CONVICTED (Completed)

-22-

ZAHRIAH CRUZ

"Don't look too excited to leave us now." My doctor joked as I was being wheeled out of the hospital room. My expression wasn't mainly towards the idea of leaving the friendly hospital staff, but more so just getting out of this place in general. Both my parents were driving me absolutely nuts to say the least, I was instantly reminded of why it was that I enjoyed living alone; then making the decision that I could never go back to Korea with them.

I understood where the overprotection came from, but it was a bit too much. I had so much on my mind and I felt like I was being forced to push past it, as if they were trying to tell me that I was doing too much. From them I got no sense of sympathy or empathy even, I was grieving in what seemed to be the harshest way; just me with no shoulder to lean on.

"Just tired of being stuck up in that bed. You guys were amazing though, thank you so much."

"Don't mention it, you were surely one of our favorites. Keep in touch!" he reached out to shake my hand, then once done he dapped up my mom and gave my mother a hug. "Safe travels now. Kelise, keep me posted if anything should change, as you know; monitoring her for the next little while is important." He pointed.

"Will do, you don't gotta worry."

After exchanging some more small talk along with contact information in order for the two old friends to keep in touch, we were on our way out. Taking the private elevator for safety purposes, we made it down to an exit that brough us directly to a car that awaited us.

My mother loaded the trunk with all the bags that had accumulated since the beginning of my stay until now. It went from gifts from my old colleagues to gifts from people in the community that heard the news. Every single day someone dropped something off for me, along with the things that were dropped off for Dominic; things that he unfortunately never got the chance to accept.

Quickly grabbing one of the teddy bears from the bag, I used all my strength to get myself out of the chair. My mom running over to assist me in doing so of course, although I was much better; in her eyes I was as fragile as can be and nothing I could say would stop her. If I tried to fight it she would argue and use medical reasoning as to why it's crucial that I take the help. So, at this point I just took it and saved myself from the arguments.

While she shut the door, I got myself comfortable on the pillow that I needed for my back. Once done, I got my seatbelt on and patiently waited for them to finish packing up the trunk. With my hand against my tummy I gazed through the window just watching the cars roll by. That was, until I saw him.

My brows furrowed and I lowered the window. "Andre!" I called out, to the man that was being wheeled over to a parked car not too far from where we were. Looking into the side mirrors I couldn't help but notice my parents' confusion as they followed the direction in which I was yelling toward.

Andre looked up and over at me, the woman who was wheeling him seemed almost in a panic as she did the same. He reached up to rest his hand against hers and said something that I was too far too hear, she glanced up and shared a small smile with me before making her way over.

"I think it's best we leave now." I heard my mother say while shutting the trunk closed.

"I think it might be too late for that now." My mom responded, following her lead.

I popped open the car door the closer they got and waved, "how are you feeling?" I asked before looking up at the beautiful woman behind him. "Hello, I'm Zahriah."

Andre greeted my mother very professionally, my mom on the other hand; as if she were her long lost brother or something.

"Oh, you look just like him." The lady behind him smiled, looking between my mothers. "No offense or anything, Andre's genes are quite strong. My kids look nothing like me either." She joked. My mom shared a brief chuckle meanwhile my mother stood there, straight-faced. "Touch crowd." Andre's wife scratched the back of her head while mumbling under her breath.