Vera's eyes turned red and she felt a twinge in her heart. She rushed over and hugged her mother, Mabie.
"It's good that you're finally here," Mabie said as she patted her on the back. Tears started to pool in her eyes as well as they hadn't seen each other in so many years.
After Vera stepped out of the embrace, she looked at her mother with tears in her eyes and asked, "Dad... How is he doing?"
"The doctor said that he has to be hospitalized for observations for 48 hours after successfully resuscitating him. He would be fine once he is out of the woods, but..."
"48 hours..." Vera nearly passed out when she heard the time.
Wouldn't that be two days?
How did he get so severely injured?
"Where is he now? Can I go visit him?"
Mabie shook her head and said, "He's in the ICU right now. The doctors don't allow multiple visits at the moment. Your relatives came this morning. We can only take a look at him from outside his ward." "Alright."
On their way to the ICU, Mabie suddenly frowned and said, "There seems to be a strange smell. What's that smell?"
Vera wanted nothing more than to see her father right now. She shook her head indicating that she could not smell what Mabie had.
Just then, Mabie looked at Vera in astonishment. "Vera, how, how can you come to the hospital looking like this?" She exclaimed.
It had been many years since they had met and Mabie was too excited to take notice. But now, she realized Vera had come dressed in her pajamas. Moreover, there were stains on it and her hair was unkempt.
"Mom? What's wrong? Let's go and see Dad."
Mabie stopped in her tracks and thought for a moment. "I'm afraid that you will frighten your dad if he wakes up and sees you looking like this."
Vera was confused. "What's wrong with me?" She asked.
"Look at how messy your hair is. Even a chicken's nest looks nicer than your hair. And the foul smell that I was referring to..." Mabie leaned in and got a whiff of her body odor. She then took a couple of steps back in disgust as she said, "Tell me, when was the last time you had taken a shower? You smell very bad. Didn't anyone faint on your way here?"
Vera was at a loss for words.
Vera stared at her mother, speechless. She helplessly lowered her head in the end.
Sure, her words were still just as hurtful even though they hadn't seen each other for so many years. Was she really her daughter?
"Fortunately, you are not allowed in the ward. Your smell... You will be able to wake him up only to put him back in a comatose state.
"Mom!" Vera was agitated. "Can you stop insulting me? Dad is still lying in the ICU!"
When Mabie heard this, she rolled her eyes at her with resentment. "If I did not tell you that he was in the ICU, would you have come back?"
"I..."
"I think you'd better come home and clean yourself up first since we are not allowed to visit him. Look how unpresentable you are right now."
"Since I'm already here, why don't you let me go and take a look at Dad first? Mom, I'm begging you. All I'm asking for is one look, I'll clean myself up right after!"
Mabie compromised in the end. Tears started pooling in Vera's eyes again when she stood behind the window of the ICU and stared at the person lying in the hospital bed.
"D*mned old man, how can you be so careless when you drive? You have so much driving experience yet you were involved in an accident. Wouldn't you be a laughing stock if this news got out?"
Vera wept as she spoke.
When Mabie saw this, she could not help but shed tears as well. She wiped away her tears as she patted Vera on the shoulder, "You d*mned girl. How can you still call your father that now that he's in the ICU? You have no conscience."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Perfect Mysterious Husband