He unlocked the car and I stepped out without saying any words. I knew it it was better to keep my lips sealed rather than share my problem with my parents. They could not do anything to help me and I don’t want to burden them with my problems.
I didn’t have much time to waste so I just ran inside the hospital and got to see my mother soon.
“Leonara” she cried out.
“Mom!”
I hurried towards her, my heart pounding against my chest as I embraced her feeling her arms around me. I pressed my face into her shoulder. I decided not to cry in front of her because this would only weaken her but when she took me in her embrace and started crying, I couldn’t hold back my cries.
We held onto each other tightly, emotions passing between us, joy at being reunited, and sorrow at the circumstances that broughts us together.
In between our tears and hugs, I couldn’t help but notice the presence of Ansell standing at a distance, his eyes fixed on us. There was something in his gaze that I couldn’t quite decipher. I couldn’t tell what it was concern, regret, or something else.
I didn’t have the energy to understand him right now; my focus was on my family.
“Where father?” I asked her.
“He had two heart attacks”
What? My eyes widened.
“He is in the operation theater” she told me.
I walked towards the operation theater, peering through the small glass window to see my father lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by medical equipment and doctors working on him. Seeing him in such a vulnerable state tugged at my heart, especially considering it had been over a month since our last meeting, and I had no inkling it would end up like this.
I turned around when I felt a presence beside me and it was my mother.
“Where were you, Leonara?” Her voice quivered and I could see her whole body trembling.
Holding her shoulders, I made her sit on the bench. I sat down next to my mother, my heart aching at the pain and worry evident in her eyes. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, to assure her that I was safe now, but the weight of my own emotions was too heavy to put into words.
“We were so scared for you. We couldn’t even contact you because your phone was constantly switched off” she said, her eyes filled with tears.
“I am sorry, Mom, my phone died and I couldn’t get the time to buy a new one” I sniffed.
“No! You are lying to me. I could see in your eyes that there was something you were hiding from me. Just look at you” her palm came up as she cupped my cheeks. “You have lost weight; the shine from your eyes and glow from your face are missing. I can’t bet that there is something wrong with you that you are not sharing with us”
My eyes flicked to Ansell, who was standing at my mother’s back, his eyes on me.
“Mom, there’s nothing to worry about. I.. I have just been missing you. And besides, you seem thinner too. I am sure you haven’t been taking care of yourself” I said.
“Do you know that I have been having the same uneasy feeling that I had when William wasn’t with us? It frightened us and your father was already ill since William left us. After you stopped visiting us, we couldn’t even talk to you over the call; his health deteriorated even more” she cried.
“I am here, mom, don’t cry, ” i tried to console her when I was not sure how long I would be here.
“I don’t know… I don’t know what will happen now, ” she sobbed, her gaze fixed on the ground and tears streaming down her cheeks.
My mother had always been the pillar of strength for our family, lifting us during our lowest moment. But right now, from the way she is crying, I could be that she has also been broken.
“Don’t say such things, mom” I squeezed her shoulder. “Everything would be fine. Nothing happened to dad. God can’t be this cruel. He has already snatched away William from us” I tried to console her.
“William is alive”
What?
Her words hit me like a thunderbolt and left me so shocked that I forgot to blink or breathe. Not only me but there was a sudden change in the demeanor of Ansell as well. His body stiffened and his eyes narrowed at her. The look on his face says. ‘Word does she know?’
I gulped looking at the obvious look in Ansell’s face.
“I have this feeling, you know, deep in my heart” my mother said, her voice shaky but determined. “My heart tells me that my son is alive. When you were away, the police came to our door several times with photos of bodies they thought could be William, but he wasn’t among them” she took a deep, audible breath. “My heart is not ready to believe that my son has died. There is a deep feeling that he is alive somewhere and he is in big trouble ”
I shut my eyes and the tears dribbled down.
