Really gone
A week passed, but each day felt like pain and agony to the mother and daughter. Watching her mother become paler day by day became so terrifying and heartbreaking.
“Mom, please eat something.” She said with tears in her eyes, stretching the spoon to the woman on the bed.
“I… I’m not hungry.” Louise said. She was already so weak; she felt as if her soul would soon leave her, but she still managed to give the brightest smile. “I’m so happy to see what you’re becoming, Ellie. I see Aurora in you anytime I look at you.” The woman said it with a low voice filled with pain.
Mom!
“Make me and your mother proud, Ellie. Don’t become a Luna; be a great one.” The woman said with a smile. Suddenly, the door opened, and Alex walked in. He was called by Ellie to come to the hospital urgently.
Ellie looked back to look at who had entered before standing up to rush to him. “Alex! She hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday. Please help me.” She cried, but her mom did not say anything; instead, she stretched her hand towards Alex.
“I’m so happy you’re here.” She said it with a smile before adding a little frown. “Look at her swollen eyes; she doesn’t know she looks so ugly with them, so don’t ever make her cry.” She said jokingly, but the girl in front of her just kept crying loudly. “I’m happy I could leave her with someone I trust. Take care of her, Alex.”
Mom! Ellie cried even more. She moved to her mom and held her hand. “Mom, please! I’ll get the doctor for you, so stop saying all these words. Please tell her to stop, Alex.” Alex could not say a word; he was fighting with tears as he looked at the woman.
Louise did not say anything; she just kept smiling and holding her daughter. But suddenly she felt her mother’s hand that was holding her, loosened her grip, and dropped to the bed.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Mu… Mum.” She called out slowly, looking at the pale body, whose eyes were already closed. Mum. She called out again, as if the woman would answer her.
Alex did not say anything; he just walked to her and pulled her into his arms. “Alex. Mom is not responding.” She looked up to him and said it with tears in her eyes, but it hit her when she saw the man cleaning her cheeks.
Mom! Please don’t leave me! You can’t leave me! She wailed, trying to touch the cold body on the bed, but Alex just kept holding her in place by hugging her. She hit his chest, cried, and did a lot of things, but it still felt like a dream to her.
****
She sat in the hospital from that morning until the evening, still unable to accept what had happened. She did not move an inch or say a word to those that came to sympathize with her; she just kept sitting on a chair for hours, until Alex finally pulled her up and took her home.
Even in the car, she just kept staring into the thin air. Alex had no choice but to take her to his house. But when they got home, she did not go up the stairs; she just went to the living room, which Alex also followed.
He sat beside her, watching her every move. Ellie also sat down quietly without saying a word. “If this is a dream, then I’d like to get out of this terrible dream.” She said calmly before sighing.
“It feels like the whole universe hates me.” She scoffed. “I keep losing those precious to me, Alex. You should run far away from me. I’m cursed.” She cried, covering her face with both hands, but Alex just kept hugging her.
“You’re not cursed, Ellie.” He kept rubbing her back while telling her this. She also cried for a long time before she finally stopped. Her face was already puffy.
Alex sighed before pulling her up to lead her to the room. “You need to sleep, Ellie.” He led her upstairs, but when Ellie saw that he was directing her to the room she always slept in before, she said, “Please, I don’t want to sleep alone.”
“I’m not going to leave you alone,” Alex said, before changing his mind to take her to his room instead. He tucked her into bed and stood up to go get her a drink, but Ellie grabbed his hand. “Please, don’t go.”
“I’ll be right back. I just want to get you something to drink.” He knew he had to sedate her, or she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
He came back with juice, but Ellie rejected it, saying she didn’t have an appetite. “Ellie, please. Even if it’s just a sip.” It was then that she finally took the cup from him.
She drank a little of the juice and gave him back the cup. “Please switch off the light. She requested, which Alex also obeyed, but he only dimmed it. She just wanted to be in a dark place, doing nothing other than to keep staring at the darkness, but with Alex there, she knew it wasn’t possible.
She placed her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat quietly. She was so quiet that anyone would guess she was asleep, but sleep was far away from her. It was as if the sleeping pill was not working on her.
She was quiet for a long time before she whispered softly, “Who’s going to nag at me to buy groceries? Who will keep making me soup every day? She’s really gone, Alex.” She said, tears running out of her eyes. Alex just kept hugging her; he knew she was crying because he felt water on his chest. “She’ll always be with us, Ellie.”
After a while, he realized she had stopped crying, and she was already sleeping soundly. He watched her for a long time before he finally slept, holding her in his arms.