Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Lacey’s mood shifted, and her voice grew cold. “I’m not a professional. I just know a bit, so I don’t have the expertise of city doctors.”
Landon wanted to clarify that he hadn’t meant to offend, but he chose not to explain. He accepted the bowl and drank the medicine quickly.
He had no fear of being poisoned. If they had intended to harm him, they wouldn’t have gone through all this effort.
Lacey observed as Landon finished the medicine. Seeing he was done, her frown eased and her expression softened.
She retrieved the bowl and gently said, “Get some rest.” Jeanette came over with a warm smile and carefully tucked the quilt around Landon.
A pang of longing for Elma shot through Landon. He instinctively reached out and softly patted Jeanette’s head.
Lacey’s eyes flickered at the sight, and that odd feeling crept back in. “Jeanee, come on. Let’s go,” she said, her voice a gentle nudge.
Jeanette nodded and trailed behind Lacey as they left the room.
Once they were out of earshot, Lacey said, “Hey, you need to be more cautious. Haven’t I told you not to get too close to strangers? What if they’re bad ones?”
Jeanette pouted. “But he seems nice,” she mumbled. “And handsome too. And anyway, you wouldn’t have brought him here if he was bad. You let me meet him because you know he’s okay, right?”
Jeanette flashed a cheeky grin, looking utterly adorable. A smile tugged at Lacey’s lips. She lightly tapped Jeanette’s head. “Oh, you.” She chuckled.
Jeanette rubbed her head, her eyes sparkling with hope. “Can we keep him?” she pleaded. “I really like him. I want him to live with us.”
“No,” Lacey said firmly, crouching down to look Jeanette in the eye. “He has a wife and kids, his own family. He can’t be part of ours. Do you get it?”
Jeanette nodded, though she didn’t fully grasp what Lacey meant. Her face fell in disappointment. “But if he has a family, why did they leave him all alone?” she questioned, her brow furrowed. “He looked so pathetic. He might have died if you hadn’t treated him in time. Is that how families are supposed to treat each other?”
Lacey struggled to find an answer. She was just as puzzled. Judging by the way Landon spoke, he seemed to have come from a well-off background. How did he end up in such a state? Maybe there was more to the story. He did mention wanting to find his wife and children.
Lacey pushed the thoughts aside. It wasn’t her concern, after all.
A few days passed, and Landon’s condition improved significantly. He was finally able to get out of bed.
The rain continued to fall.
Landon decided to explore his surroundings. He found himself in a small village nestled beside a river. It seemed to be west of Burmoos, but still quite a distance away. He hadn’t realized he had been carried so far.
A sudden gust of wind made Landon shiver. He frowned.
Just then, Jeanette toddled over, clutching a small blanket in her hands, and offered it to Landon with a sweet smile. “Here. Cover yourself up so you don’t get sick,” she chirped.
The sight of Jeanette brought Elma’s face flashing back to Landon’s mind. He felt a pang of genuine concern for Elma, her situation weighing heavily on his heart.
Landon managed a weak smile. “Thank you.”
Jeanette giggled, her small voice echoing in the room. “Don’t thank me,” she said. “Thank Lacey!”
Landon turned his head, following Jeanette’s gaze, and saw Lacey standing quietly by the doorway. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed Lacey’s face. She quickly averted her gaze, her expression returning to its usual stoicism. Landon offered a slight nod in greeting.
Lacey walked toward him, her voice soft as she inquired, “Do you like children?”
Feeling a surge of gratitude toward Lacey for saving him, Landon replied gently, “Not particularly, but I think Jeanette is adorable.” Elma’s name remained unspoken. He simply wasn’t up to discussing the situation.
Lacey nodded slowly, her eyes drifting toward Jeanette. Jeanette was happily splashing in a small tub of water, her joyful laughter filling the room..
Elsewhere, Leila jolted awake, heart pounding, from yet another terrifying nightmare. Sweat soaked her sheets, and a feverish heat pulsed through her body. It had been a while since Elma had returned home from her hospital stay.
Elma still resisted calling Leila “mom,” but Leila didn’t want to force her. Thankfully, the three children were getting along famously. Elma was slowly but surely finding her place within the family.
However, Elma still required regular hospital visits for injections and medication. The sheer amount of medication the young girl had to endure was heartbreaking. Her face contorted with dislike whenever it was time for medicine.
