SHE

Chapter Twenty-five

Emily gently handed Amelia a cup of water after helping her sit up on the bed with the support of a few pillows.

Amelia taking a small sip from the cup which Emily hurriedly collected to place it back on top of the table after she was done. She couldn't help but to find Emily's behavior unusual, the older now taking a seat next to the bed.

"How are you feeling now? Better?" She asked, Causing Amelia to blink rapidly.

"Yeah, I- ... I'm fine"she replied after a bit of hesitation.

"Good to hear, that's a relief" Emily said, nodding softly as she thought of where she could possibly start the words she wanted to say from.

"You don't have to feel that way" Amelia abruptly spoke, Emily's eyes fixed on her as she continued. "I know you're feeling bad or maybe even guilty, but it's really nothing, I didn't do that to make you feel bad or anything, it was something I had to do and I'd like to believe you would do the same for me if the roles were reversed. I know we don't exactly have a good history with each other, but we can start over again without you feeling like you owe me anything because of this. There's a reason for everything and for what happened yesterday, if it were my Mum, I'd expect someone to do that for her, just like I did for you because I consider you.... something like that and I don't think Liam would be very pleased with me if anything bad happened to you on my watch" She tried to joke at the end to lighten the mood but only a dry chuckle escaped her lips.

Emily wondered how she does it. It was like anytime Amelia opens her mouth, the words she says are like some kind of a revelation, leaving Emily in awe every single time and making her realize how wrong she was with how she treated her.

"Thank you" She finally said the word that was at the tip of her tongue since the moment Amelia took that knife cut at the jewelry shop ".....and I'm sorry. I don't want you to think I'm saying this because you saved my life, even though it's part of the reason, but, I feel like I should at least say that much for how I've treated you. We started on the wrong note, I know that but I won't deny the fact that I'd never had imagined Liam getting married without my knowledge or to someone I didn't know or approve of. I won't deny the fact that I hated your confidence on the first day too, despite how shocked I was by the fact that you stood up to me, I was more annoyed than pleased and that just pushed me to doing and saying such heartless things, never for once considering the fact that you just might be my guardian angel, giving me a second chance at life. I thought about it all night. What if I had taken that poison and ended up dead. Never getting a chance to say goodbye to my babies or to seek Liam's forgiveness for hurting him so much with my words and actions, punishing my own son in a quest to fit in with my peers after throwing myself into the world after the grief of my husband's passing" A tear rolled down her cheek as she hadn't stopped thinking about the possibilities of leaving this world and leaving Liam behind with so much hurt, realizing how Liam had never deprived her of a thing but she was still never appreciative, Amelia's words at the table still ringing in her ears.

Amelia's eyes widened as more tears fell, adjusting herself more to try and comfort the other.

"I was a bad mother without even realizing it"

"No you're not," Amelia quickly countered.

"Yes I am! I am! What kind of a mother lets her own greediness cloud her love for her own son. It's been so long since I last saw Liam smile and I still grew so upset seeing a genuine smile from him because you were the cause of it. I can no longer deny the fact that you give him what I could not. You make him happy, give him reasons to smile and I was happy to see him smile even though I hated why..... Amelia" She called softly, exhaling shakily as she looked at the other with red rimmed eyes.

"I know.....it won't come easy to you to just forgive me and forget everything, but I really want to use this second chance to do better, to right my wrongs. If I had eaten the poison meant for me yesterday and....and it took my life, all I've lived for, all the latest designers and jewelries I've collected would all be in vain. I'd have lived a meaningless life, not even my own son or daughter looking back at my lifetime with a smile on their face and I want to change that. I know it's you, you're the chance God is giving me to mend my ways and I don't care how long it takes, I want you to know I'll never stop asking for your forgiveness and telling you how sorry I am for how I treated you, I'm sorry, Amelia, I'm so so sorry, I am. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but i-" More sobs wracked through her chest as she weeped continuously, shoulders shaking as she chanted her apologies, causing Amelia's own eyes to slowly fill with unshed tears, finding it in herself to push off the bed and bring Emily into a warm embrace as her tears started to fall too.

"You don't have to apologise to me Mum" Amelia said, wiping her tears with the back of her palm after Emily's sobs had died down. "I provoked you too....I was rude"

"You didn't deserve how I treated you" Emily disagreed, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for everything. We can start over again. I promise it's all non-existent to me now, I don't have a grudge against you, I forgive you and I hope you forgive me too" Emily broke into another sob, bringing Amelia into for another hug, leaving tear stains on the hospital gown that covered her shoulder as she muttered the words "Thank you" over and over again.