Chapter 22: Chapter 22
Six months later...
"Mom, I'm back," Kate gleefully greeted Kelly as soon as she arrived at the door to her VIP ward.
No response. Only the sounds of Kelly's vital signs monitor next to the patient's bed could be heard.
"Did you miss me?" Kate asked again. She started to walk towards the adjacent toilet and bath in the room. She carefully washed her hands as she continued to tell her mom about her day, even from a distance.
"The weather is so nice. A picnic would be so lovely," Kate spoke as she walked back to her mom's side. "Mom, I missed you," she kissed her mom's forehead and looked down at her mom's peacefully sleeping form. Kate could not tell if she was hallucinating or if it was indeed true that she saw a faint smile on Kelly's face. When she looked closely, it wasn't the same. Kate shook her head. How much does she miss her mom's smile to hallucinate about it?
Kelly had been in a coma after the accident. The surgery lasted for almost eight hours. Nick and Kate were nervous the whole time, waiting for the doctor to come out of the operating room. The two waited for good news until they saw Kelly was being moved in a stretcher out of the OR. Everyone rejoiced when the surgery successfully removed her tumor cells. An information Kate and Nick only found out after the surgery. Doctor Alfred called for them to see him in his office after they checked how Kelly was doing in her ward. Kate cried uncontrollably when she heard about the tumor, and Nick felt the same pain for Kate and Kelly. But as the doctor told them the good news that the tumor was removed from her brain, the patient was out of danger, and she only needed enough rest to recover, Kate quickly gathered her wits with Nick's support. He did not leave Kate's side until he was sure Kate could breathe normally again.
Ever since the anesthesiologist has put Kelly to sleep before the operation, she has not regained her consciousness. Her vitals are good. They tell her she was awake mentally awake but physically unresponsive. Doctor Dion checked for everything that would have caused such conditions on Kelly, but they have done every procedure possible, yet the results do not change. Kelly was aware of what was happening around her, but she could not respond. She wanted to answer every question Kate was asking her, but her mouth would not speak her thoughts, her eyes would not even blink, much more to open them, and her body would not budge according to how she wanted them to do. She understands, she hears, but aside from that, she could not do anything. She felt so helpless. She could not help her tears rolling on the side of her eyes.
"It's okay, mom, don't be so sad, we can go later when you're ready," Kate consoled her mom, thinking she responded to what she said about going out on a picnic. Kate wiped Kelly's tears.
Then Kate's phone made a buzzing sound. It was on silent mode, so it only vibrated when a call came in.
"Hey!" Kate answered with the same gleeful tone.
"Hmmm... dinner? Can we have it here with mom?" Kate hesitatingly asked, looking at her mom on the bed.
"Anything would be fine with me. What time would you be here? I'll get the table ready," Kate added.
Only Kate's voice could be heard, but Kelly could clearly tell who her daughter was talking to on the phone.
"Okay, please drive safely," Kate reminded Nick. Then she turned to speak to her mom.
"Mom, Nick wants to have dinner with us," Kate blabbered as she wiped her mom's tears with a cotton handkerchief. "He said he will buy Chinese food on his way here," Kate smiled.
Kate did not want to believe she saw her mom's left index finger move as if it was some sort of response from Kelly. She snorted at herself. There had been many times she alerted the nurses about the same situation, but they always resulted in false alarms. Now Kate was unsure if she should tell anyone about what she seemed to have seen, but she herself is not convinced she actually did.
It was even confusing to explain. How much more confusing could it be for the one listening?
As a result, Kate just held her mom's hand in both her palms. She brought her mom's hand into her lips and kissed the back of its palm, then brought it to her cheek.
"Mom, please wake up. I miss you so much. I need you, mom..." Kate tried not to make her sob heard by anyone else other than her mom as she was too close, but Nick was already standing behind her. He was already walking into the hospital when he called Kate, he just asked what she would like to eat for dinner, but he already had the food in his hands. he was going to buy what she would want to eat had she mentioned anything about food. But since she said she was good with anything, he did not change the Chinese food he had already prepared on his way to see Kelly today after his day at the Uni and in the office.
He heard Kate's sad voice. It pierces his heart to see Kate in such a sad state. She has been trying her best to stay strong after all that has happened to her mom, and Nick always encouraged her to let her emotions out when she needed to, but Kate did not want to let her weakness win over her and break down. He felt his sadness doubled when he sees Kelly in such a state and Kate in such sorrow.
He did not want to bother her, so he kept his silence.
"Mom... please come home with us, soon. I miss you every time I wake up and every night before bed,"
Kate kissed her mom's hand again. "I need you, mom. I don't know how to live without you," Kate desperately whispered.
Nick held his breath. He froze at his feet. Afraid that the things he was holding in his hands would make a sound, and Kate would know of his presence. It would embarrass her and stop her from letting her heart's content pour out.
"Nick is around, and he has been so patient with me, but I am worried I would burn him out and leave me alone. So, please, mom, wake up," Kate ranted out softly.
Nick was startled to realize that Kate had such fear in her heart. He was sure of himself it would never happen, but Kate must have been too stressed to realize how Nick is dedicatedly standing behind her to assist Kate and Kelly in everything they needed. He could not let her think the way she fears, so Nick boldly walked close to Kate and wrapped an arm around Kate's shoulder.
"I also pray for mom to wake up soon, but not because you are burning me out or because I am tired to be around," Nick softly whispered as he gently rubbed his hands on Kate's arm in his holds. "So please, do not worry about me leaving your side," he added.
"Nick!" Kate hurriedly wiped her tears as she bowed her head to hide from his eyes.
"Mom, please wake up soon. I wish to ask your consent to express my feelings for your lovely daughter," Nick playfully whispered to Kate.
"Nick!" the tearful girl smiled with embarrassment at Nick's intentional silly antics. Kate knew he wanted her to stop being sad, so he made such a statement that would make her feel abashed.
"What!? I am ready to prove the honesty of my words," he did not want to quit. "Unless you had a change of heart with me," Nick did not look at Kate to avoid showing his nervousness. "Have you?"
Kate moved away from his hold, and with a flushed face, she prepared the table silently.
Unknown to the two youngsters, Kelly was able to hear and understand what they were talking about. There was a faint sound that appeared again. Yet, similarly short as if nothing even happened.
Kate looked at her mom intently to check if anything had changed. If she was really responding like Nick has said. But nothing. Kate saw nothing that usual. Her mom's eyes were closed, with tears rolling down to the sides of her pale-looking face.
Kate wanted to humor Nick, and as if her mom was awake, she answered to Kelly's ears in a whisper.
"That is kind of cheating, you know?" Nick widened his eyes in disbelief. Kate did not let him hear her reply.
"You will have to wake her up and ask her what I just said," Kate snorted then she continued preparing the table next to the patient's bed. Kelly's food intake is given by the nurses as it goes through a feeding tube like every other unconscious patient.