But they had no other options. The doctor had been adamant. This was the only way to restore Elma to full health. Above all else, no further accident was allowed to happen to her. Her well-being was paramount.
A throbbing headache pounded in Leila’s head. She reached for the glass of water on the nightstand. Yet, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and the glass tumbled from her grasp, shattering on the floor.
Alarmed by the commotion, Sophie rushed into the room. Leila’s flushed face instantly told her something was wrong. Sophie hurried to Leila’s side, placing a hand on her forehead.
“Mom, you’re burning up!” Sophie exclaimed, her voice laced with worry.
Leila suddenly became aware of the heat coursing through her. Even her breaths felt hot. Noticing Sophie’s anxious expression, Leila attempted to soothe her. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” she said, “I’ll be fine. Just need a bit of rest.”
Sophie stood her ground. “No. We need to get you to the hospital.”
At that moment, Calvin and Elma showed up. Calvin hurried inside the room, while Elma lingered at the doorway, her expression a mixture of emotions as she looked at Leila.
Despite Elma’s concern for Leila, she hesitated, unable to bring herself to approach Leila. Leila, sensing Elma’s reluctance, offered her a reassuring smile instead of showing any anger.
Feeling exposed, Elma tried to shrink back.
Calvin didn’t miss this. He marched toward Elma, his voice sharp with disapproval. “Our mom’s sick, Elma. Why aren’t you more concerned?”
Ever since the last incident, Calvin hadn’t been as gentle with Elma as before. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Elma was to blame for the pain Sophie had endured.
The fact that Elma still refused to acknowledge Leila as her mother further fueled his resentment.
Leila’s anxiety spiked at Calvin’s harsh tone. “Calvin…” She coughed, trying to get his attention. “Don’t speak to your sister that way.”
Sophie glared at Calvin disapprovingly.
But Calvin was still fuming, feeling utterly wronged. “Mom, I’m just looking out for you! Elma’s being a little brat. You’re sick, and she can’t even be bothered to come see you. Haven’t you always been there for her, bending over backwards?”
Anxious, Leila struggled to get up from the bed. Calvin stood his ground, his arms crossed, a picture of defiance.
Elma was completely at a loss. She bit her lip, holding back tears, unsure of how to respond.
Sophie knew she had to step in and try to soothe Elma’s hurt feelings. “Elma, don’t let him get to you. Calvin’s usually a good kid. He’s just worried sick about our mom right now.”
Elma wrenched her hand from Sophie’s grasp and bolted from the room, tears streaming down her face.
Leila felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. She turned her back on Calvin, not wanting to see him right now.
Tears welled up in Calvin’s eyes, a rare sight for the usually stoic boy. Frustration and guilt mingled within him. “Mom…” he choked out, moving to her bedside, his head hung low. “I can’t stand seeing you like this, in so much pain. I hate seeing you sad. Please don’t be angry with me. I promise I won’t say those things again.”
Leila sighed, her voice heavy with worry. “If something happens to me, it’ll just be the three of you left. How can I be at peace knowing you treat each other this way?”
Sophie’s brow furrowed with worry. “Mom, don’t talk like that,” she said, her voice filled with concern. “I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”
Leila slowly shook her head, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. Her body felt heavy, her mind sluggish. She was too tired to even lift a finger, let alone deal with a hospital visit. All she craved was the soft embrace of sleep.
After running off, Elma didn’t waste any time. She found a quiet spot, ensuring no one was around, and dialed Clayton.
Clayton was surprised when he saw Elma’s name pop up on his phone. “Elma? What’s going on? Did something happen?”
“Clayton…” Elma sniffled, feeling a little choked up. But she didn’t forget why she called and lowered her voice. “My mom’s feeling unwell. She won’t go to the hospital, and I don’t know what to do. Can you come over?”
Clayton froze for a second, his heart racing. “Leila is sick? And she refused to go to the hospital? Why would she do that? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
As Clayton hurriedly gathered his things, a thought struck him. “Elma, does that mean you’re finally accepting Leila as your mom?”
Elma’s voice dropped to a whisper, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, she’s my mom. But let’s not talk about it right now.”
Meanwhile, Sophie had the maid try cold compresses to bring down Leila’s fever, but nothing seemed to work.
At the hospital, Leila’s condition was worse than they’d thought. She had a viral infection that had spread to her lungs.