It's about three hours later than the door to my room opens and Louise comes in. I half expect Nora to also show up, but it's just her. I'm equally happy to see her and I can't help my tears when the woman wraps her arms around me, as tightly as she can but without harming me any further.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she mumbles in my hair and I just let the sobs escape me.
The fear I felt in the car is still with me, having my heart constantly racing, flashbacks attacking me when I close my eyes. That certainty I felt that I was going to die grows stronger when Louise tells me she was scared, that for a moment she thought I was gone. It could've happened, if I hadn't escaped the car, if I had been left unconscious when the vehicle stopped, then I would be nothing but incinerated remains. And even if I escaped, I could've died right there if Clarisse hadn't driven past—and run me over—and taken me to the hospital. It was fortunate how it happened.
I was so close to die and that thought chills me to the bone.
"Thank God you're alive," Louise adds when she pulls back, holding my face in her hands and wiping away my tears.
"Thank you for coming." She just smiles at me, as if I didn't even have to thank her for that. "This is Clarisse. She found me on the motorway and brought me here. She saved me."
Louise then turns to face the lady that had stepped back to leave more room for the two of us. Louise walks up to her and holds her hands when they are face-to-face.
"Thank you so much for what you did for Blanca. And for staying with her all these days," Louise thanks her and I can notice how her husband's mannerism have stuck with her because in gratitude, Louise bows her head to Clarisse.
"I can't leave a kid in need alone. She was all alone and I felt responsible. It was the least I could do," Clarisse explains, making me smile. I can understand a bit why she runs an orphanage.
"I'm still deeply thankful for what you did. And for what you'll do in the future." Clarisse only smiles in that heart-warming way. "May I ask you to leave Blanca and I alone? There are some private things we need to discuss. I'll discuss some with you later, but she needs to know first."
Clarisse immediately agrees, using the chance to take some fresh air and make calls. So Louise and I are left alone and when she grabs my hand to hold it, I know what she needs to talk about. It's hard for me already, I tense at the very thought.
"Do you really think it was Laura?" I ask, not daring to look at her.
"Her motive is the strongest and the activists keep denying it. As you know, it contradicts everything they stand for." I nod, knowing that. "But there's no concrete evidence against Laura and there's a witness that claims it was an attack. The media have started speculating that it might be other companies trying to sabotage BEEB Group, which is extremely likely, too." I take a deep sigh, closing my eyes because the headache is, one again, getting stronger. "It was premeditated, that's for certain. Someone wanted to harm you and that person might try it again."
"What do we do then? How can I go home? I can't stay in the hospital forever."
"No, you can't, and you can't go home. I've talked to lawyers of my trust and a detective. We've agreed that the best is to keep you hidden until we find out who's behind this attack."
"Did you involve the police? But they'll tell Laura!" I protest, but raising my voice makes my head hurt. This is worse than a hangover.
"No. I've told him my suspicions and in order to keep you hidden the fewer people know, the better. So no one will be informed we've found you, not even your family in Chile. I'm really sorry about that, Blanca."
My heart clenches at the thought that Mamá will think I'm still missing and probably dead. Even if we barely see each other, she's still my mother and I love her. I'd be devastated if our situations were switched.
"Does it have to be like that?" I ask, trying to fight the tears.
"If we want to keep you safe, then yes." I look away, shutting my eyes tighter, trying not to cry again. This is for my safety, to stay alive, so I have to do it, otherwise my mother could mourn me for real. "Don't worry, you won't be alone. Nora will stay with you."
"Won't that raise suspicions?" I ask then, taking deep breaths and finding so much comfort at the thought Nora will be with me.
"I'll say I've sent her back to her grandparents in Seoul because she's too depressed with your disappearance. She'll come with you instead."
"And where will I be going?" I continue with the deep breaths, doing my best to take this calmly instead of having a mental breakdown.
"You'll go with Clarisse." My head snaps in her direction, eyes widening in shock and disbelief.
"The same Clarisse that's been with me all these days?" Louise only nods her head. "But how... when did you—?"
"We haven't figured out all the details, but she said she'd help you when I briefly explained to her over the phone that it had to be kept a secret you were here."
"I'll be going to the orphanage with her?"
"It's a good place to hide you and as she already knows your situation, it means there's no need to tell anyone else. She's already taken care of you, she seems a better option than a complete stranger."
"I know but... it's weird."
"I know, but let me handle it all. I'll have a confidentiality agreement to be signed and I'll make sure to support the orphanage. For her help, she'll be greatly rewarded." Still a bit hesitant and worried about it, I nod my head. "Good. Now I'll go talk to Clarisse to settle the details and with your doctor. Please, take a good rest. I won't be able to stay for much longer in order not to set off the alarm in Laura's head, but I'll say goodbye before leaving."
"Okay," I agree reluctantly, squeezing her hand tighter. She pats my head in a loving way, smiling kindly and with her eyes filled with worry.
