LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH

The family of a sugarcane magnate was having their family dinner at their patio to enjoy the summer breeze while their house helper was serving their meal, There were four elaborate plates for the family. Dr. Edward Cornejo was seated at the head of the table , his wife seated at his right hand and two of their children were seated at the left side of the table. Mrs. Carmela Cornejo was cheerful to greet her children since they came home for their summer vacation. Their table topic while eating were their activities Melchor now twenty five years old who was in his senior year in college of his course in Mechanical Engineering and Mina who s taking her pre-medical course. Their meal was prepared by their chef and was served by their overall housekeeper. After their sumptous meal the family went to their respective assignment. Dr. Edward Cornejo went to the hospital to attend to his round up visit with his patients. He had been a resident physician for ten years now at the surgery ward. He must be at the hospital to monitor his patient with a rare cancer prognosis and that was a significant test of his specialty whether to allow the patient to undergo a surgery or not. The patient was now confined in the hospital for the last two months. Upon his admission Brandon was diagnosed with a liver abscess and that they have to drain it to prevent blood poisoning. This was the finding of Dr. Edward Cornejo. His wife was there when he undertook the procedure . Both Brandon and Emily were very silent even if the doctor asked if they have any questions. Emily and Brandon seemed to be dumbfounded. What would you say when the color of the fluid flowing inside the plastic tube to his pouch was colored light brown instead of red, the color of blood. Nurses and health care aid gave his pills while the nurses attended to his personal needs his prescriptions ,changing his hospital gowns and replacing the bags of antibiotics to clean his infected liver. Emily didn't expect this to happen to Brandon thinking he was very submissive to take his prescribed medications for his high blood and his emphysema. Dr. Edward Cornejo was well known at the hospital for his prowess in cancer. prognosis. His diagnosis to Brandon's cancer was a rare one and this maybe was not genetic but acquired due to Brandon's lifestyle learning from Emily about his night life. Moreover he summoned the members of the family to inform and explain his condition and tell them to prepare for the worst. His son who is taking a medical course serving in the same hospital with Dr. Edward Cornejo seem to have the courage to face the situation. He took further action to look into the case of his father asking the attending physician aside from Dr. Cornejo what kind of food he is going to take. Brandon has no appetite not finishing half of the food they give in the hospital. Matias was referred to the hospital dietician to take food supplements in liquid form in which Brandon complied to take. Meanwhile on his way to the sugar cane plantation Melchor was going there under her mother's instruction to check the sugarcane mill. He knew that machineries depreciate and he must warn their machinist if can see underlying defects of the machines. Upon arriving at the site he was led to the sugar cane mill. After his inspection using his checklist about the machines he didn't find any serious problem that he would attend to but a group of planters approached him asking for a raise. They told him that prices of basic necessities is rising and they asked him to bring their complaint to Dr. Edward Cornejo and to her mother Carmela. Melchor didn't make any comments knowing that life of the sugar cane planters and their families is a struggle. The peak of their jobs takes place on planting season and harvest time between that not all of them has a second job. Only a few of them has a piece of land to plant vegetables ,plant fruit trees and to set up livelihood projects like hog and poultry projects. Melchor thought to discuss this matter to his parents. He knew that other communities were doing this and he thought their sugar planters could avail to this programs but it may depend to their cooperation. He may also ask his father if the sugar planters could ask some funds to start a cooperative agricultural farm to become a source of livelihood. Melchor didn't know Brandon was the pioneer of their agricultural farm who formed their Farmer's Market to bring their produce. How much sacrifice did Brandon make to secure a loan from the Cooperative Authority to buy a machinery to help them till the soil to increase food production and a nursery to germinate their seeds then replant them into vegetable plots. How big was this project for Brandon to organize with his fellow farmers until they were known in the community and adjacent areas. People didn't know Brandon lost his own self by giving all his time to this project tilling the soil until dark. His only relaxation was to hangout with his co-farmers serve some drinks many times to drive away their boredom between planting and harvesting. His earnings supported his son Matias to attend his chosen medical profession. While taking his last year on his post -medical school he met Mina who was taking her third year medical course at the same college nearby where they lived. They had exchange medical books and spent most of the time to research studies of their chosen fields. They didn't attempt to let their family know about their budding relationship since Matias was the son of a farmer and Mina comes from a well to do family. They would call it an oil-water relationship. That means they cannot mix together in society. Mina belongs to the Elite Club while Matias belongs to the Farmer's Club. Matias couldn't join Mina in her social functions besides their families didn't meet at all. When Brandon was discharged at the hospital Emily asked the doctor for help. Her reason was being alone to take care of a critically ill person besides she was actively involved with the Cooperative Association. She had to attend their quarterly meetings to update the organization's financial standing and supervise the community gardens and orchards. Inspectors of the Cooperative Authority were there to monitor their activities but as they say when you are a farmer , you will always be a farmer no matter what. A farmer is a smell of the soil, For centuries farmers tilled the soil for food. Food for humanity. Food that feeds the nation. Do they receive proper recognition? No. If a big piece of land is owned by one owner he is called a landlord hiring small farmers to till his land. This is what Mina and Matias were afraid off. Will they be able to mix with society coming from different economic background?. Love is not enough. Why? They have to support that love economically. How will they show it? Farmers learned about the terminal cancer of Brandon. The association pulled together to help Emily with his medical prescriptions. It was better for him to be treated at home rather than staying in the hospital since staying there was very expensive. The same thing with Matias, When Dr. Edward Cornejo learned that Brandon was the father of Matias who was his intern he gave way to visit him at home. In one of his visits his daughter Mina was there too. Dr. Edward Cornejo was taken by surprise. He was introduced to Emily where he learned about the farmer's cooperative that Brandon had set up. This time he remembered the report of Melchor about the clamor of his sugarcane farmers. He asked Emily if she could set up a meeting with the Cooperative Authority to form a sugar cane Cooperative for his sugar cane farmers so that they will have an additional income. Brandon having a terminal illness has to face his fate although he was not able to see the merging of his family with Dr. Edward Cornejo's family when Matias and Mina got married, his legacy that he left behind lives on.