Another day comes, and here I am, standing beside the bed as I watch Jake sleep. He hasn't woken up, except for a brief moment last night.
I sigh, caressing his blonde hair that feels so soft against my skin.
This morning, I'm not in my hospital gown anymore -- I can proudly say that I'm fully recovered. My body still feels a little sore in some parts, but I don't need to stay in bed as Jake does.
I'm dressed in a sweater and a pair of jeans, ready to leave, my bag slung across my shoulder. I smile sadly, staring at Jake one last time before walking off toward the door.
At the corner of the room stands a table on which we keep the packages and gifts sent by people who wish him well, among whom are our office mates.
Sarah, George and Liam plan to pay a visit this weekend.
When I open the door, I see Veronica walking toward this room, speaking on the phone.
"That's great. I'll see you soon, sweetheart." With that said, she hangs up and sighs.
When she notices me, a warm smile touches her lips.
She halts in front of me. "Melanie is coming here. She's taking a flight from Perth today. She's been worried sick about Jake."
Veronica looks like she can't wait to see her daughter -- she must be missing her so much. I also can't wait to see Melanie again.
Then her gaze darts on the bag slung across my shoulder, and her eyes widen in surprise as she realizes that I'm about to leave.
"Lais? Where are you going?"
"I want to visit my mother's graveyard." I smile.
I've been wanting to do this since the moment I step my foot in this city, but I haven't got the chance to do so.
Worry crosses her expression. "Alone? Will that be okay?"
I nod. "I'll be okay. I'm healed, and I'll be back before lunchtime."
Besides, it should be safe. Tuck and all of his friends are already behind bars. I can finally walk in this city without having to worry about getting caught by him.
Still, the look on her face tells me that she's still not convinced.
But I need to do this. I haven't visited Mom's grave for years.
The hopeful look on my face makes her finally says, "Okay. Let me inform my driver so that--"
"Please, it's okay," I decline her offer. "I'm alright. Really. The graveyard is not that far, and there are already many cabs lining up at the lobby downstairs," I assure her, taking her hands in mine.
Jake and his family have already done so much for me, and I don't need to be pampered like a princess.
And she sighs, knowing that she has to give in.
"Jake is a great man. If you were still here with us, I'm sure that you would love him too, Mom," I say, sitting beside Mom's grave, spilling my heart to her.
I look at the flowers that I just put on her grave. When I first came here today, there was nothing on it, as there always had been for years.
Sadness engulfs me again. "I'm sorry that I hadn't visited you for a long time."
But you're in my heart, Mom. Always.
Remembering her love, strength and sacrifices for me had helped me through difficult times while I was struggling to live alone.
I know that she's been watching me from afar, and I'm sure that she's happy now that I've survived all of the hardships that life has given me.
"But now, it's all over," I say. "Tuck can no longer ruin our happiness. I can visit you anytime I want to. Once Jake gets better, I promise you that I would bring him here too."
I remember her words back then when she talked about my father, and a smile forms on my lips.
"I understand what you meant now, Mom. Some men indeed cherish us, protect us, love us." Tears fill my eyes. Even more than they love their own lives.
I look up at the sky, trying to prevent my tears from falling. Mom must be happy with Dad now.
Both of us get our happy ending in the end, don't we?
Talking here to Mom has made me lose track of the time that when I glance at my wristwatch, it's already almost noon.
Oh, God, how reckless I am.
I just realized that I haven't got my phone back, since the police are still keeping it for further investigation.
By now, I might have made the people waiting for me at the hospital worried sick -- Jake's parents, and Jake himself, if he's already woken up.
"I guess that I have to go back now, Mom," I say one last time before preparing to leave. "I'll see you soon."
I walk off, and as I head toward the gate, the breeze blows, making me inhale the air in contentment while the warm sunlight penetrates through my skin.
How wonderful. Even the air feels different. I feel like it's welcoming me into a new page of life.
New beginning. New hope. New light.
While I'm walking closer toward the entrance of the graveyard, something catches my attention.
There in front of the gate, a car pulls in. It's a Rolls Royce, an expensive car like those I've seen from Jake's house.
I watch as the driver gets out to open the door for whoever sits at the back seat. Another person also gets out of the car -- a nurse.
My breath catches in my throat. No, it can't be.
The driver opens the door, and the nurse helps Jake step out of it, holding his arm. The driver catches his other arm, preventing him from collapsing.
