Amelia | ✔

45. The Future Past-Part 2

The walk to my living room was agonizing, to say the least.

Every wrong turn of my limbs sent searing pain to my whole torso. I gulped it down like a pro though. My husband was already worried enough without me adding my discomfort to his list of all things, Amelia.

"A few more steps, honey. " His smooth voice beside me made my lips stretched into a small smile. I was happy even after a really long time together, I still loved him.

He still loved me.

I had told him earlier since we left the hospital that I wasn't going back home to sleep. I've done enough of that at the hospital. I was going back home to sit at my favorite chair, overlooking our lawn so I can relax and listen to songs from the birds.

Our granddaughter was right behind us with a few bags my daughter had brought yesterday.

When she said she was going to prepare for me a few things from home, she had come back a few hours later with a pot of chicken soup and some changing clothes.

She took the time to cook. In my books, that was a step closer to getting my daughter back. Even though she didn't stick around long enough to actually make sure I ate what she cooked, it was still a big step.

"Grandma, would you like something to drink? A tea maybe?" Emma asked while at the same time, my husband was trying his best to sit me down on the couch without causing too much discomfort.

I imagined the sight must have looked almost comical from somebody else's view. Considering we were almost the same age, and both our bodies and joints were already tired.

"Yes, dear," I answered my granddaughter when my husband finally managed to put me down properly. "Just ask one of the helpers to prepare a black tea."

"Will you be okay?" My husband's eyes, the eyes that even though still deep, used to be a lot deeper during our youth, looked at my own worriedly.

I let out a breath and took his hand on mine. "Of course, I'll be okay, " I said. "Now, I know you haven't rest much. Why don't you go and do that?"

"What? No." He shook his head. "I'm gonna spend some time right here with you."

I intended to shake my head vigorously to tell him not to do that, but the moment I jerked my head, my ribs hurt, causing me to wince instead. He was tired, I could see that in his eyes and face because unlike me, he seemed to have forgotten he wasn't young anymore and decided to stay up all night with me in the hospital. So, while I rested my ribs away, he was constantly checking up on me to make sure I was comfortable.

"Okay." I shrugged, followed with an 'ow, ow' from the pain that shot on my side. "If you insist. I just thought..."

"Here's your tea, grandma." Emma's voice interrupted my answer.

She extended the hand with the tea towards me before she pulled the small coffee table closer to me.

"Grandma, can I ask you something?" Both my husband and I turned to look at her.

The way she said it, got me to reach on the table and place my cup of tea on top of it.

"Yeah, sure."

"What happened between you and mom?"

I didn't expect that question. I should have. She was not blind. She's seen the indifference between her mom and me. I guess, I thought somehow, she knew. There are moments in life you just wish some miracle would happen and people would just know things without you having to explain it to them because it's easier that way. It's easier not to be the bearer of some difficult conversations.

My husband and I looked at each other for a fleeting moment before we looked back at her.

"Mom never told me, " she continued. "She always said, it's complicated."

Was it? To some degree, yeah. Maybe... What happened wasn't my fault. It just happened. The way things were, it was bound to happen, and I had no choice but to move on and save myself.

"Do you remember when I told you, don't cry, my story was just that, a story in the past? "

She thought for a moment and bobbed her head.

"Well, some past follows you into the future, and no matter what you do, you can't fix them."

"I just want to understand," she pleaded.

I bobbed my head. "You will. You just have to stick around for the rest of the story. " I raised my hand and patted her on her cheek. "The answer to what happened can be found somewhere within my tale."

"It must have been so big if it came from your past, " she said.

"Why don't I leave you two to talk, huh?" My husband asked, making both Emma and me look at him. "I'll go and take that rest you offered."

"Okay, I'll be with you soon, " I said.

My husband bent down and placed a kiss on my left cheek before he turned to Emma and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Take care of your grandmother for me, okay?"

"I will, I promise."

"So, " I said once my husband disappeared around the corner. "Are you ready for more of my roller-coaster of a story?"

A small smile tugged at her lips, and her eyes lit like a Christmas tree.

"Absolutely."

*****

Okay, let the story continue.

What do you think happened between Rebecca and her mom Amelia?