Love Me, Again?

Chapter 28: Changed Perspective

Chapter 28: Changed Perspective

Two days after pulling the plug, Leila mostly stayed in her room. She found it very difficult to attend her brother’s wake. It pained her to see her brother’s lifeless body in a cold, black casket. It hurt her even more to see her loved ones cry over him. Every single sorries and condolences cut her, leaving her even more depressed and broken.

Her parents found out about Mason’s doings and forgave him quickly. Leila, on the other hand, couldn’t bring herself to even look at Mason. He attended and stayed there until almost everyone was gone.

On the third day, Jason dragged Leila over to a nursing home. They got out of Jason’s mother’s car. Jason held onto her hand tightly as he pulled her into the entrance. She frowned and took her hand back.

“Why did you bring me here?” Leila hissed. She didn’t want to go back to the nursing home. It held so many painful memories.

“We’re here because I want you to meet someone. Please, come with me,” he pleaded as he took her hand back.

Leila gave up and had him lead her into the front desk. They signed in and Jason pulled her into the room. Jason knocked lightly as they heard a faint, “Come in.”

Jason pushed the door open, revealing a gray haired man sitting beside a much younger looking woman.

“Hello Mr. Taylor,” Jason greeted as he led Leila over to the other side of the bed.

“It’s nice to see you again, Jason and friend?” He cocked his brow as he looked over Leila and their interlinked hands. “Hello there, you can call me Mr. Taylor and that’s my wife Liana,” he pointed over to the younger woman.

Leila walked over to him and held her hand out, “I’m Leila. It’s very nice to meet you.” He shook her hand and looked back at his wife. Leila walked back to Jason and tried to take a closer look at Mr. Taylor.

His eyes had sunken in as black circles surrounded them. His gray hair fell over his eyes and tears trailed down his popped out cheek bones. His clothes looked a bit dingy and too loose on him. He was an absolute mess.

Leila darted her eyes over to the woman on the bed. A breathing tube was stuck in her mouth and two IVs were stuck on both of her hands. Though it looked a bit dry, her dark brown hair flowed beautifully around her face. Her pale face and pink lips didn’t make it look like she was in a coma. It looked like she was just sleeping. Leila wondered how long she had been like that. For some reason, she knew that this woman was very beautiful and imagined her with dark brown eyes.

“I’m sorry for being too emotional,” the man laughed forcefully as he wiped his tears away. He looked at Leila with glistening eyes and said, “Liana and I have been married for about twenty years. Today is actually our twentieth anniversary. Seven years ago, we moved downtown. Being the stupid and uncaring husband I was, we fought. She ran out of the house… I knew I should’ve gone after her but I didn’t. The night soon fell and I shrugged off the nervous feelings I had inside of me. I knew she had brought her purse and that she might have phoned some of the relatives who lived nearby. She usually does that whenever we get into fights or arguments. I should’ve listened to my heart instead… The morning after, someone phoned me saying that she had been robbed and beaten badly. She lost a lot of blood and sustained several severe injuries. She went into coma and here we are… Seven years later.”

Leila walked over to him and gave him a pat on the shoulder. She mumbled, “It must be very hard. You have it far worse than me.”

“I can’t help but blame myself for everything,” he spoke with so much self hatred, it made Leila’s heart break. He continued, “I should’ve gone after her. I shouldn’t have fought with her in the first place. Now I might not see her beautiful brown eyes or hear her bell like laughter again. It’s all my fault!”