On the way back to the office, no one spoke in the car, the Rene Liu song ‘Crazy For Love’ is still played on repeat.
In the office, Edward had waked up quite a long time ago. He did not like to play with the secretary, so he kept on read the Misadventures of Sanmo. He had read halfway through the very thick book.
Edward saw that his mother had come back to the office with Emerson, he put down his book and asked, “Mum, why are your eyes red?”
Candice did not dare to tell her son that she had an affair with his father, so she replied, “I went to visit your grandparents.”
Edward head hung on one side, “But didn’t they pass away?”
Candice nodded, “Yes, your grandparents passed away. Let’s go, we should be heading back, don’t distract your father Emerson from working.”
Edward followed Candice obediently, when he reached the door he did not forget to turn and wave at Emerson, “Bye, father Emerson.”
Emerson watched as his woman walked away with his son, he turned away and clenched his jaw. He had watched them leave every time, further and further away from him.
His phone rang, it was from Lily. Emerson waited as the phone rang for 20 seconds and he finally picked up, “What?”
“Emerson, the bridal store called me, the dress and tuxedo that we ordered are here. So let’s go try them on tomorrow?” Lily said poutily on the phone.
“I’m very busy, suit yourself.”
“Emerson, but what about your tuxedo…”
“That’s it, I’m in a meeting.” Emerson hung up and threw his phone far away from him.
At night, Candice stood before the mirror in the bathroom, and touched the marks on her body on the mirror. She closed her eyes, as if the warm body was still wrapped tightly around her.
Thank you, Emerson.
I am already satisfied, really, and I would want nothing more, I would not blame the unfairness of God. God had always… been fair.
She wore her pyjamas and headed out, and went to hug her son who was on the bed. She saw that her son was looking through her phone, his expression heavy, his brows furrowed together as if he wanted to cry.
Candice was puzzled, she had not recalled her son crying ever since he was very young. Even during body check-ups, when other kids were crying their lungs out, he had gone to the counter taking blood samples and lifted his sleeve by himself.
“Edward, what’s wrong?” Candice pulled the blanket and got onto the bed, and looked over.
Her eyes suddenly tightened as she reached over to take her phone.
Edward turned to face his mother, his onyx like eyes filled with tears, “Mum, are you very sick?”
Candice tried to cover it up, “It’s, it’s nothing, not sure who, but someone must have sent the wrong message.”
“Mum, stop lying to me. Do you think I’m still a child?”
“…”
Wasn’t this guy just a little kid?
“Mum, this hospital was the hospital I had my check up at, and it was the hospital you fainted at. This doctor was the doctor who saved you, I saw the tag displayed on his chest. He texted you while you were taking your bath, asking you why haven’t you did the proceedings to change the hospital, and even said your disease cannot be delayed, and you must have your operation as soon as possible. Mum, what’s wrong with you?”
Edward shook his mother’s arm, the moistness in his eyes finally could not be held back, became droplets and fell drop by drop.”
Candice had always treated her son like a kid, but now as she watched, it was as if her son had grown up.
Candice hugged her son and smiled wearily, “Edward, I really am sick. But don’t cry, people get sick all the time. Look at the hospital full of people, is it not because they are sick?”
Edward lifted his head, and asked half-crying, “Mum, are you going to die?”
Candice smiled, “Everyone dies, even if it was not because of sickness, some still die of old age. When a person is born, they started to walk towards the destination called death. But for some people, the journey is long, for some this journey is short. My journey is the short one. But I’m not afraid, because I have you, because I had happiness too.”