9. The Family Party
‘Lisa, I need you this weekend.’
‘What for?’
‘Meg’s family party.’
I laughed. Meg, Jax’s girlfriend, had a really big family, and they threw these huge parties once in a while. He hated it. He couldn’t remember everyone’s name, the food was awful, and it was just embarrassing.
‘Don’t laugh Lisa, It’s not funny at all.’ He said trying to be serious. ‘They are all so formal, I never know what to say.’
‘You’ve known them for ages. And everybody loves you anyway, Jax. Don’t worry.’
‘Exactly, everybody does, but they don’t. That’s why I need you to help me not to tell too many jokes and end my own future in this family.’ He poked me with his fork.
‘Be careful with that, jerk.’ I gave him a disapproving look. ‘And I don’t know Jax, I’m too tired. I think I’ll just stay home this weekend.’
‘C’mon Lisa, that’s what you do every weekend.’ I shrugged. ‘I’ll let you take Peter with you.’ He teased.
‘What makes you think that I would want to take him?’
‘Yeah right. I know you like him, nerd.’
‘No, I don’t. I’m good on my own, thanks.’ I spoke seriously to him.
‘Oh yeah? Then come to the party with me.’
I looked at him in disbelief.
‘You never wanted me to take him in the first place, did you? You just wanted me to agree. I keep saying, you’re such a jerk.’ I rolled my eyes.
He got up and kissed me on the cheek.
‘Meg will pick us up Saturday at 8 am.’
At 8 am sharp she stopped by our place.
‘Hi, Meg, It’s been so long! You look great.’ I hugged her.
‘You’re right, Lisa. I missed you! And thanks for coming along, Jax will be forever grateful.’ She said while smiling at him.
‘Yeah, I know. He owes me this one.’
It was a four-hour ride and I got there a little nauseated. It was a big house by the lake, and there were kids everywhere, so many I couldn’t count them all. I pulled Jax aside and whispered to him.
‘Wow, you hadn’t told me that Meg’s family was almost the size of a small city.’
‘I know right? That’s what I keep telling her.’ He looked around and then whispered in an even lower voice. ‘And they really are like a small city, with all the secrets and judgemental looks.’
‘Really?’ I mouthed. He nodded.
I thought he was exaggerating, which he probably was a little bit, but I could see what he meant. Even so, they were all very nice, and the food wasn’t that bad. They greeted me so well and I felt welcome. I wish I had such a big and united family like that, it felt good.
I spent most of the day with Jax and Meg since I didn’t really know anyone. The conversations were mostly harmless, but one of them specifically was not. I overheard Meg talking to her aunt, and she seemed pretty upset. I asked Jax what was that all about.
‘I’m not sure. But Meg mentioned to me that one of her aunts was worried about her teenage son. Apparently she wanted to take the boy to see a doctor but the father refused to take him.’
‘But what does he have?’
‘I don’t remember. But I know that Meg said the father was embarrassed and that’s why he didn’t want to take him.’
‘Wow. That’s tough.’
‘I told you, small city.’
I nodded.
After lunch, we all went for a walk by the lake, even the kids. Jax and Meg were a little ahead of me, holding hands. They were so different but they really clicked together. It was nice to watch.
‘You’re Lisa, right?’ I turned my head to see that aunt I had seen talking to Meg earlier.
‘Yes, I am! But I’m sorry, what’s your name again?’
‘No problem, it’s a big family. I’m Mary Libbs, dear. I hope you’re enjoying the day!’ She gave me a very kind but very tired smile.
‘I am, Mrs. Libbs. The food was incredible, and it’s a beautiful house you have here.’
‘It’s nice, right? Mark loves it. Mark is my son.’ She pointed to him.
Mark had the body of a young boy, when Jax talked about him I imagined someone older.
‘Oh, he is beautiful! How old is he?’
‘He is seventeen.’ She said a little shyly.
Then I understood why she wanted to take him to the doctor. The boy looked 11 years old maybe. There was definitely something wrong, and I wished I could help her.
A few miles ahead on the lake, we all started feeling a horrible smell. We took a little break and the men went to check what it was. It turns out the neighbors were throwing their trash on the east side of the lake. Or at least, that is what I understood between all the cursing that took place.
I actually wasn’t paying too much attention to that. I was looking at Mark Libbs. He was typing in his phone and didn’t seem bothered at all about what was happening. Meaning, he didn’t seem bothered at all by the smell.
I pulled Jax discreetly while everyone was discussing what to do with the garbage.
‘You know Mark?’
‘Who’s Mark?’
‘Mary’s son, Jax, Jeez.’ He looked even more confused. ‘Mary is the aunt Meg was talking to.’
‘Oh, right. What’s up with him?’
‘I think I know what’s wrong with him.’
‘Dear God, Lisa. You got to stop diagnosing people outside the hospital.’
‘I didn’t mean to, it just happened. Anyway, that’s him.’ I pointed to the boy. ‘He is seventeen.’
‘Really?’ He looked shocked.
‘Yep. That’s why the mother wants to take him to the doctor and the father is embarrassed.’
‘Poor boy.’ He felt genuinely sorry. ‘But that wasn’t such a mystery, Lisa, I bet even his mother knows he has delayed puberty.’ He laughed.
‘Do you really think that’s all I got, Jackson? You should know me better than that.’ He laughed.
‘What do you have then, Diaz?’
‘Look at him. He is not bothered at all by the smell of that garbage.’ He looked at the boy again.
‘Shit, Kallmann?.’
‘You got it. What else gives anosmia and delayed puberty?’ I smiled. ‘Now you got to tell Meg or the mother. He needs hormone replacement therapy.’
‘I got to tell them? You should tell them, Lisa. You’re the one that figured this out, so you deliver the news. You can’t do one without the other. It’s called medicine.’
He was right.
…
Want to know more about Kallmann Syndrome?
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/kallmann-syndrome/
Want to watch a real story of a patient with Kallmann Syndrome?
https://kallmannsyndrome.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/kallmann-syndrome-patient-story-jason-russell/
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