She kisses my forehead before leaving my side and the room, so I'm once again alone in here. My heart starts racing, my thoughts a whirlwind that leaves me breathless. I try to make sense of things, to put them in order, but it's impossible. I'm scared and so confused, I don't even know how to feel about it. About the fact I'll have to hide, the fact someone wants to kill me, and the fact even my family will think I'm still missing instead of recovering from the accident.
Even if Louise told me to rest, I can't. I try closing my eyes but I just get flashbacks from the accident: the car spinning, the noise, the pain. I only end up opening my eyes again, breathing hard and looking for someone around, but there's no one, which makes it even worse because that's how I was in the car, completely alone.
After what is seems forever, Clarisse and Louise walk in and I want to whine in relief, hoping any of them hurries to my side and reminds me I'm not alone, I'm not dying.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Louise asks me, seeing my frantic expression and coming to take my hand.
"I can't... the accident is too vivid." Her face contorts in worry and sympathy, so she just sits next to me on the bed and brings me closer.
"It's okay, that's over now. You'll be safe, Blanca. Clarisse will take care of you and keep you hidden until we figure this out. It's temporary."
I look up at Clarisse who is smiling at me. "You'll be fine, love. I won't let anyone harm you."
"Thank you," I mouth, at what she nods.
"Nora will come soon and stay with you, so she'll keep us in contact. We'll also continuously sponsor the Dream House even after you come back. I'm sure this is a cause you honestly will want to support."
I don't have to think about it. The fact that Clarisse is willing to help me makes me grateful enough to honestly want to help her. Not as a facade, not to help us evade taxes, but because I want to help.
"Remember no one is supposed to know who you are, so you can't tell your full name to anyone. The kids won't know you, but still you shouldn't tell them who you are. You have to stick to a story that will serve as your coverup when you come back."
"What's that story?" I question out loud.
"We'll continue with your temporal amnesia due to the trauma of the accident. Clarisse found you and brought you here, and as you didn't remember anything and no files of your disappearance were filled in the zone, you're staying with her until you remember. We're just changing the fact you remember, so the medical records don't have to be altered."
"That's what I'll say when I come back? I won't have to say I was hiding or anything?"
"When the time comes we'll know for sure, but as for now, it's good to have an idea of what could be your excuse to stay in the orphanage for as long as you need to." I heave a sigh, knowing it's like that. "It'll be okay, Blanca. We'll find the real responsible of your accident and you'll come back home."
"I know." My mind really knows it, it's logical and safe, even if it might not be practical or brave, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make me uneasy.
"That's good. The doctor said you can leave tomorrow and Nora will join you shortly after. So just stay with Clarisse, I'll take care of everything else."
I nod my head, trusting Louise on everything. I can really put my life in her hands and I'm sure she'd protect me.
Shortly after I have to say goodbye to her, because she has so much to take care of, keeping it secret from Laura, which will be hard so she has no time to lose. I'm reluctant to let her go, not knowing when I'll see her again, but she promises me it'll be okay and reminds me Nora will be with me soon. I won't be all alone, which is the biggest problem now. I really don't want to be alone.
Because Clarisse has to go back to the orphanage to take care of things herself, I'm left alone tonight and the weight of everything that's happened to me today, getting my memories back, Louise, the conspiracy theories... all that has exhausted me, but I'm not able to sleep. I close my eyes and I only see the empty car aside from me, the desperation of that moments engulfs me again and I open my eyes, frantic, breathing hard and silently crying.
I give up on sleeping and just watch telly the whole night. The next morning the nurse tells me I should've asked her to give me some medication if I couldn't sleep, but I honestly didn't even think about it. I was too busy with my own desperate thoughts. I'm so glad when Clarisse comes back after lunchtime, practically clinging to her and feeling relieved I'll be cleared up today, I won't have to stay alone in this room anymore.
"Everyone is expecting you in the Dream House. Are you ready to go meet them?" she asks me after we've talked to the doctor.
"I am. I just want to leave this bed," I reply, making her smile fondly.
"Let's go then, love. The Dream House will be your refugee now, like it's for all those other kids."
I take deep breaths, finding comfort in those words. I know things will be hard for me in the future, but it's been settled already, I just have to keep going and hope for the best.
❅ ❅ ❅
Happy new year, everyone! I hope this 2016 is a great year for all of us and let's stick together.
Well, things start getting more interesting (I hope) on the next chapter. We'll have new characters and guess who else will show up? Throw your wild guesses! Also, I'm officially jobless so I'm planning on writing more for this story and have many chapters in advance so we can go to twice updates every week. Pray I'll be able to do it! (I get distracted with Korean dramas, Japanese movies, mangas and other stories I'm writing kekeke. And Molly, which reminds me did you see my new profile picture with her and her murderous expression?)
Dedication to Lintz2
Bel, xx
~updates every Friday~