Chapter 543
“Are you still at work?” I asked again in response.
I felt sorry that he was working so hard to provide for me.
“No, a friend needs my help. I may be back a littleter tonight.”
“I see. I''d better let you get to it then. I''m going to see Jte.”
I did not doubt Michael as he had never given me a reason to. Many other women I knew would call
and ask their husbands what they were doing when they stayed out past office hours, but not me.
Soon after, I arrived at the hospital with the broth I had prepared at home. Before getting on the
elevator, I nced instinctively at the end of the corridor. The figure I saw that afternoon was startlingly
familiar, but as I''ve reminded myself for what seemed like the tenth time, Michael had no reason to be
at the hospital.
Jte seemed to be doing better when I arrived at her ward. With her faculties finally free from the
effects of anesthesia, she merely nced over at my arrival without deigning to speak to me.
Being ustomed to her attitude toward me, I was as indifferent as she was. I ced the thermos on
the bedside cab before turning to address my mother.
“I made this at home. You should get her to have some while it''s still warm. I''ll get some hot water.”
As Jte needed someone to take care of her, I took the initiative to do the little things to free my
mother up for the bulk of the grunt work. If she had to do everything, her body would definitely not beProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org.
able to take the strain.
My mother was already feeding Jte when I arrived back at the ward with a thermos full of hot water.
I walked to the side and sat down while she had her meal.
My mother turned to look at me gratefully as Jte swallowed thest spoonful of the broth. “Anna,
thank you for all the help you have given us recently. I appreciate how hard you have been working.”
“There''s no need for the formalities. I will help you out whenever you need it.”
I meant it. After spending some time together, I felt closer to her. Aside from being unable to change
how I greeted her, I found that I had lost some of the initial stiffness I employed when I spoke to her in
the beginning.
She perked up at once. “Are you finally admitting that I am your mother?”
“Are you still at work?” I asked again in response.
I felt sorry that he was working so hard to provide for me.
“Ara you still at work?” I askad again in rasponsa.
I falt sorry that ha was working so hard to provida for ma.
“No, a friand naads my halp. I may ba back a littar tonight.”
“I saa. I''d battart you gat to it than. I''m going to saa Janatta.”
I did not doubt Michaal as ha had navar givan ma a raason to. Many othar woman I knaw would call
and ask thair husbands what thay wara doing whan thay stayad out past offica hours, but not ma.
Soon aftar, I arrivad at tha hospital with tha broth I had praparad at homa. Bafora gatting on tha
vator, I ncad instinctivaly at tha and of tha corridor. Tha figura I saw that aftarnoon was startlingly
familiar, but as I''va ramindad mysalf for what saamad lika tha tanth tima, Michaal had no raason to ba
at tha hospital.
Janatta saamad to ba doing battar whan I arrivad at har ward. With har facultias finally fraa from tha
affacts of anasthasia, sha maraly ncad ovar at my arrival without daigning to spaak to ma.
Baing ustomad to har attituda toward ma, I was as indiffarant as sha was. I cad tha tharmos on
tha badsida cabinat bafora turning to addrass my mothar.
“I mada this at homa. You should gat har to hava soma wh it''s still warm. I''ll gat soma hot watar.”
As Janatta naadad somaona to taka cara of har, I took tha initiativa to do tha lit things to fraa my
mothar up for tha bulk of tha grunt work. If sha had to do avarything, har body would dafinitaly not ba
a to taka tha strain.
My mothar was alraady faading Janatta whan I arrivad back at tha ward with a tharmos full of hot watar.
I walkad to tha sida and sat down wh sha had har maal.
My mothar turnad to look at ma gratafully as Janatta swallowad thast spoonful of tha broth. “Anna,
thank you for all tha halp you hava givan us racantly. I appraciata how hard you hava baan working.”
“Thara''s no naad for tha formalitias. I will halp you out whanavar you naad it.”
