Deep love: insatiable lover

-Mum!

Hospital.

Josephine looked at Vanessa, whose face was ashen and anxious, and could not help but reach out to comfort her.

-Vanessa, Auntie will be fine, don’t worry too much.

Who would have thought that someone who had been fine in the morning would be so ill after a night’s sleep, and if it hadn’t been detected in time, there was no telling what could be more serious. Mercedes was still being resuscitated and no one knew the final outcome until the doctor came out.

Vanessa stared at the door of the resuscitation room with cold hands and feet, thinking of Mercedes’ cool, silky skin when she touched it, and the desperation in her heart grew stronger and stronger.

She felt remorseful, blaming herself.

Why hadn’t he realised earlier that mum wasn’t well, why hadn’t he been more concerned about her?

-Josephine, tell me, is my mother very well these days? Has she been ill before? Is she very ill? Why didn’t you all tell me?

Vanessa grabbed Josefina’s hand and looked at her anxiously and fearfully.

It should have been a very, very happy day, but instead Mercedes had fallen ill.

Clueless little Cecilia clings to her mother’s coat. The tension between the adults was getting to her too, and the little baby was now terrified, but desperately trying to contain herself.

Dad had told him that he had to behave himself so as not to make a mess of mum.

-Vanessa, I…

Josefina wanted to say something but could not.

How could she tell Vanessa that Mercedes had deliberately kept everything from her, that she didn’t want Vanessa to worry about her health and that’s why she told her the good news but not the bad news.

Besides, he had been in a really bad state of mind for the last two years, and no one knew that he had reached the end of his rope inside his body.

It was normal for Vanessa not to notice.

But she didn’t believe it.

Now Vanessa blames and reproaches herself, hating herself for not having insisted on finding out about Mercedes’ health, for not having cared more about her. If she had known that Mercedes was in fact very ill, she would…

What could I have done?

Vanessa’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt and a bitter smile filled her face.

He looked like he was about to burst into tears.

Josefina looked distressed and worried, but any other words of comfort would have been too weak at this point. No one can remain calm in the face of a loved one’s illness.

Not to mention that Familia Cazalla stayed with Vanesa and Mercedes as mother and daughter.

-Mum, don’t be sad, Grandma will be fine.

Cecilia remembered her father’s advice and not only behaved, but also reassured Vanessa in return.

Only when she heard her daughter’s soft voice did Vanessa remember that her three-year-old daughter was still with her. She had forgotten that Cecilia was still only three years old and had been so worried about her guilt and pain.

Vanessa knelt down and gave Cecilia a gentle hug.

-I’m sorry Candy, I didn’t mean to ignore you. You’re scared, aren’t you? I’m sorry, it’s all mum’s fault.

-It’s OK, Candy knows that mum is worried about grandma.

The more sympathetic her daughter became, the more Vanessa’s heart broke.

She was not a good mother at all.

-I’m sorry, Mummy won’t neglect you any more.

-Don’t worry mommy, grandma will be fine.

Cecilia turned to Vanessa and hugged her so gently that she almost cried.

-Good girl, mummy loves you.

-Candy loves Mummy too.

Mother and daughter embraced, drawing warmth from each other like leverage.

The resuscitation lasted more than two hours.

When the red light in the resuscitation room went out, Vanessa’s heart leapt into her throat and she couldn’t help but grab Cecilia’s hand. She asked Josefina to attend to Cecilia first and when the doctor came out, she approached her and asked.

-How is my mother?

The doctor’s expression was not relaxed, indicating that things were not looking good.

Vanessa’s face paled a few shades more.

-We cannot say what the patient’s condition is at the moment. Although resuscitation has been successful for the moment, we cannot predict when the patient’s condition will deteriorate. Now we can only move the patient to the intensive care unit and see what happens.

-How can this be?

The doctor’s words were like an early death sentence.

Vanessa’s body shuddered and she almost didn’t faint.

-You mustn’t feel too bad, we’ll do what we can.

The doctor finished, nodded and dragged his tired body away.

Looking through the glass of the intensive care unit at Mercedes, lying in a hospital bed covered with tubes, Vanessa’s heart could not have been harder.

It was as if he had been transported back in time to when Philip was in the intensive care unit.

She was alone, looking at her loved ones through the glass, like this. She was very sad but could do nothing but pray and pray for a miracle.

But in the end, there was no miracle.

Melina had killed Dad.

Now it was mum’s turn.

Vanessa’s eyes were red and she wanted to cry.

-Mum, please don’t leave me behind.

Josefina stood at a distance, holding Cecilia in her arms, worried that her little girl would follow her mother’s sad face.

-Is Grandma going to get better?Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Cecilia asked sadly.

-It will.

Josefina did not know what to say and forced a smile to reassure the little boy.

The good and understanding Cecilia did not say another word and obediently let Josephine embrace her, looking worriedly at her mother who was not far away. She was still too young to understand the meaning of life and death.

All he knew was that his mother was upset and that his grandmother was lying in a hospital bed.

Still, Cecilia felt particularly, particularly sad.

She didn’t want to see her mother sad and she didn’t want to see her grandmother lying motionless in bed. She wanted to make her mother smile and she wanted her grandmother to play with her…

Silently, hugging Josephine’s neck tightly, Cecilia buried her little head in her shoulder.

She couldn’t let her mother see that she felt sad.

-Vanessa, go and get something to eat first.

It was getting late and they had not yet had dinner.

It was fine for adults, but Cecilia was still a child, how could she not eat.

Vanessa had no appetite and only nodded reluctantly when she thought of her daughter.

-Let’s go.

She said.

Reaching out to take Cecilia from Josefina’s arms, Vanessa gently kissed her daughter on the cheek.

-What does Candy want to eat? Mum and Josephine will take you there.

-Mum and Josephine also want to eat.

Cecilia frowned, being especially insistent.

-Well, of course we’re all going to eat.

Vanessa and Josefina looked at each other, knowing that the little girl was worried about them, and felt especially nostalgic.

Although there were visiting hours in the ICU, Vanessa wanted to stay in the hospital to spend more time with Mercedes, even if it meant standing outside, in the corridor, through the glass.

So we had dinner near the hospital.

Some oats, especially to feed Cecilia.

-Josephine, I will leave Candy in your care tonight.

-Will Vanessa be on duty at the hospital?

-Well, I’m worried about any emergency.

Vanessa said with a reluctant smile.