“Mom, accept the fact, he is no more” I gulped as the words felt very heavy. “He must be buried by the person who killed him”
“Please, don’t say such things. Even if my hope is false then let me live with the hope that one day he will come back”
I merely nodded and hugged her once again. My eyes flicked to Ansell who was staring at us with different expressions which I can’t exactly tell.
My mother’s words and the way he reacted have now put me in doubt. Could it be possible that William is alive?
I have her a water bottle, which she was carrying in her bag and she took two big gulps before her gaze was drawn to Ansell.
“I am sorry, child; I forgot you” she walked to him and took his palm in hers.
“I don’t have enough words to thank you for bringing Leonara to us” she kissed the back of his palm. It is such a relief to see her and I am sure that now that she is here, her father will recover soon”
She is so naive that she doesn’t have even the slightest idea that the hand that she is kissing might have buried her son.
“How did you find her so quickly?” She asked him.
“I had the number of the agency in which she works ” he responded without taking even a single second and with the confidence with which he replied no one could tell that he was lying.
“Suddenly, the doctor came out of the operating room, which caught our attention.
“How is he?” I asked.
“His condition is critical” the doctor revealed, causing our worry to escalate. “All we can do now is pray”
Mother started crying hysterically while listening to the doctor.
“Mom please, everything would be fine. Dad will be alright. Have faith in God” I said.
She was the most religious person in our house and always used to remind us to remember God in every phase of life.
“I don’t think so” she cried even louder.
“Please mom” I said, making her sit again.
I kept on rubbing her back, whispering nothing sweet in her ear. Gradually, her cries subsided as she understood that she needed to be strong.
“Where are you going?” Mom asked as I stood.
“To the God ” I replied before running out.
When I came here, I saw a small church beside the hospital. Without wasting even a single minute, I went there and collapsed on my knees in front of him.
I could feel a presence behind me and I already knew that it was Ansell. Without caring about him, I joined my hands and locked my fingers before bowing my head and praying for my father’s recovery.
My family has already gone through a lot and I don’t want them to suffer anymore. I am ready to bear whatever life throws at me but I want my family to be safe and happy.
I stayed in the position and I didn’t come to know when half an hour passed. Suddenly, Ansell’s phone buzzed.
“Ok” I heard him saying.
“Your father is showing signs of improvement” she shared the news with me.
My eyes flew open, and a wave of relief flooded through me. I offered up another prayer of gratitude for answering my pleas and went back to my mother, who was still sitting on the bench but there was relief on her face. Ansell was following me everywhere I went.
After around two more hours the doctor came out along with the nurse.
“The surgery was successful. He will be in the ICU for a few hours and after that, you can meet him” he told us.
The news came as such a relief to us that I and my mother couldn’t stop hugging each other.
We waited for the hours to end so that we could meet him. I thought that Ansell would leave but stayed with me. I couldn’t understand why.
One thing was sure: I would not leave this place within my parents and I could not escape the situation.
We went inside the ICU once the doctor allowed us and found a father in his senses. Though he wasn’t looking fully conscious his eyes were moving.
“Leonara” he whispered as soon as he saw me.
“Dad” I walked to him and took his hand into mine while mother sat on the other side of bed.
“How are you? Where were you? ” He asked, his words came out broken but I understood him.
“I am fine dad, don’t take too much stress. I am here” I kissed his knuckles.
“Now I can die peacefully ” he closed his eyes.
“Please, don’t say any such things ” he just closed his eyes.
“Ma’am, kindly leave the patient alone. He has just gone through surgery and it is not good if he speaks too much ” one of the nurse said.
We just nodded and walked out.
Ansell was waiting for me in a corner and as I stepped out he called me.
“Now when you have met your parents, I think it is time to head back home” he said with no emotions in his voice.
“Please, Ansell I cannot leave my mother in this situation” I gulped. “Try to understand please”
I know it was of no use to expect any sympathy from his still, I looked forward to his answer and my breath caught in my throat when he opened his mouth.