of ‘A’s.
Aaron felt a huge sense of relief. She then looked up at her mother, who smiled back at her.
“See?” She said, “I told you, as long as you push yourself, you will succeed.”
“Of course, mum. I’ve always listened to you.” Aaron replied.
“However, you still have to continue working hard to do well later on. Remember, your life is only beginning.”
“Hey Aaron! What did you get?” Felicia called out from nearby.
Aaron turned around to see her friend running joyfully towards her.
“I think I did pretty well,” Felicia said, showing Aaron her results booklet. Her booklet displayed a few ‘B’s and a ‘C’.
“Let me see… 90 RP! As expected from the top student!” Felicia laughed, then gave Aaron a tight hug.
“I’m just joking, Aaron. I knew you could do it! Anyways, we gotta celebrate! You’re joining the karaoke too, right?” Felicia asks, putting her hands on Aaron’s shoulders. Aaron looked back at her mother for approval.
“Just don’t go too long.” Her mother responds.
Aaron half-jogs to her classmates, who all congratulated her as she approached them.
“Hey! I bet you got 90 RP, right? Congrats, Aaron!”
“I knew you could do it, Aaron!”
“Well done, Aaron!”
“Aaron!”
“Aaron!”
“Aaron!”
“Director Aaron, Director, wake up!”
Aaron jolted awake amidst her stacks of files atop her table. She looked around her office and recognised the individual shaking her as Doctor Smith. She also recognised that the time was approaching 9 p.m.
“Hello, John. How long was I out?” She asked as she massaged her temple.
“I’m not sure, and I’m not sure if you can be paid for overtime if you’re also sleeping on the job.” John Smith laughed at his attempt at a joke. “I just needed to put this on your table, but it seems you already have a lot on your plate, or in this case, your table.”
“Just put it on the pile,” Aaron instructed, beginning to pack up. “It’s probably updates on the recent few Alzheimer’s cases, I’ll look over them when I get back. Hopefully, they’re good news.”
“I hope so too. I can’t imagine what those patients or their families are going through. Imagine your parents slowly forgetting everything until there’s nothing left? Or worse, imagine that happening to you! Would you even know what’s going on as your brain deteriorates over time? You could lose so much of yourself without realising it. It’s scary to even imagine.”
“I don’t think about these questions,” Aaron replies curtly, “I try not to get invested in my patients.”
As Aaron began to make her way out, John fell silent for a while but followed her outside. Before Aaron left the hospital, John asked her: “Please don’t feel offended, but may I ask: What inspired you to become a doctor?”
Aaron looked back at him. After a moment of silence, she answered: “It’s the right thing to do, isn’t it?”
John frowned at her answer. “I supposed so.” He said in reply. “Is that it? Is there-”
“Goodbye John.”
After nearly an hour of commute, Aaron got to open her front door. She was greeted by an old woman yelling at her.
“Why were you out so long, young lady? Where were you? I’ve been waiting for you for hours! You’re off at pubs again aren’t you?”
“I wasn’t. There had been an influx of patients lately so I was caught up at work.”
“Don’t give me excuses! Don’t you know how long I’ve waited for you? You want me to worry for you?”
“I’m sorry, mum. You really don’t need to.” Aaron apologised. “I bought some kuih just now, I know they’re your favourite.”
“What good are gifts when my daughter doesn’t even listen to me? Also, I’ve already eaten.”
“I’m really sorry, I’ll remember to do better next time, I promise. I’ll just leave these in the refrigerator so you can have them later.”
“You always say that,” Aaron’s mother gave a huff. “Fine then. Actually, I can still have a bit.”
“Then I’ll put some of them out for you,” Aaron said as she plated the dessert in front of her mother, who began munching down on them.
“You know, it’s not that I want to scold you, I just want you to do better, and you know it’s been lonely for me ever since… You know, he left us.”
“Don’t worry, mum, I’m here now, right?”
“But you always spend so long away from home!” She cries out into her hands.
“You have to understand, mum. I’ve told you as a medical director, there’s always a mountain of work I need to handle, and more people that need me to attend to them. I’m doing what I can-”
“What about your husband? I haven’t seen or even heard from him in a while.”
“He left for America for a while, mum.”
“Let me guess, it’s for work again as well for him, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I haven’t talked to him in a while as well, what with the timezone and all. He’s likely busy right now.”
The old woman took a loud sigh. “I knew he wasn’t ever suitable, but your father insisted… Both of you should have listened to me.”
“Mum…”
“But no, you listened to your dad instead, now you reap what you sow…”
“Please…”
“You should have tried harder in your extra-curriculars, then you would have been able to get the scholarship and work abroad…”
“Mum, I’m really tired-”
“Oh, is that it now?” Aaron’s mother shot up from her chair. “You’re tired of me now? After everything I’ve done?”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all!” Aaron replied in shock, trying to diminish her volume. “I’m just a little tired today, that’s all.”
“Don’t you lie to me, Aaron,” She pointed her finger at Aaron’s nose. “I know you well. You’re tired of living like this, you’re tired of working so much, you’re tired of me lecturing you everyday. Well, I’m tired too! You used to be a good girl, you used to have potential! You could have succeeded if you pushed harder!”
“I’m already trying my best! I’ve always done my best-”
“It’s not enough, Aaron! Now, you have fallen.”
Aaron’s mother continued, but her words could hardly reach her anymore. Aaron’s body stood there, but her mind was elsewhere. Maybe she’s right, she thought, I’ve been too weak. I should do better. I’m not doing enough at all.
I should just push harder.
Aaron awoke to a loud thud, her arms were outreached, the wall opposite her had a red stain, and her mother was on the ground.
It took almost a minute for Aaron to realise what she had done.
Aaron let out a shriek in terror, her mind quickly became a blur. She tried shaking her up, to no avail. She dialled emergency services and was able to provide the dispatch with her name and address in between her stammering.
“Mrs Lee, please keep calm, the ambulance is on its way. In the meantime, please cover the wound with a cloth.”
“Of course, thank you.” Aaron stuttered out.
“Now, just a question, do you know who the perpetrator is?”
At the question, Aaron collapsed onto her knees, her phone dropped to her side as her arms went limp. She finally faced the scene in front of her, only for it to be the sole image in her mind.
“Mrs Lee, are you still there?”
“Mrs Lee, Mrs Aaron Lee?”
“Aaron?…”
“Aaron, Aaron! Wake up, or you’re going to be late for school!”
Aaron opened her eyes to her mother smiling at her, her youthful face lit up like a flower by the intruding sunlight. Aaron leapt off her bed and raced her mum down the stairs to the dining table. Aaron greeted her father, who was reading his newspaper while enjoying his coffee, then began gobbling down her breakfast.
“Remember to chew, Aarie,” Aaron’s father commented, looking up from his newspaper. “Are you excited to start school?”
Aaron took a huge swallow before answering: “Yes I am!” like a soldier. “I can’t wait to see Felicia and my new friends again!”
“But remember, you’re not just going to school to play. You must listen to what your teachers.” Aaron’s mother informed her softly while patting her on the head.
“Yes, mummy!”
“Promise to learn well, so you’ll grow up to become a smart girl, okay?” Aaron’s father added.
“I promise!” Aaron answered immediately.
“That’s our good girl.” Her parents began laughing softly.
After Aaron finished her breakfast, she put on her schoolbag. Then, putting on her school shoes, she took her first step on her path towards success.
