Chapter 35: Meet the Mother


    "Lyka, wake up." The sound of Kiro''s voice pulled me out of my deep slumber, and I blinked my


    eyes open, trying to shake off the heaviness of sleep. Myshes were still moist from the tears I


    shed earlier, evidence of the emotional turmoil I had experienced.


    "Just like what I told you, we''re here," Finally, we arrived at the hospital where Mama was admitted.


    I could see the familiar entrance, and my heart raced with both anticipation and anxiety. Kiro parked


    the car carefully, his calm presence a steadying force amidst the whirlwind of emotions inside me.


    I tried to hurry out of the car, but my seatbelt was still on, making it difficult.  To my surprise, Kiro


    leaned over and swiftly unsped the seatbelt for me. His proximity caught me off guard, and I


    could feel the warmth of his breath against my cheek. There was almost no distance between us,


    and my heart skipped a beat at the unexpected closeness.


    "Take a deep breath, Lyka. Let''s go," he said,pletely removing the seat belt as he got out of the


    car. His actions were a small gesture, yet they spoke volumes about his caring nature.


    I was left stunned by what he did for a few seconds, but I quickly followed him, realizing we were in


    a rush.


    As we stepped out of the car, the rain still falling, I could hear the distant sound of ambnce sirens


    and the hustle and bustle of a busy hospital. The atmosphere was charged with urgency, reminding


    me that every second counted.


    We made our way through the hospital entrance, the faint smell of disinfectant filling the air. The


    fluorescent lights overhead seemed to be too bright, and I squinted against their re.


    The reception area was crowded, and the sight of anxious families waiting for news of their loved


    ones tugged at my heart. Kiro led the way, guiding me through the maze of people with a reassuring


    hand on my back.


    "Miss, where''s the patient''s room for…?" Kiro''s question hung in the air, and he turned to me with a


    questioning look. Right, he did not know my mother’s name.


    "Lucia, Lucia Montefranca!" I replied in a hurry.


    "Lucia Montefranca, Miss. What''s her room number?" Kiro continued asking.


    The nurse quickly checked the papers on the table. "Sir, she doesn''t have a specific room number.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The patient named Lucia is in the public ward. The elderly patients are in the left wing," she said


    and showed us the directions.


    I thanked the receptionist for her help, grateful for the information, and mustered the strength to


    take the lead as we made our way through the hospital''s bustling corridors. The sound of footsteps


    and hushed conversations echoed around us, creating an atmosphere of urgency and hope.


    My heart pounded in my chest. Each step felt heavy with anticipation, and the echo of our footfalls


    mirrored the thoughts racing through my mind.


    Finally, we arrived at the public ward for the elderly, a ce where countless lives intersected in the


    pursuit of healing andfort. The ward was filled with patients of varying ages, each battling their


    own ailments and facing their own struggles.


    My eyes searched anxiously for Mama''s bed, hoping to catch a glimpse of her familiar face.


    "Sis!" I turned immediately when I heard my brother call me, and I saw him next to Mother''s bed.


    Without wasting any time, I went over to them.


    "Dodong, what happened earlier? Tell me! What did Mother eat? What did the doctor say? What


    happened to Mother—"


    "Shh, sis! Mother is sleeping," he whispered, shaking his head.


    The sight of my mother lying there, still and fragile, made me gasp in disbelief. Her normally vibrant


    spirit seemed temporarily subdued, and it pained me to see her like this. Her hands, which had


    always held mine with warmth andfort, nowy motionless by her side. Despite of that, she


    appeared so peaceful, as if she were in a deep slumber, her chest rising and falling with each slow


    breath. Her once vibrant face now seemed pale and delicate, and it tugged at my heartstrings to


    see her like this. Her eyes, which had always sparkled with life, were closed, hiding the warmth and


    love they had always shown me.


    A mix of emotions surged within me - sadness, fear, and an overwhelming desire to protect her. I


    wanted to reach out and hold her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but I was afraid of


    disturbing her peaceful rest. So, I stood there, silently praying for her well-being and strength.


    My eyes filled with tears, and I choked back a sob, not wanting to disturb her peace. I wished with


    all my heart that this was just a bad dream, that I would wake up and find her healthy andughing


    again.


    Kiro stood beside me, sensing the weight of my emotions. He ced a gentle hand on my shoulder,


    offering silentfort.


    Kiro''s voice came from behind me, breaking the somber silence that filled the hospital room. "Your


    sister was really worried," he said gently, directing his words to Dodong, who stood there with wide


    eyes, as if he couldn''t recognize the person before him.


    I moved closer to Mama''s bed, taking thest remaining space beside her. I held her hand gently in


    mine, feeling the warmth that still lingered despite her paleplexion.


