Chapter Twenty-Two #2
And then her voice softens like she’s letting go of something.
“Leila, this will be my last voice message, and I really hope you get it and listen to it. Sweetie, please don’t let these things I’ve done hover over your life.
Don’t let guilt or regret or anger be a burden you carry.
I guess it’s fair to say… don’t end up like me.
I want you to live your life freely and beautifully.
Live a life you love, find love. You deserve to be happy, Lei.
Never forget that. I love you so much, Leila, my dear daughter. ”
The silence that follows feels like the closing of a chapter.
Her words hang in the air, settling into me in a way that none of the others had.
“I love you too, Mom,” I whisper, the words leaving me almost instinctively, as though they’d been waiting all this time to be spoken.
And they are the truth. Despite everything, despite the hurt, despite all she had done, I love her. I always have.
Something turns in me then, not a tidal wave of emotion but a quiet surge, like the gentle lifting of a weight.
The last message fills me with a sense of relief and a kind of peace that I haven’t felt in so long.
It’s as if a part of me, the part that’s been holding on to the pain, has finally begun to let go.
In this moment, I’m taking her advice to live freely and beautifully.
I don’t know where this strength comes from, but it rises in me, gathering force with every breath.
I feel it propelling me forward, pushing me to move.
Before I know it, I’m on my feet, my body moving almost of its own accord.
The door ahead feels daunting, but I walk toward it anyway, my heart pounding as I drag in a deep, steadying breath.
My hand reaches for the knob, trembling slightly, but this time I don’t hesitate.
I turn it, and with a slow exhale, I step through the doorway, leaving the room behind me.
Maybe it was the creak of the door or the soft echo of my feet on the floorboards, but the moment I stepped out, Henry, Ryan, and Luke rushed to me.
Before I can even register their presence, their arms are wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
It’s wordless, but it speaks volumes. I feel the thrum of their heartbeats against me and their warmth enveloping me in a way that makes the chill inside me fade just a little.
I stand there, cocooned by them, letting their love seep through the cracks of my fragile state.
When they finally pull back, it’s as if they do so reluctantly.
Henry’s hand still grips mine. Luke holds onto my other hand while Ryan gently brushes back the tangled strands of my hair to get a better look at me.
His touch is tender and searching as if he’s trying to make sure I’m truly there, not some ghost of the person I used to be.
“Your words… they reached me,” I manage, my voice fragile and thin. I look from one to the other, their faces filled with such raw concern that it stings. “You helped me.”
But even as I say it, I feel my voice waver, a tremor I hadn’t anticipated. And they notice. Of course, they notice. Luke is the first to speak, his voice soft yet filled with urgency. “Leila… are you okay?”
I want to tell him I am. I want to smile, to reassure them all that I’ve made it through.
But before I can form the words, my vision blurs.
A wave of dizziness washes over me, and my legs feel like they’re giving way beneath me.
I stumble, and Henry’s arms are around me in an instant, steadying me. His grip is firm and protective.
“She hasn’t eaten well in weeks,” Henry says, his voice taut with worry. “We need to get her to a hospital.”
Without hesitation, he scoops me up, cradling me as though I’m weightless, and carries me outside.
The cold air hits my skin as we move, but everything feels distant, the world blurring at the edges.
My mind drifts in and out, the hum of the car’s engine lulling me into a state of half-consciousness until I finally slip under entirely.
When my eyes flutter open, I’m in a bed and hear soft beeping in the background.
It takes me a moment to piece together where I am.
The sterile walls, the drip in my arm, and the faint antiseptic smell tell me that I am in a hospital.
I blink, my vision clearing enough to see them all standing around me.
Luke’s hand is clasped around mine, his thumb gently stroking my skin.
Henry is at my side, his hand resting on my forehead, checking my temperature.
Ryan stands close, his presence grounding me.
“What… what happened?” I ask, my voice weak.
“You were exhausted,” Luke says softly, his fingers tightening around mine. “And you hadn’t been eating.”
“You scared us,” Henry adds, his voice gentle, but there’s a gravity to it that makes my heart ache. “But you’re okay now.”
“I’m so happy to have you back, Leila,” Luke says, his eyes soft with relief.
“We all are,” Ryan chimes in, his usual stoic demeanor giving way to a quiet smile.
Just then, the door swings open, and a middle-aged man in a lab coat enters, his expression warm and reassuring. “Ah, wonderful. You’re awake,” he says, approaching the bed with an easy smile.
Ryan is the first to speak, his voice edged with concern. “Is she alright, doc?”
The doctor nods, glancing at me before turning to Ryan. “She’s alright, Mr. Wills. Just a bit of exhaustion and malnourishment, but nothing some rest and proper nutrition won’t fix.”
A collective sigh of relief sweeps through the room, myself included. But the doctor’s face brightens as though there’s more he’s eager to share.
“She’ll be able to leave in a few hours,” he continues, “but please, make sure she gets plenty of rest and eats regularly. It’s especially important now that she’s eating for more than just herself.”
For a moment, his words seem to float past us, their meaning obscured by the casual way he says them. But then the weight of his statement sinks in, and we all turn toward him, a shared look of confusion and dawning realization passing between us.
“…eating for more than just myself?” I echo, my voice laced with disbelief.
The doctor’s smile widens, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Congratulations, Ms. Kaye,” he says. “You’re pregnant.”
Pregnant?!