Chapter 84: Chapter 84
Amelia's POV
We went to the hospital and up the elevator, to the emergency department ICU where I saw Brandon and Leo sitting beside dad. Dad looked pale and very old, his hair had grayed a lot in the last few years making him look at least twenty years older. I couldn't recognize him at first glance, he had changed so much. My heart sank seeing his eyes closed and his face haggard as if he was in pain. His brain stroke had left one side of his entire body paralyzed as also his facial muscles. Mom told me that he couldn't speak due to the severity of the stroke and paralysis. For the first time in my life, I felt a little bad for dad. I knew that I was never his favorite child and all my childhood, I cowered away from him. I had never developed that father-daughter bond with him that all my friends shared with their dad. He was more attached to my brothers than me but today seeing him on his deathbed, I felt a little pang in my heart. Was I a bad daughter to him?
Leo and Brandon stood up to hug me, the surprise evident on their faces but I just nodded at them, avoiding them as well just like I had Caleb. I went to sit beside dad staring at him solemnly since he hadn't noticed my presence yet.
"Fred, look who's here to see you? Your Amy's here. You wanted her to come, didn't you? She's here," Mom spoke to dad softly.
Dad slowly opened his eyes and looked at me. A tear rolled out of his eye and down his cheek, which mom wiped away while I sat frozen and watched him anxiously. Dad folded his hands silently and more tears rolled out of his eyes. I realized that he was asking for my forgiveness. He had provided for my education, for my life in London during the first two years when I shifted, so I had forgiven him long ago. Last 2 years I had become financially independent, not taking any money from my family. Not coming home was my choice. My parents weren't responsible for that.
I wiped his tears and held his hands.
"Please dad, don't cry. I have forgiven you. I love you," I said, kissing his cheek.
"Don't stress yourself, Fred. She's home now. She loves you. You just recover fast and we'll go home," comforted mom but Dad gazed at us wordlessly and I had no idea how much he could comprehend what we spoke.
The doctor came in for some tests and asked us to wait outside. Brandon came up to me. "How have you been Amy?" he asked softly but I put on an air of indifference and gave him a look devoid of any emotions.
"I'm fine," I said and went to sit beside mom. I could have forgiven him but in the last 5 years he never once called or visited me. I forgave Leo because he tried to make amends. Caleb was in the same boat as Brandon and didn't exist for me.
I put my head on mom's shoulder and closed my eyes as two teardrops escaped me. The doctor came out to say that dad was having difficulty breathing as only 50% of his lungs were functioning. He was critical so the doctor only allowed one family member at a time to visit him. Too much stress would be detrimental to him. Leo and Caleb stayed back at the hospital as Brandon had extra classes to attend while mom and I went back home.
While preparing dinner together, I asked her about my old phone.
"Your dad destroyed it out of anger when he saw 300 calls from Tristan and approximately 100 messages from him," she informed me sadly and I gaped at her, shocked at this piece of information. I had no idea that Tristan had called me so many times!
He must have been very worried about me. My heart broke thinking about him and my gloomy expression made mom drop her work and come and hug me. "I am sorry things turned out this way honey. Don't lose hope. True love never fails you. If you're meant to be together, it will happen. Just have patience," Mom consoled me.
"I have given up all hope of Tristan, mom," I confessed as I chopped vegetables for the pasta.
"Your dad felt a deep remorse for what he did to you out of anger, but he never got a chance to apologize to you as you never came home," She said with glistening eyes. "Now when he has his chance, he can't speak."
"You both could have come over to London to meet me, mom. Anyway, I was just a phone call away. If dad had called me once, I would have come back home," I pointed out. I had expected them to visit me every year, but they never came. I accepted the fact over the years that since dad threw me out of his life and disowned me, he obviously hated me.
"The first two years, his grudge, ego, and pride prevented him from visiting you. He didn't allow me because of it. After that, he had a mild heart attack and the doctor prohibited all sorts of travel for him," That was news to me which mom had kept from me.
"He could have called me," I reasoned and mom nodded.
"He was too proud to accept his mistakes," she said softly. I knew that of course. It wasn't unknown to me. "We could not face one another after the first year when you didn't come home. Leo And Brandon moved out. Caleb became distant and didn't come home from college. He stayed at his dorm, " mom told me as she simmered the pasta sauce on a low flame waiting for me to add the pasta to it.
"It was all their doing so I have no sympathy for them. In fact, I was disappointed with Nicky as well as she also never contacted me," I said dejectedly as I strained the pasta in the kitchen sink.
"Nicky and her mom moved to Australia after you left." I was surprised at this bit of information. Why did they leave? Did my dad threaten them? I wasn't sure. We finished the pasta and I went up to my room to get ready to visit dad in the evening.