I maant it. Aftar spanding soma tima togathar, I falt closar to har. Asida from baing una to changa
how I graatad har, I found that I had lost soma of tha initial stiffnass I amployad whan I spoka to har in
tha baginning.
Sha parkad up at onca. “Ara you finally admitting that I am your mothar?”
“You are. There''s no use in pretending that otherwise. I just don''t know how to start calling you Mom.
Give me a little more time.”
After finding myself getting along with her over the period of our reacquaintance, I have decided to
forgive her. After seeing how she med herself for what happened to Jte, I thought that it was
only fair for me to put myself in her shoes and consider how difficult it must have been for her to
choose all those years ago.
“You have no idea how happy that made me, Anna,” she whispered, her voice quavering. “I never
would have imagined that you would one day choose to forgive me. Despite only wanting to see how
you were doing, I felt this maternal instinct pulling me closer to you. After over twenty years of
separation, I could not find it in me to disappear from your life again.”
My nose twinged at her words. I forced myself to hold back the tears that were already welling in my
eyes.
I turned away, not wanting them to see me turn into a blubbering mess. In fact, I no longer hated my
mother as much as I did. Having grown up without her in my life, I just needed time to learn how to be a
daughter.
“Say no more,” I muttered, worried that I might not be able to stop the tears if theye. “Let''s focus
on taking good care of Jte.”
“Leave her to me. Go home and get some rest, Anna. The housekeeper will being soon to relieve
me.”
As Jte had almostpleted her meal, my mother sent me home to rest.
I was going to volunteer myself to care for Jte in her stead. On second thought, I would be thest
person Jte would want by her side. Her mood would only worsen with my presence.
“All right,” I said to my mother as I stood up. “I''ll bring her something for breakfast tomorrow morning.”
It was already past nine o''clock when I finally arrived back at the Shaw residence after leaving the
hospital. To my surprise, Michael still had not arrived home.
I called him again after I got out of the shower to no avail. Even more suspiciously, his phone had been
turned off.
Could his phone be out of battery?
It was the only logical conclusion. Michael would have no other reason to not answer my call.
As Michael often came backter than that when he had to entertain clients, I was not too worried.
Confident that he would be home soon, I tucked myself in.
It was a sign of the state of my sleep deprivation that I fell asleep as soon as my head copsed onto
the pillow.
It was already the following morning when I finally woke up. Usually, I would find Michael asleep next to
me, with a faint trace of booze on his body if he had returned from entertaining clients. That morning,
however, he was nowhere to be found.
I''m beginning to suspect that he did not evene homest night. What kind of friend is in such
desperate need of help that would warrant this kind of sacrifice on his part? Worst of all, he did not
even tell me that he would not being back.
With resentment bubbling just below the surface, I called Michael again. Upon getting the same
message of him being unreachable, I threw my phone onto the bed in frustration.
How inconsiderate of him! Does he even care how worried he makes me? I can''t even reach him to
know that he''s safe!
The Shaws were already having breakfast when I got dressed and went downstairs. As I did not have
dinner the night before, I felt ravenous.
Lincoln turned to look at me as soon as I sat down. “Why isn''t Michael here for breakfast?”
“I don''t know. He hasn''te back all night. I tried calling him but his phone is turned off. I don''t know
where he is.”
My irritation red up again at the reminder of Michael''s inconsiderateness. His actions made me feel
like I''m an outsider who was not privy to his ns.
“What?” Lincoln grumbled. “What''s the matter with this kid? He never used to do that.”
Just when I was about to answer, the door clicked open to announce Michael''s arrival.
Though I was relieved to see him in one piece, my irritation did not immediately abate.
Josephine cleared her throat. “Michael, you''re back.”
Michael merely grunted before dropping his briefcase onto the couch. He looked exhausted.
“What have you been up tost night?” Josephine asked as she eyed her son sternly. “Why didn''t you
come home?”