⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
┏━━━━━━━━━┓
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
vi.
happiness
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
┗━━━━━━━━━┛
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There was a knock, and a nurse entered with food in her hands. Lesley gave the nurse a thankful smile, and she watched as the woman placed the tray of food on the overbed table. Meanwhile, Harley just stared at the television, not sparing the nurse a single glance. He was currently watching a show that seemed to catch his interest, though, his face was indifferent the whole time.
When the nurse left, Lesley moved the overbed table so that it was over Harley's bed. Harley shifted into a sitting position to eat, and Lesley couldn't help but notice how he was struggling to move his hand with the drip attached.
"Do you want me to feed you instead?" Lesley asked.
Harley was momentarily surprised by her question, but then he quickly shook his head. He lowered his gaze and mumbled, "No, it's fine."
Lesley wanted to offer to feed him again, especially since she caught Harley's hand trembling a little as he held the spoon, but she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. She bit her lip from asking, but she spoke anyway when she spotted faint scars on his fingers. "Harley, what happened to your hand?"
Harley placed his spoon down as he chewed the food in his mouth. He lifted his free hand, and he looked unfazed when he saw the scars on his hand. "It's nothing. Mother just got angry last time."
Lesley couldn't help but feel guilty upon Harley's statement. She was the reason why her brother had to face it. Gently, she took his hand, and she felt her brother trying to pull it away. Though, he ended up letting her hold it. Her voice was soft when she asked, "What did she do to you?"
"Lesley," Harley said, turning his head to the side to look at her, "You don't have to kno–"
"Please," Lesley said. She looked at her brother with her face full of concern. "I need to know what she did to you. I don't want the same thing happening again."
Harley didn't say anything for a while. He averted his gaze, and his eyes seemed to unfocus. But then, he snapped out of his stupor. "She just threw some plates on the floor and asked me to pick them up with my hands."
In an instant, Lesley could feel her eyes watering, and she immediately threw her arms around her brother. It was hard to know that Harley was being treated badly by Mother, but it was harder to know all the things she had really done to him. So this was what he had to endure at home while she was free? This was what he had to go through for all these years? How could she leave him alone like that?
"Lesley," Harley said, letting out a sigh. She sniffed and only tightened her embrace around him. She could then feel him awkwardly patting her back. "Lesley, it's fine–"
"No, it's not," she said, her voice wavering. Tears started streaming down her cheeks as she pulled away. Looking at her brother, she couldn't help but recollect some memories. Her childhood may be terrible, but his childhood was hell. And he was only eleven. "What else did she do to you?"
Harley looked away. "You don't have to know."
"I need to," Lesley answered, wiping her face with the sleeve of her shirt. Her expression was solemn when she looked at her brother. "I need to make up for everything she has done to you. I know it won't be enough, but I have to."
