"Mom woke up I think that was around three this morning, she was transferred to a recovery ward about two hours ago after Dr. Burn confirmed that she was out of danger", Nora explained as she accompanied Amy to Stella's new ward.
"Oh! I'm glad to hear that! Is she still awake right now?" The relief was evident on her features but she still needed to see the woman with her own eyes.
"She was still sleeping when I came out to get you so I don't know about now", she shrugged.
The two fell in silence as they moved. Amy looked around the corridor they were walking in, the smell of medicine wafted to her nose. A small smile played on her lips, the smell bought quite a, she was not sure if it was a fond one, but it was a memory.
"What's up?" Nora asked when she took in Amy's expression.
"I just remembered how I used to be so scared of hospitals when I was young, yet I never cried whilst on the way there when the sisters accompanied me. But when we reach the hospital entrance, I would magically get better the moment I pick up the smell of medicine. And then I'd later on buy my own medicine", she chuckled whilst feeling embarrassed.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up upon hearing Amy's story. "That was my trick too! I easily fooled dad a couple of times but not mom, I'm a mini version of her so she could practically see through all my tricks!"
Amy laughed. She could imagine a little Nora getting all mischievous but Stella busting her little acts. Such a thought made the young woman quite envious, although the sisters did all they could to raise them all, it was nothing compared to having your own mother raising you with all the love and care. She wondered, what could life have been like if her mother had not abandoned her. She couldn't even find out why she was abandoned in the first place. She glanced down at her growing belly, at least her little one will have her in his/her life. And hopefully soon, the little one will have their daddy too.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! What do we doooooooo? It hurrrrrrrrrts!" Someone's wailing echoed throughout the corridors.
Nora and Amy looked at each other with brows raised in confusion. They both felt their hearts grow heavy. 'I guess someone died', they both mused.
They chose not to talk anymore as the person's wails continued.
"How could this happen? How? My best frienddddddddd! Richard my best friend!!!!!!!"
'Poor guy! His best friend is really heart broken over his death', Nora mused.
"Stellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Stellaaaaaaaaaaa! How could this happen to you?"
"Hold on", Nora stopped in her tracks. Her heart had started to thump wildly in anxiousness when she heard the familiar name. Even Amy was disturbed by it. "That voice... No!"
Nora sprinted down the corridor heading to her mom's room. Amy was momentarily frozen as she put two and two together. She gasped when she realized what Nora had been saying and the crying. She picked up her pace and followed after Nora.
Nora was already by the room door but stood while holding it wide open. Amy was right behind and couldn't see inside when she realized that Nora was a foot taller than her. But her heart was already racing. She was already screaming 'No' in her head. They said the surgery went well and she was out of danger! Oh! There were so many things she wanted to learn from Stella and even the she never said it, she really loved the older woman. Women like her were hard to come by. 'Please', she silently begged at the same time not ready to see what was inside.
"Oh my god Aunt Lily!" Nora snapped, silencing the woman inside and startling Amy behind her.
"What do you think you are doing? This is a hospital!" Nora was clearly annoyed.
Amy was confused by the encounter and pushed her way in. Her mouth fell open as she took in the scene. Richard was settled in the sitting area of the VIP room giving his back to everyone, a red haired woman, whom Amy figured to be Nora's Aunt Lily, was settled on a stool beside Stella's bed. Her face was heavy with makeup and the area around her eyes was covered in smudged eyeliner and mascara making her look like a mime as black tear stains fell down her cheeks.
She was no longer crying but had fallen in a glaring contest with Nora. As for Stella, she was lying down with a hand covering her embarrassed face.
"Hey, is that how you greet your elders! You haven't seen me for ten years and that's the first thing you say? Show me some respect!" Lily assumed an authoritative tone and scolded Nora.
Nora scoffed. "Respect? If you didn't try to trick dad into sleeping with you by making him think you were mom, maybe, maybe, I'd have this much respect for you."
Nora brought her thumb and index finger together barely leaving any visible space to demonstrate the amount of respect she was talking about. But Lily overlooked this and was more offended by what she said as she abruptly turned to look at Stella.
"Hey! You told her about that? My gosh! I wouldn't be surprised if it was you who told the whole neighborhood!" Lily grumbled while her face was red from embarrassment.
Stella sighed, she wished she could turn and give her back to Lily but all she could do was lie there and evade Lily's gaze. Amy saw Stella's face color red, she was very guilty of that accusation, the woman would never change. She felt a squeeze in her heart as she saw this familiar scene.
"Enough with the act! You've disturbed the whole floor already!" Nora shouted in annoyance.
"Stella are you going to let her speak to me like this? When I've come to show how worried I am about you?" Stella remained unmoving and so Lily turned towards the sitting area. "Richard?"
Her words fell on deaf ears. She was about to complain when a soft sob suddenly echoed in the room. Everyone looked to the door to find Amy covering her face but her shoulders visibly shook with each sob. Even Stella removed her hand at the unfamiliar sound.
Her heart ached when she saw the familiar figure of Amy yet in tears. "Come here", she said. Her voice was still weak but Amy heard her as she moved towards the bed.
Her emotions were stirred up when she felt the familiar warmth of Stella's hands. Stella pulled her to rest Amy's head on her chest triggering the young woman's cries even more. She gently patted her head.
"It's okay. I'm okay. Don't cry. Shhhhh", Stella cooed.
Lily watched as the strange pregnant young woman stood in a bent over position to hug Stella while crying. Her lips had curled in disdain as she looked at Nora and mouthed:
"Who is that?"
Nora grimaced when she saw Lily's currently horrendous face and didn't bother to answer her as she looked away. Lily's lips twitched from annoyance.
"Don't cry dear. I'm alright", Stella continued patting Amy's head. The latter's tears seemed to not have an end as she sobbed in Stella's embrace.
"Mom."
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