    Dodong''s question disrupted my thoughts, and I looked up to see his curious expression. "Who are


    you? And why are you acting like that?" he asked, genuinely puzzled by Kiro''s presence. I could


    sense a hint of protectiveness in his tone, and I frowned slightly, not wanting him to take his


    concerns out on Kiro.


    "Be polite, Dodong."


    "Why are you hitting me, sis? I''m just asking... Oh wait, do you like that man, sis?" Dodong teased,


    and I worried about how Papa would react if he heard this. I almost rolled my eyes on him. It


    seemed like I underestimated my little brother, I guess he’s not a ‘child’ anymore just like I thought


    because he already knows things like this.


    "He is my boss'' son, Dodong," I replied, trying to divert the topic and continued to hold Mama''s


    hand.


    "That''s it, sis? You''re weak... I mean, just your boss'' son? You''re not friends?" he asked.


    "We are," Kiro chimed in.


    "You''re Dodong? Then, Dodong, do you want toe with me to get food at Wcdo?" Kiro asked


    him.


    Kiro''s attempt to engage with Dodong was heartwarming, but I could see the confusion in my little


    brother''s eyes. He wasn''t familiar with the idea of going to a ce like Wcdo, and I knew we


    couldn''t afford to eat out at restaurants or fast-food chains.


    Seeing Dodong''s puzzled expression, Kiro turned to me, seeking assistance in bridging the gap.


    "He said, go with him to buy food. It''s Wcdo, where you can buy burgers and fries," I exined


    gently, hoping to rify the situation for Dodong. His eyes lit up at the mention of food, and I


    couldn''t help but smile at his excitement.


    Dodong eagerly stood up. It warmed my heart to see him so enthusiastic, despite the difficult


    circumstances we were facing. Kiro had a way of bringing a sense of normalcy into our lives, even


    amidst the chaos.


    As they said their goodbyes and left, I remained sitting next to Mama. I noticed that the room was


    suddenly hot, it’s one of the cons to endure in a public ward. The electric fan was for two patients,


    that''s the rule here. Since there was no one else on the other bed, I adjusted the fan to face Mama


    and me.


    Mama''s eyes slowly fluttered open. "M-ma..." My voice was soft and weak, barely above a whisper,


    as she struggled to form the words. I leaned closer, my heart pounding in anticipation, and my eyes


    met hers.


    She looked at me, her gaze filled with confusion at first, as if trying toprehend where she was


    and what was happening. But then, recognition shed in her eyes, and they widened with surprise


    when she saw me in front of her.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded, unable to find the right words to express the overwhelming


    emotions that surged within me. "Yes, Mama, it''s me," I said, my voice quivering with both joy and


    sadness.


    "L-Lyka? Daughter?! Why are you here? Why did youe home? I''m fine here with Dodong—"


    Mama tried to finish her sentence, but I hugged her tightly.


    "I''m so worried about you, Mother... I''ve been thinking about how you''ve been and what happened


    to you..." I sobbed on her shoulder, pouring out my emotions.


    "You child! You''re crying there, but I''m still alive!" Mama chuckled.


    "Don''t say that, Mother! Yes, you''re alive, and that''s what matters," I said, still emotional.


    "Yes, HAHA! It''s good that your boss allowed you toe and visit me here."


    We continued talking when suddenly the doctor appeared in front of us, bringing back the feeling of


    déjà vu. So, I encountered two doctors in one day: Kiro''s doctor and Mama''s doctor.


    "It''s good, and you seem to be recovering quickly, Miss Lucia," the doctor said as he started the


    conversation.


    I smiled at what he said and asked, "How is my Mother, doc? What''s wrong with her?"


    "Your mother is very tired, Miss, and she vomited blood because the blood in her brain wasn''t


    circting well. Fortunately, she vomited, which prevented a hemorrhage. But don''t worry, there are


    medicines to treat her condition," the doctor exined in detail.


    The doctor''s words hung heavily in the air, like a dark cloud descending upon my heart. It was a


    possible hemorrhage? Good thing, my mother’s body seemed to cooperate and nothing real


    dangerous happened to her.


    We continued discussing what was allowed and not allowed for Mother''s health. Suddenly, an


    emergency case came up in the ER, and the doctor had to leave.


    Then, my brother Dodong came in, excited about the food he brought from a fancy restaurant. He


    had a bunch of paper bags, each from a different well-known restaurant.


    "Where did you get the money for all this, Dodong?!" Mother scolded him. Her eyes even widen just


    by scanning the brands imprinted on the paper bags.


    Another person appeared, Kiro, who introduced himself as the son of my boss. I exined that he


    apanied me because it was raining heavily and there were no buses.


    Kiro smiled warmly at Mother and replied, "Yes, ma''am. I brought all this food. My name is Kiro. Kiro


    Gustavo."