Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Landon opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words. He was frustrated that Elma didn’t take her own condition seriously. He said nothing, once again underestimating her stubbornness.
Yet, seeing Elma on the brink of fainting from crying, Landon had no choice but to concede. He gently took Elma from Leila’s arms, holding her close, and then moved closer to Leila, wrapping an arm around her waist.
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The warmth of Landon’s hand on her waist made Leila feel a little uneasy and shy. However, seeing Elma’s distress, Leila decided to go along with it.
Landon gently soothed Elma.
“Look, now we are both holding you. I wasn’t ignoring you, sweetheart. I was worried about you, and that’s why I got angry. Please, don’t cry anymore, Elma. This is all on me.”
Only then did Elma quiet down, her gaze lingering on Leila and Landon’s close embrace, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Having cried so hard, Elma hiccupped between sobs, making her even more endearing.
Elma nodded, her voice shaky with each hiccup.
“That’s good.” Settling into the warmth of Leila and Landon’s embrace, Elma gazed up at the bright light above, a sense of melancholy washing over her. Lying comfortably between her parents, feeling their closeness, was a rare occasion for her. To be precise, it was something she had never experienced before. This was the first time.
Elma closed her eyes, her heart full, and silently made a wish. She wished for more days like this-days where her parents would always stay together, never to part. And that they, along with her siblings, would always be together, united as a family..
As Elma lay there, feeling drowsy, her goal for the day suddenly flashed in her mind. She quickly jolted awake. She couldn’t afford to sleep, not when she had a mission to complete.
With that thought in mind, Elma cleared her throat and sweetly said to Leila, “Mom, I feel sleepy now.”
Leila flushed, pulling away slightly. She replied, “Let me change you first, and then you can sleep.”
Landon quickly seized the chance to retreat.
“I’ll step outside for a moment.”
“No!” Elma’s voice rang out, strong and insistent. Her small hands grabbed at both of them.
“You can’t leave! You have to stay with me!” Elma insisted, her voice firm.
Leila and Landon exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the hint of resignation in each other’s eyes.
Leila responded, “No, either I sleep with you, or your daddy does, but not both of us together.”
“Why not?”
“Well… because…” Leila hesitated, momentarily caught off guard by the seriousness of Elma’s question.
Unable to recall what had happened in the past, Leila turned to Landon, hoping he could help explain.
Landon softly patted Elma’s back, his tone gentle as he explained, “Because we’re divorced, sweetheart. It’s not something people in our situation usually do.”
Landon didn’t mince his words. He knew Elma and the other two children understood this, though it had never been openly discussed before. Nonetheless, it needed to be said.
If Leila recalled the past and decided to be with Clayton, their divorce would inevitably come to light.
Before Elma could ask anything more, Landon gently cut her off.
“I understand what you’re thinking, but Elma, some bonds, once broken, are hard to rebuild. You’ll understand when you get older.”
Elma refused to accept Landon’s words, looking intently at Landon and Leila as she said earnestly, “But after all, you are my mum and dad. Wouldn’t it be natural for me to want you to get back together?”
Leila felt a heavy weight in her chest. So she and Landon had really been together once. They had even been married. BLM Free they had been separated. Could it be, as Lacey had once suggested, that they had never been happy together? Or was it possible that she had cheated on Landon first? The thought made her gasp. She looked at Landon and felt a pang of unease that she could not shake.
Landon, however, was completely focused on comforting Elma. He was oblivious to the way Leila was looking at him.
Elma understood the meaning of Landon’s words. But she gritted her teeth, refusing to give up just yet. Landon’s divorce from Leila did not matter. All she wanted was for her parents to make things right and be a family again. If they really didn’t love each other anymore, why hadn’t they started new families by now? The question gnawed at her, but she was determined. Even if it meant that her parents would be angry with her, she wasn’t going to give up trying to bring them back together.
Elma held on to Landon and Leila’s hands, her eyes pleading.
“Mum, Dad, let’s not talk about the divorce. I need you both or I’ll have nightmares at night. As soon as you leave, the nightmares will stop.”
Landon frowned.
“What kind of nightmares?”
Elma closed her eyes as if the memory was too vivid. Her eyelashes trembled and her face showed real fear.
“In my dream, no one wanted me. I was lonely, handicapped and even turned into a monster.” Her voice cracked as she added, “People despised me and my parents labelled me as unwanted.
Her words caught in her throat and her voice broke completely. Landon’s serious expression melted away. He sighed and reached out to pat Elma gently on the head.
Landon had always been worried about Elma’s condition. Elma’s dreams were not without reason. They felt almost like a warning, a fragile glimpse of something unspoken. Her health was never a certainty, nor was the promise of a long life. While she could still run, laugh and embrace the joy around her, why not grant her this small wish?
After considering this, Landon remained silent, his expression unreadable as he looked at Leila. Surprisingly, she seemed to have come to the same conclusion.
Lowering her head, Leila pressed a gentle kiss to Elma’s forehead and whispered, “Don’t worry. We’ve decided to stay with you tonight. No matter what dreams might come, we’ll be right here for you.”
Elma’s eyes fluttered open, filled with both hope and doubt.
“Really? You’re not lying to me, are you? You won’t sneak away once I’m asleep, right?”
Leila was slightly amused.
“Of course, I won’t lie to you.”
Elma immediately turned to Landon. He cleared his throat, his voice steady and serious.
“When have I ever lied to you?”
Elma’s face lit up with pure happiness. With her wish granted, she lay back on the bed, patting the spots beside her. Her expectant gaze landed on Landon and Leila.
For a moment, Landon and Leila exchanged an awkward glance. The unease in each other’s eyes was unmistakable, and Leila’s cheeks flushed with warmth.
“Maybe I should change into pajamas first,” Leila muttered.
“Elma, you go ahead and sleep. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
Leila tugged at the shawl draped over her shoulders. Her nightgown was a loose camisole, not ideal for sharing a bed with Landon. It wasn’t a problem when it was just her and Elma, but with Landon there, it felt inappropriate.
Elma pouted, her voice thick with sleep.
“No, I’m tired now. It’s fine, Mom. I’ll sleep between you two.”
Leila glanced at the clock. It was already well past midnight. Seeing Elma struggle to keep her eyes open, she relented with a sigh and decided to have someone fetch another blanket later if necessary.
The three of them settled onto the bed.
As if on cue, a gentle rain began to fall outside, the rhythmic tapping against the windows bringing a soothing calm to the room.
In the stillness of the night, the only sound was their soft, steady breathing.
Elma nestled closer to Leila, her tiny hand still gripping Landon’s. A quiet happiness filled her, though her eyelids grew heavy with sleep. Despite her drowsiness, she held on, determined not to fall asleep just yet.
“Mom, Dad, are you asleep?” she asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
Leila brushed her hand gently over Elma’s hair.
“Almost,” she replied softly.