The Innocent Lover

Chapter 22: Iris

Grandpa was holding his belt and my mother was squirming as she tried to endure the pain of the whip she had just received.

Another came through, and the whipping increased.

"Christoph, let her go!" My grandmother cried out.

I couldn't do anything but just watch as my mother whimpered in pain. I thought I would feel a sense of satisfaction watching her get whipped like that, but instead, I felt hurt. That was until she grabbed something from Grandpa and ran out of the house, still holding Grandma's bag. Grandpa ran after her, but an old man could only run farther than the yard.

I followed him outside and was right in time to witness my mother get pulled into a car as the car drifted off the street, into the darkness.

Grandpa dropped his arms sighing and his belt clinked in response."That thief, she escaped".

I could only sigh along with him. My hand was still stiff from the hit I had received and my scar burned as if it had been in contact with fire.

"Let's go inside Granddad".

"Yeah".

Little did we know another surprise greater than my mother stealing grandma's bag was waiting for us. Grandma was looking rather lifeless, and pale. The kind of pale that could only be fit for a mannequin. She breathed in and out rather too loudly as she grasped the countertop, her hands shaking profusely.

"Honey!" Grandpa sprinted in her direction and grabbed her.

I copied his pace and was near them at a moment's notice. "what is wrong with her?" I asked.

"The Metoprolol," grandpa mumbled.

"What?"

"Give me the beta blockers by her bed stand!"

" Okay". I hurried to their bedroom and reached for Grandma's pills, but there were too many. Which ones are they? The labels had been removed and only letters were written with markers.

"Hurry up will you!" Came Grandpa's worried voice.

"Which ones are they?" I shouted back.

"Iris!"

I scooped the entire nightstand clean of pills and dumped them in front of Grandpa. "Which one?"

Grandpa managed to make out the beta blockers in one glance. He opened the lid and did some measurements before tipping the contents into Grandma's mouth.

"Water!"

"Right beside you grandpa," I replied.

"Good, call the hospital, the number is in my journal by the nightstand. First page".

I hurried over to his journal and dialed the number.

"Give the phone to me". I followed the command and handed him the phone.

"Hello, yes ambulance. My wife just fainted... Yes, I gave her beta blockers...thank you please hurry please!" It was all too confusing, I mean she had just fainted.

"What is going on Grandpa?"

"I'll tell you later, right now let's focus on keeping your grandma alive".

What? She could die from fainting?

I kept my inner voice inside as I helped him relax Grandma's now unconscious body. Less than fifteen minutes later, the siren of the ambulance filled the still air with hope and anticipation. Grandpa hurried and opened the gate for them whilst I opened the door to let the doctors carry my grandma on a stretcher.