Stella’s P. O. V.
I sit with Alex in the waiting room as the doctor treats our parents. Alex has been completely silent since I told him the truth about his father. That truth has shaken him deeply.
On one hand, my heart aches for him, and on the other, for my mother, who has been suffering for who knows how long. Why did God make her endure the same pain she had in the past? Why didn’t she tell me?
Alex’s hands are clenched tightly in his lap, and his jaw is tense, as though he’s fighting an internal battle. I can’t blame him. He would have never imagined his father would be a monster.
This entire ordeal has taken so much out of both of us. But for Alex, I know it’s different. His world has been turned upside down in a way I can’t even begin to imagine.
I glance at him, his face pale and his eyes distant, as if he’s locked away somewhere I can’t reach. The person sitting next to me looks so lost, like a stranger who endured a painful truth he never expected to face. This is a side of Alex I’ve never seen-a man completely stripped of hope and confidence.
I want to tell him that everything will be okay, but I don’t know how to comfort him at this moment when I’m also drowning in my pain. How can I promise him anything when everything feels so uncertain?
Finally, Alex breaks the silence. “I don’t know who my father is anymore, Stella. My whole life… everything I thought I knew…” he trails off.
I place my hand over his hand and gently squeeze it. It’s the only way I know to show him he’s not alone, that I’m here with him-even if we’re both lost right now. I don’t need to say anything because I know words won’t be enough to heal what’s been broken. We’re in this together, bound by pain and confusion, yet somehow finding solace in each other’s presence.
He takes a shaky breath, his eyes focused on the wall in front of us as if searching for answers there. “I grew up thinking that my father is a great man. The one person I thought I could always count on. And now, I don’t know what to believe. I feel like I’ve been living in a lie.”
I can feel the ache in his voice, and it hurts me. Watching the person you love most become lost and shattered is unbearable.
As I search for the right words to comfort him, a nurse steps into the waiting room with a serious expression on her face.
“The doctor would like to speak with both of you in her office about the female patient,” she says, gesturing for us to follow her. My heart tightens with dread as I glance at Alex, and he nods, his grip on my hand tightening.
We follow the nurse down a quiet hallway, and questions revolve in my mind. What more could the doctor have to say? I’ve already seen enough to know my mother has suffered terribly, but I fear there’s more I don’t yet understand.
As we settle into the doctor’s office, she takes a seat behind her desk and looks at us with serious expressions. “I need to be honest with you both. Stella, your mother has been through extreme physical and emotional trauma. There are clear signs of prolonged abuse. She has welts and scars… and there are burn marks with cigarette burns. She has endured a great deal of pain.”
The doctor’s words break my heart even more brutally, and I feel a rage within me. I struggle to hold back the tears burning in my eyes.
“She has injuries that suggest severe trauma to her body… and I’m afraid there is evidence of assault in more intimate areas as well.”
A strangled sob escapes me, and I press a trembling hand to my mouth, trying to steady myself. My mother-my brave, strong mother-has suffered in ways I couldn’t have imagined, ways that no one should ever have to endure. The room blurs as tears trickle down my cheeks, and I can feel Alex’s hand squeeze mine, trying to hold me back as I begin to feel myself falling apart.
The doctor continues with her sympathetic gaze. “The external wounds will heal with time. But mental scars… those may take longer. It’s important that she feels safe and supported now. She’ll need both of you to be there for her as she begins to process everything she’s been through.”
I nod, wiping my tears, feeling Alex’s hand in mine as a lifeline. With him by my side, I find a small reservoir of strength to hold on to. I know now that I can’t fall apart-not yet. I need to stay strong, not only for my mother, but for Alex as well. They’re both my strength and now I’ll become theirs.
I gather myself and ask the doctor, “Can I meet her?”
She nods. “Yes. You can go in to see her now, but please, take it slow. She’s very fragile.”
I nod, my heart racing with both fear and determination. I glance at Alex, who gives me a small, reassuring nod as if to say, You can do this.
He himself is so shattered, but for me, he is still trying to be strong. My heart swells with intense emotions.
We walk back into the hallway, and I turn to Alex. “I need to be with her right now. I’ll come back to you soon.”
He nods, releasing my hand.
With a deep breath, I walk to my mother’s room, push the door open and step inside, steeling myself to face her-to be the strong one for her, just as she’s always been for me.
I settle beside her, the quiet hum of machines and antiseptic scent filling the room. Her face is etched with lines of pain, and her eyes, though weak, meet mine with a flicker of relief. But there’s something else there too-a deep sorrow.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Mom?” My voice trembles as I ask. “Why did you bear all this alone?”
She sighs. “I didn’t have a choice, Stella. He… he threatened to hurt you if I didn’t do as he wanted. I couldn’t bear the thought of him hurting you. You have already suffered a lot in your childhood. How could I again let you…” as she sobs, my chest tightens with immense pain.
I wish I had known what she was going through sooner. I feel so terrible for not seeing her pain. How could I have been so blind to it?
“I’m so sorry, Mom.” Silent tears trickle down my cheeks. “I should have known… I should have protected you. You went through all of this alone, and I didn’t even know.”
She gazes at me with love in her eyes, touching my cheek with her hand. “No, Stella. It’s not your fault. I never let you know what I was going through. But in the end, you protected me. You’ve grown into a strong, brave woman. I am so proud of you the way you fought against that beast.”
I want to tell her that the strength I carry didn’t come from nowhere. I owe it to Alex. Alex has been helping me find courage in ways I never thought possible. He has made me a strong woman.
But will my mother ever accept Alex? He’s the son of the man who inflicted all this suffering on her. My heart twists as I think of it.
I return to the earth as a nurse enters the room and says, “I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over. She needs her rest.”
I nod, placing my mother’s hand back down. “Mom, I’ll come back tomorrow. I’ll be here for you. I won’t let you go through this alone anymore.”
She smiles faintly. “Thank you, Stella. And don’t forget… you’ve already made me so proud.”
With one last look, I leave her room, my heart heavy.