Let Me Love You
Alizarin
After the twins' constant visit to her, the doctor gladly informed us that her temperature is slowly rising, and the chance of her waking up grew higher each passing day.9
The twins kept on talking to her, sharing how their day went and even slept beside her during their afternoon nap. As long as they don't touch the tubes connected to her body, the doctor gave them permission.
Surely, they did a very good job in keeping her company. The color on her face was slowly going back. Unlike the pale white face that I witnessed before, there was now a faint tint on her cheeks and lips. Although, it was not enough to tell that she was out of harm's way, but it was a good sign.
Turns out, she really was listening.
"Uncle, we're hungry." Beck looked at me with his wide green eyes. Just like his mother, Beck inherited Keiran's green eyes, however for Aleck, he got his father's brown ones. That's how we were able to tell which is which, despite their faces so identical to each other. If it weren't for their eyes, one could even mistake them as one person if they don't appear side by side.
"Already? You just had your lunch." They both looked at me with those wide eyes of theirs that no one can really resist. Chuckling at their massive appetite, I got up and stretched, cupping the wallet and phone inside my pocket before heading to their spot by the bed, "Alright. What do you boys want to eat?"
They both looked at the ceiling, seemingly deep in thought. After a few seconds of them just staring at the white ceiling of the room, something glinted in their eyes as they looked at me, suddenly excited. Without them saying a thing, I already knew what they were about to request.
"Fries! Fries, Uncle!" They both said simultaneously. The excitement in their faces seem to brighten up the room. These boys are really a sucker for fries. Keiran's gonna kill me if she knows I'm spoiling her kids.
I can already see her furious expression, throwing daggers at me with her eyes. Shuddering at the thought, I glanced down at the boys as they eyed me with their pleading faces.
"Alright. Fries it is. You boys call me if something comes up, hmm? I'll be out for a while. Don't cause trouble, okay?" they both nodded, taking their phones out. At four years old, they already knew how to use mobile phones. Though, Keiran only lets them use it when she was not around, so as to let them call her or me if anything comes up.
I patted their heads before stepping out of the room. There was only one type of fries that had their eyes glinting like that. Sighing, I got in my car and drove towards the nearest McDonald's.
It took a while looking for a parking spot, queueing up for the order, and returning to the hospital. Once I neared the room, I heard laughter resounding behind the door and a faint sound of a woman's voice speaking.
I furrowed my brows, thinking who might be talking to the boys. As far as I know, Keiran is at the office, Ambrose and Yula's visit will be later tonight, and Razel and Keith just left before lunch and won't be back by late afternoon.
I opened the door and almost dropped the paper bags filled with fries when I saw the woman seated on the bed, already awake. The boys were giggling to themselves, sitting beside her, while she was smiling at them, something like joy shining in her hazel eyes, as she weakly ran her fingers to their hair.
"Uncle!" Hearing the door opening and closing, the boys' head whipped at my direction, getting off the bed and running towards the bags that I'm holding.
I raised the bags before they can reach it, "Why didn't you call me after pretty aunty woke up?" I asked, feigning anger. They immediately took a step back, unable to look at me in the eye.
I was about to scold them that her waking up was something that they should inform me, but Ciarra immediately shushed me, gesturing me to come near her.
Without a choice, I gave the bags to the boys and they instantly sat on the sofa, gobbling up the fries that I bought them. I then placed the bottled waters that I bought on the table before walking to her bed, taking a seat beside her. "Hey, how are you feeling? How long have you been awake? I'm gonna call a doctor first." I was about to stand up when her hand held mine. A sigh of content left her lips as she looked at our hands, her eyes doing wonders to my system with those wide and bright hazel orbs.
Her hand wasn't cold anymore. It had a tinged of warmth in it now, which I'm glad of. Taking her hand in mine, I placed my other hand above hers, trying to give her more warmth.
"Relax, the doctor already checked up on me. I'm fine." She whispered and looked at the boys happily eating. It was the only time that the twins were silent.
"Are they your sister's sons?" She asked after a second of admiring their happy faces. I searched her face for any signs of what she was feeling inside, or the thoughts that was running in her head, but I found none. I even noticed how her eyes were now clear, unlike before, as if a thousand thoughts were brewing in her head. Now, it just shone with plain adoration for the boys. I then secretly glanced at her stomach as she held a hand there.
I then wonder if the doctor told her already, or if she heard everything that we talked in here while she was in a coma.
This time, I won't let anything happen to you, little one.
"Yeah. I think you've already witnessed first-hand how much of a troublemaker they are." Smiling, she took a deep breath and lay down, snuggling deeper into the bed. I got worried and instantly stood up. She chuckled and pulled me back to her side. Careful of the tubes still attached to her hand.
"What has got you so worked up, lately? I'm just trying to get a comfortable position. My back aches."
"I would always be on alert when it comes to you. You don't know how much fear I felt when I saw you lying in the cemetery, nearly dead." At my words, she gave me a sad smile, and rubbed small circles around the back of my palm. I held her hand tighter at the reminder of that scene.
"I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention. I just wanted to visit my brother and parents that time. I wanted to forget all that happened and just move on. I was about to leave when it rained hard. I didn't know what happened next as I passed out." I nodded in understanding.
"The doctor said before that aside from your hypothermia, you had low blood sugar. Honestly, were you eating right on the days that we were unable to contact you?" I seriously asked her then she went silent, a look of guilt flashing her eyes for a second.
I waited for a few seconds and got furious when I found out that she only ate a few cup noodles on the days that she was missing. Frowning at her, I couldn't resist scolding her, even as the kids were already beside her, silently listening to me.
I didn't stop even when she was already pouting at me, the kids doing the same when I also scolded them for not calling me earlier. It feels as if I'm scolding three children already.
Sighing after I finished my long litany of complaints, I looked at the three children staring at me with deep upset eyes. My chest felt incredibly lighter after I let out the pent-up frustration I held on for days. Giving in, I gently pinched each of their noses and told them to take a nap for a while. It was already time for the twin's afternoon nap, and I can tell that she was still tired. If her drooping eyes weren't enough indication of it.
The boys instantly settled beside her, one on each side. The bed was big enough to fit three grown-up people, anyway, so they'll fit together with more spaces to move about.
She looked at them with warmth in her eyes. Rubbing their heads while she looked at me, smiling. I kissed the top of her head before saying that I'll step out for a while and ask the doctor some questions.
After my conversation with the doctor, I returned to the room and found them fast asleep. The boys immediately warmed up to her. Both of them hugging her waist as her hands are placed over them, they all looked comfortable enough, which makes me a little jealous.
