A chilling draft swept through the room, sending shivers down my spine. I gazed at the sunset outside the window, a faint smile
playing on my lips. “No, let’s not. Your birthday should be spent with your mother.” My voice was soft, distant. “Liam, have you forg-
otten what I told you? From now on, you only have one mother.”
འ ཆ ཅ — ྾ ༀ ༅ ་ ིི =
Liam realized I was talking about Ashley. He lowered his eyes, crestfallen, and after a long moment, said, “She’s not my mother.
You are.” He looked up, his eyes now welling with a pain I recognized. “After that fire, I realized a mother is just a mother. No one
else can replace you.” He added, his voice thick, “I’m sorry, Mom. I was wrong.” He seemed, at that moment, to suddenly recall all
the kindness I had shown him. And he said another apology. “I shouldn’t have questioned why you didn’t want me.” His voice crack-
- ed. “It was Daddy and I who lost you.”
I began to walk again. My yoga class was about to start. I had only taken two steps when a phone rang behind me. Liam answered
- it. In less than two seconds, the phone clattered to the ground, and his frantic footsteps passed me by. I instinctively asked him, “–
What happened?”
Liam’s face was filled with panic. “Daddy’s in the emergency room. I have to go now.” With that, he ran towards the school gate.
As I drove out, Liam was still standing by the roadside. It was rush hour, and he couldn’t get a cab. I thought for a moment, then rolled down the window. “Get in. I’ll drive you.”
The car stopped at the hospital entrance. I dropped Liam off and intended to leave. But then I heard him say, “I’m scared. I lost you on my birthday. I don’t want to lose Daddy too.” His voice cracked. “Could you please stay with me?”
My heart softened almost instantly.
Julian had suffered sudden myocarditis. Thankfully, he received timely emergency care and survived. Seeing him wheeled out of the emergency room, I didn’t linger. But from behind me, I heard his weak murmur, “Cassidy, you’re back. It’s good.”
My stens didn’t falter instead I walked factor Julian desperata climbed out of his bosnival bad “Cassidy please don’t
20 37
My steps didn’t falter, instead, I walked faster. Julian, desperate, climbed out of his hospital bed, “Cassidy, please, don’t go.”
A gasp erupted. “Blood! He’s bleeding!” “Mr. Vance, why are you suddenly so agitated?” “That IV line tore such a long gash, stop the
bleeding quickly!”
I turned back to see Julian crawling towards me, a winding trail of blood behind him. He reached my feet, grasping my ankle, sobb- ing as if he had found his last hope.