My heart racing, I speed up my pace. Panic and worry build up inside me.
Jake has woken up. But what the hell is he doing here? He's not healed yet. He's not supposed to be here. He's supposed to be in his bed.
Jake steps forward, trying to walk without the help of the driver and the nurse. He looks at me, and I run even faster to him.
Every step that he's taking breaks my heart. Just as he's about to collapse, I catch him in my arms.
"Jake." I pant. "What are you doing here?" I stutter, still shocked from witnessing what he's doing right now.
"I wanted to see you," he says, his voice still sounding very weak.
He's now leaning on my arms, trying to stand properly as I stare at him in disbelief.
"You could have waited at the hospital," I say, my voice shaking due to my worry for him.
What if he opens his wounds because of this?
"I couldn't," he insists. "I needed to see you."
"I'm heading back to the hospital," I say, frustration evident in my voice. "I was going to see you again there. Why did you come all the way here?"
The tears I've been holding threaten to fall from the corner of my eye.
Jake is breathing heavily. He winces as the pain from the wounds strikes him back.
"You're wounded. You shouldn't be doing all of this," I yell at him -- I can't help it.
"But they told me that you were visiting your mother's grave," he says, his voice hoarse. "I became paranoid. I had to follow you no matter what."
Again, I stare at him in confusion. Why is fear skating all over his face?
"I did visit my Mom's grave, Jake. I told you before that I wanted to do it, didn't I?" When he doesn't answer, I ask, "Were you worried because of Tuck? The police have taken care of them --"
"No, you don't understand," he says, cutting me off. "I'd heard you said something like that, in my dream..." he falters, and that makes me wonder even more about what's really going on.
"Your dream?" I ask. "What dream, Jake?"
At first, it seems like he doesn't want to answer that.
But then, he whispers painfully, "It was a really bad dream."
He sighs, covering his eyes with his hand, his shoulders shaking.
Silence falls. Gently, I remove his hand from his face, and my heart skips a beat as I stare at his bloodshot eyes.
"It was only a dream, Jake," I whisper soothingly, trying to assure him.
"No." Yet he shakes his head in denial, squeezing his eyes shut.
When he opens them again, they are filled with tears.
"Why did you have to leave? Could you not at least wait for me to wake up?" he snaps.
I'm at loss for words. I feel a lump in my throat from seeing how much this pains him.
"You were going to leave, weren't you?" he asks, his voice shaking. "Do you really want to face it all alone again? After all that we've been going through?"
Now, I'm really speechless. What is he talking about?
"I told you, Lais." His voice is firm. "It's you and me, together. We're in this together."
He's so consumed in his emotions, while I'm still stunned.
"Leave?" I repeat his word, my voice barely a whisper. "Facing it all alone? What do you mean?"
His lips form into a thin line. He stares at me like he's trying to understand what I'm thinking.
"Jake, I would never leave," I say. "Where else would I go?"
Where else would I be? If it isn't here with you. I don't have any reason to go.
"But you did," Jake whispers with pain. "Almost three years ago, you left. You faced it all alone. You were just...gone." He lets out a soft cry.
My heart sinks. All of this seems like a Deja Vu.
But it's different now. Everything is different.
My sobs break. I cup his cheek. "No, Jake. It's different now. I would never leave."
A tear rolls down my cheek. I can feel his love for me, and it's so raw, so pure, sipping right into my heart.
He stares at me again, as if still wondering whether this is real or not.
"You--you wouldn't?" he asks.
I shake my head and smile. "No, I wouldn't. I love you, Jake. I wouldn't leave you without any word."
His eyes are glistening with tears. He pulls me so that he can hug me, but I stop him.
"You had broken ribs, remember?" I remind him, raising my eyebrows.
"Fuck," he mutters.
I laugh. Then I place a kiss on his lips, and he rakes his fingers through my hair, deepening the kiss. It turns into something bold and passionate that leaves us breathless at the end of it.
Damn. I almost forgot that we have audiences over here. The driver snaps his body around, walking in the opposite direction, while the nurse looks away, her cheeks pink.
So much for not liking the PDA thing.
I giggle into his mouth, cupping his cheeks. "You're crazy. You're almost dying and yet you came here to see me."
He smirks. "I am. I'm crazy in love with you."
And with that said, he pulls me into another kiss.
-The End-
***
Next: Epilogue
AN:
Well, I'm not going leave a long note yet until the epilogue. See you guys there ;)