Chapter 51: The selection

Lucy woke up especially early today. She refreshed herself and did not put on a heavy make up as usual. She smiled shyly as she remembers Mike's sweet word last night when he came back with her dinner.

'You are young, so you should not hide your youthfulness from everyone. You look cute without makeup you know?'

"Mike is so sweet to me lately. I wonder what motive does he have for doing that..."

Slapping her face a few times, Lucy stood up, and walked out of the door. She will not have her breakfast today. Mike has reminded her yesterday that the medical checkup will be conducted early in the morning and she is not allowed to have anything to have her blood drawn out.

"Alright, let's get started..."

Walking out of the elevator door, she saw a line already started to form outside of the infirmary all the way to the common area.

'Oh, wow... I never expected the people would cooperate this well... the rich people knew how to line up hah?'

"Sigh..." Lucy sighed loudly.

"Ooi, you are here?" Raymond Yu waved at Lucy excitedly.

"Hei.."

"So, you are going to space too?" Raymond Yu looks at Lucy's surroundings. Lucy did not say anything, just shrugged her shoulder and stares at the people lining up.

Some of them are already done with their checkups, and the majority of the people look solemn and glum.

'Most of the men are middle age and have a potbelly. Probably they heard some bad news about their health, or they are rejected at once for having an obese BMI...'

Lucy was immersed in her thoughts, when Raymond smacked her shoulder, "Why are you alone? Where is your family? I am here with my dad... He already went in I think."

"Oh, my family? My dad is not here. My mom and Suzy is going to come down later. I am lining up here early so that I could reserve an earlier spot." Lucy smiled at Raymond.

The truth was, Lucy was actually lying to Raymond. Yesterday, after Lucy walked out of her Mom's room, they did not talk to each other and they have no plans on going to the checkups together today.

Jane was feeling rather down and she has expressed her feelings that she would not be able to make it to travel to space with her daughters. So, Lucy was feeling rather sad about the thoughts that they might have to separate.

"Let me call my mom. You can go on and line up behind me." Lucy patted Raymond's shoulder and walked further away from him.

After a few rings, Jane picked up her phone. Exhaling her breath sharply, Lucy tried to sound as cheerful as she can be.

"Hello, mom? Where are you? I am down at the infirmary already. I am waiting for you guys over here..." Lucy forced a smile on her face as she speaks.

"..."

"Mom, are you there? Are you listening?" Lucy panicked for a while as the line is too quiet.

Jane did not reply anything to Lucy's question. She just held her phone on her ear and listens on.

"Mom..."

Still no response from Jane.

Lucy waited for a few while longer, and she heard the sound of someone breathing and she knew that Jane is listening.

"Mom, can you come down to the selection? Even if you did not want to go, but can you come down and bring Suzy with you too? I-I know I am selfish to drag you with me, but I just hope that you could change your mind somehow, and leave together with me and Suzy."

Jane held her breath for a while, and she speaks. "Well, if you insist. Then I will go down with Suzy now."

"Great, Mom. I love you!" Lucy jumped up and down like a child.

Her cheerful action attracts the attention of the others that are still waiting in line for the checkups.

"Yo, what are you so happy about ha? The world is ending soon, and you still have the heart to be happy??!" Someone bellowed at Lucy.

Lucy quickly drops her happy face and gave a slight bow to the crowd before she lines up in front of Raymond again. She kept her head down all the time when she was lining up.

"You know, it will be weird if you suddenly look happy when the others all gloomy and sad to die..." Raymond said to Lucy unapologetically.

"It's not like I do it deliberately. Ceh..." Lucy snickers.

'The peoples here are too sensitive right now. I guess I should behave...' Lucy shrugged her shoulder again.

-------------

Both Lucy and Raymond were done with their medical checkup but Jane and Suzy still did not arrive at the infirmary.

"Are you still waiting for your family? When are they coming?" Raymond looked at Lucy.

Lucy look left and right and she sighed. "Maybe, mom have something going on, so she got delayed."

'Probably she changed up her mind...'

Lucy felt sad when her mom seems to have given up on without trying. Her eyes watered and she felt sad.

"Hey, do you know that the doctor said I might not be able to make it if my weight did not drop to a healthy BMI range? At this moment, I kind of regret for indulging myself in all those tasty food before." Raymond pursed his lips and slouched his shoulders.

Looking at the dejected Raymond, Lucy inhaled her breath sharply and decided not to think too much about her mother. Worst come to worst, she will drag her mother tomorrow morning for the medical checkup.

Slapping her hand hard at Raymond's shoulder, Lucy sits next to him and said, "Ya, I have told you before, right? Eat less when it is tasty, but eat more when it is green." Lucy grinned evilly at Raymond.

"Alright, alright. I guess I have to on a strict diet and exercise regularly if I want to go to space... Hey, You are going to help me lose some weight right?" Raymond looked at Lucy with hopes dancing in his eyes.

He really hopes to lose some weight and qualify himself to go to space. Not just for survival, but because his Lucy will be there too...

"What are you talking about? I am not your private trainer, ok? You work it on your own!" With that, Lucy stood up and walked towards the elevator.

She got to drag a certain someone to the medical check-up...