Gold Heart, Warm Soul

11| New Year Same Old

It's a new year. The streets are bustling with people, buying goods and preparing for the celebrations. From my window, the bustling noise from the streets did not help with my incoming migraine. Although, I am recuperating after my successful surgery, my doctors had already started planning for my upcoming surgeries later in the year. While my mother rushed around the room to make me more comfortable and me, trying to persuade my mother to stop fussing, my brother Kace came into the room with Felicia Lou. To say I was surprise, was an understatement. With a sharp gaze towards my brother, I tried to use telepathy to ask why Felicia was here even though I had quite clearly told everyone to keep my illness and hospital visits confidential. Seeing my look, Kace started saying that he had no choice and Felicia simply barged into my room as Kace was trying too hard to avoid the subject about me. Being a quick thinker, Felicia easily found out that Ambar was hospitalised

Ambar sighed in defeat. "You've should have told me about your illness. I'm your best friend, aren't I?" Felicia loudly exclaimed with a look of worry. "Right I should have. I just didn't want to burden you,"I said. Felicia hugged me tightly as through she wanted to cry. "Yes you should have. You worried me for the whole Christmas when I couldn't get a hold of you! I had to stormed into your brother's office to find out where you were!" Felicia said without a hint of embarrassment. I looked sideway towards my brother and realised he did look a tad bit haggard while dealing with Felicia. I laughed out loud trying to control my tears from rolling down my cheeks. "You really did put up a fight, didn't you," I teased Felicia as I tried stopping my giggles. I continued on saying," thank you. Really."

"You're welcome. Here's your get well gift," Felicia said as she pushes a parcel into my hands. As I unwrap the gift, it is a beautiful traditional outfit of X Country called the Amwari dress. It was the colour of ocean, deep blue with the colour of emerald lining the sleeves. Although it was simple, it looked sophisticated which complimented my features easily. I was lost for words as I looked gratefully towards Felicia. "Yo- you shouldn't. It's too beautiful. You designed it yourself?" I asked Felicia, knowing her answer already. "Of course, you silly. You are going to wear this during the temple visit during the Big reunion!" Felicia exclaimed proudly while I was mesmerised by her handiwork. 

"You know, you're going to make it big very soon. You'll have your own fashion show, an international stage to broadcast your skills and everyone would know your brand!" Caught by surprise from my compliments, Felicia blushed red. "Oh you! You really do have a sweet mouth. Did you hear what I was saying. You're wearing the Amwari to the Big reunion!" Felicia tried changing the topic to hide her embarrassment. "I heard you. Of course I will. But what I said it's true. You'll hit the jackpot really soon," I said knowingly. "Thanks. It's my dream to become a famous designer. You really motivated me to work harder," Felicia said with a hint of blush still on her face. I smiled. In this life, Felicia haven't entered the Annual designers' competition. It would be later in the year where she would get an offer to fly to Milan to show off her work on models walking down the catwalk. We talked for a long time, until it was almost sunset. Before Felicia left, she had a mischievous smile on her face as she remembered something. She turned towards me and said, "there's going to be some good news soon! Look forward to it!" She left me hanging with curiosity pouring out of me trying to decipher the clue she left me.

As it was getting later and weather was getting cooler, I decided to take a stroll around the hospital's garden. After walking around and people watching, I decided to take a seat at the bench. An old lady was sitting there sipping her tea out from the thermal flask. She looked towards me and smiled brightly, inviting me to a heartfelt conversation. She told me she had just recently been discharge from the hospital and she was really excited to attend her beloved son's wedding in Y country. As the conversation grew longer and we became more acquainted, the old lady whose name is Tian An, told me how her son met his fiancée. It was about him and his high school sweetheart finding each other after they had broken up. 

She told me, "when I first saw them together while he was in high school, I knew they were meant for each other. They were soul mates. However they met too young. They wanted to pursue their dreams and travel the world. It was when I wanted to arrange a marriage partner for my son when he brought home a girl." "She was, of course, his high school sweet heart. I couldn't believe that true love does link two people together and bring them to each other. I'm am so overjoyed these day." I listened to Tian An talked with a sad and envious expression. I know I probably wouldn't get that kind of love. After all who wants to date a dying girl? Without thinking, I blurted out, "I wish I could find love like that someday." She smiled, shook her head and said, "Young lady, love like that isn't just found. It's built. How many beautiful, perfect temples do you think our ancestors stumbled across on this land? No, our ancestors found a good level spot, maybe a river nearby and with determination they said, "Let's built something here!" And they did. That's why you see many centuries old temples still lived to these days because they were built with care and preserve with care." I absorbed her words silently, getting the message from her story. As her son arrived to fetch her home, she turned back and said to me, "Child, look for a clearing in the forest. Not a hidden city." With a sparkle in her eyes, she left me sitting in the bench thinking hard over her words.

This may be the best advice someone had given. I looked to the sky and dreamed. Dreamed of living longer. Dreamed of being a normal girl. Dreamed of flying in the sky. Dreamed of being free of my shackles....