incurable. You owe me that, Sienna.”
I let his comment slide. It would be petty of me to argue with a patient.
The illness seemed to dull Marcus’ intuition. He had not realized that I was no longer the meek and spineless woman who was all ready to forgive and forget.
The ward fell into a suffocating silence as he eventually registered my rejection. Marcus slowly lay down on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
“I guess you won’t even spare a glance for me even if I sacrificed myself for you. My efforts were meaningless, so meaningless. I should just die right now.”
Marcus stopped speaking after that, his eyes glazed over with tears.
Some people resorted to telling white lies to appease a dying patient. In their eyes, it was a way of encouraging the patient to fight for their life.
Marcus was too smart to fall for that; plus, he knew me far too well. He would only scoff at my white lie or even see it as my pity, and that would only worsen his condition. Honesty was the best policy in this situation.
I simply could not agree to his demands and give him false hope.
Marcus was not the only person who loved me. I owed it to the people I loved to live well and not harm others in the process.
I sat in the ward for a moment longer. Unsure if the non-response was due to Marcus falling asleep, I decided to take my leave.
“Get some rest. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.” After I got up, I check his vitals one last time and grabbed my purse. I turned around and walked to the door.
Marcus’ hoarse voice rang out the moment my hand touched the door handle.
“Sienna, don’t ever visit me again unless you change your mind and agree to marry me.”
I whirled around only to find him lying on the bed like before as if he had never woken up.
It was now clear that he had not fallen asleep. Instead of mumbling groggily, Marcus’ words represented the emotional baggage that he had stubbornly carried around with him for over ten years.
I said sorry to him over and over again in my heart, yet I could not bring myself to utter an apology to his face. Like a coward, I pretended I had not heard a thing and left the ward.
Camelia practically jumped out of her seat when she saw me. Anxiously, she asked, “How did it go?”
She clenched her fists tightly as if the action would give her the strength to face any news I gave.
I dared not discuss my conversation with Marcus in detail. Instead, I merely shook my head and said, “It wasn’t good.” I felt wetness pricking the corners of my eyes.
I repeated myself, “It wasn’t good.”
Hope seemed to leave Camelia’s gaze almost instantaneously. Her entire demeanor darkened, which suggested that this outcome had not been within her expectations.
And why wouldn’t she be disappointed? She had made such a huge sacrifice by bringing the woman Marcus loved to his deathbed, yet he showed no sign of improvement.
All she wants is for her beloved husband to live. It’s not too much to ask, yet no one can give her the answer she seeks or dissuade her from her mission.
Taking in Camelia’s pale countenance, it was not difficult to tell that she had not been eating properly for a while now. After some coaxing, we managed to usher Camelia and her son to a nearby Chanaean restaurant.
Anthony ordered eight dishes, and the food arrived in quick succession.
Camelia remained in poor spirits. She turned to her child and said simply, “Let’s eat.”
With that, she picked up her fork and immediately got lost in her thoughts. She was so still that she resembled those living statues on the streets.
I sighed before filling the bowl in front of me with some soup. “You need to take care of yourself. If you fall sick too, who’s going to take care of Marcus?”
Then, I stood up and placed the bowl in front of her child while coaxing, “Be a good boy and eat. You need to eat well so you can take care of your mommy.” I started ladling some soup for Camelia in the meantime.
Thankfully, the boy had not inherited Marcus’ or Camelia’s trademark obstinance. He glanced at his mother before quietly picking up his spoon to eat.
When I returned to my seat, Anthony had placed a bowl of soup in front of my plate.
I smiled at Anthony gratefully. My gaze darted to Marcus’ son several times as he ate, and I asked, “What’s your name?”
“Tobias White.” He lifted his head to meet my gaze, and I noticed Marcus’ eyes on him. The only difference was the youthful innocence in his gaze.
“Tobias White,” I muttered to myself as my lips curved upward in a smile. “It’s a great name, fitting for a brave boy. You need to take care of your mommy and help her to stay strong, okay?”
“Okay!” Tobias nodded determinedly like a soldier accepting his battle summons. He seemed rather comical with his cheeks puffed from the food he had stuffed into his mouth earlier.
Camelia had done a great job of raising her child. Grudges between the adults did not stop Tobias from accepting the kindness of others.
I smiled in relief and tore my gaze from Tobias, just in time to see Camelia sighing deeply.
“Marcus’ situation will become utterly hopeless if you give up.”
I could not help but frown after saying those words. After the storm had passed, Marcus’ most reliable companions were now ironically Camelia and me.
This realization served as a timely reminder for me not to give up hope till the very end.
As time passed and more of our loved ones passed on, it suddenly became imperative to hold on to those still around us tighter than ever, regardless of past grudges or grievances.
Anthony seemed as calm as ever, though he placed a warm hand over mine, silently lending me some strength and encouragement.
Camelia smiled ruefully and uttered, “I wouldn’t have waited till now if I was going to give up. I just don’t get it. Marcus loves you so much that he was willing to put himself through hell for you. Why would he give up so easily over an illness? Where did his fighting spirit go? I thought someone as ruthless as him would be fearless as well, but I guess he’s nothing but a coward.”
I replied hastily, “Don’t say that in front of your kid.” Though I was disappointed about Marcus’ situation, I refused to show my feelings to her child. Dejection was nothing short of a plague—contagious and deadly. What they needed now was hope instead of stewing in despair.
“Why can’t I say that?” Camelia grew agitated all of a sudden. “He was the one who messed with me. He stole my heart and then cast it aside. I gave up everything because I loved him! When he was so sick he could barely care for himself, I stayed with him and nursed him. I’ve seen him in his best and his worst, and I’m his longest companion! I have every right to criticize him!”
She brought her hand down on the table with a loud slam and shot to her feet. “I’m saying this loud and clear now. Marcus is a wimp!”
Not only were we taken aback, but even Tobias froze upon witnessing his mother’s burst of temper for the first time.
Everyone’s attention was riveted on Camelia, and time seemed to have stopped for a moment.
However, her menacing attitude faded away almost as quickly as it manifested. Immediately after, her shoulders sagged, and tears welled up in her red-rimmed eyes. As she tried to get a hold of her unraveling emotions, her mouth pressed into a thin line.
Alas, she lost the battle, and the dam broke.
She used to be a sheltered, naive girl. However, her world was turned upside down since she met Marcus, and she had been torn apart in the name of love.
Now that Marcus fell ill, she thought that he would need to rely on her, and she could stay with him forever. However, he chose death instead. What a sick joke.
She knew he had given up, and that was the last straw that broke her composure.
A wave of emotion assailed me, and the back of my eyes prickled with tears.
Tobias’ voice trembled, sounding scared and pained. “Mom, are you okay?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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