"Dr. Miles," Aviona called on him a few times already but it was only when she tapped his shoulder that he responded to her.

"What is it dear?" he turned to her weakly.

​​

"I'm leaving already," Aviona told him, "Are you sure you are okay? I can stay here with you—"

"No… no... Aviona… go home to your husband. He must have been waiting for you, its already late," He dismissed her fully. It was the first time that Aviona step foot on their house for a long time and that was because, it was his wife's funeral that morning.

It had been three weeks already when Madam Sarah died but they buried him only after three weeks, when Dr. Miles was already ready to let her go. The old doctor was so devastated with her death that he had lost all the life in him. Aviona was the one who arranged the services and funeral together with Manager Cheng since Dr. Miles seemed sick and unfunctional.

Instead of leaving, Aviona sat on the chair beside him and leaned on the doctor's shoulder.

"It was also like this when he left," Aviona said in an almost crying tone, recalling the time when Melvin died. It was so quiet in Dugmoch's household and they all sat together on the living room, sobbing quietly while comforting each other. "It was still the three of us back then, now there's only you and I"

"It must have been so hard for you," Dr. Miles sighed. "At least I got to spend a long time with my wife while you only get to spend few years with my son,"

"But I get through it. Look at me now, I'm well," There was one droplet of tear that fell from Aviona's eyes that she instantly wiped away. "You can get through it too,"

"I'm already alone now Aviona," Dr. Miles announced bitterly, "I wonder what's there left for me when I have no one left,"

"I'm still here," Aviona told him, "I know I didn't come and visit for a long time and that was because I don't want you to see me and remember the hurt we all suffered when he died, same as I don't want to be reminded by it when I see you both, Madam and you,"

"You don't have to explain Aviona. We fully understood because we felt the same too. We let you leave and never get in touched because we want you to move on with your life,"

After Melvin's death, just a week after, Aviona left the Dugmoch household to tend her hurt in Africa and when she came back, she intentionally avoided the Dugmoch's because she was afraid that all the hurt will come back when she associated herself with them.

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The old couple Dr. Miles and Sarah did the same, they never called or visited Aviona even when they heard the news that she came back from abroad for the same reason. That was the reason why the elite community never found out of the relationship of Aviona and the Dugmoch's especially that their marriage was held in private. The students in XU too, aside from few, didn't have any idea that Melvin was Dr. Miles' son and so they thought Aviona just picked a random boy as her new boyfriend and that they fled to Africa after graduation. What comes after that, they were blind to it, but they all assumed they broke up already because the boy was nowhere to be found when Aviona came back.

"But I am still a family. We are a still a family," Aviona drew hoped in that, "We'll get through this together. I promised you that,"

"I am fine Aviona, this old man of yours is as strong as you," Dr. Miles turned to look at Aviona's face. He kissed her head and cupped her face right after, "Now off you go, you have a husband waiting for you,"

"I don't want to leave you like this," Aviona protested, "I'll just stay here and take care of you for a while, my husband will surely understand,"

"I'll call if I can't take it anymore," Dr. Miles assured him, "As long as you promise you'll do the same,"

"Promise," Aviona breathe heavily. "Eat the food I prepared in the table, I'll check on you in the morning,"

"Alright dear, good night,"

"Good night Dr. Miles," Aviona smiled and headed for the door.

When she left, Dr. Miles curved himself at his seat and clung to his loneliness like a vice. Madam had been sick for a while and he had been anxious ever since, fearing the time that he will be alone, and the time had come. He wanted to ask the creator why he was still there, breathing and well when He had already taken everything from him. What was the purpose of his existence by then?

The image of Aviona appeared in his mind and he smiled bitterly at the thought. He promised Melvin to look after her and make sure she was happy all the time and that was one of the reasons why Madam Sarah and him, choose to avoid her even though they both missed her sometimes. Aviona had to move on and for her to do that, she must totally isolate herself from her past, including the people in it.

"What's there to live for?" Dr. Miles whispered in the air. Even when he was known as the great doctor, the loss he suffered from Melvin and Madam Sarah's death brought him evils he was having hard time to conquer. At times, he was tempted to end his life to join his love ones, but he lacked all the courage to do so. He was weak, mentally, emotionally and physically but just like Aviona said, he should move on—he must move on.

Perhaps something out there was still waiting for him.

Perhaps there's still some life after death.

Perhaps there was other things he was meant to do.

Perhaps, perhaps. Only the idea of perhaps was the only thing he was holding on right then.