Chapter 174: Life
"I can't see or walk, and I feel so lonely. Mom, I don't wanna live like this anymore."
Daniel just stared at the ceiling, reaching out like he was trying to grab something, but his hand just fell back down. He said it so calmly, like he was asking for a burger or something. But he was using his own body to make everyone bend to his will.
Maybe he really knew we were all here.
Emma was bawling, clutching Daniel's right hand, tears streaming down her face. "No, Daniel, don't think like that. Helen and Ronan are here, and we'll stick with you till the end. You won't be alone. Trust me, I can do it."
"And what am I supposed to do after you die?" Daniel's face stayed blank, like a fragile glass doll, but his words cut deep.
My heart clenched, a chill creeping up from my feet.
Every inch of me—my skin, my hair, my insides—turned to ice.
Daniel had woven an unbreakable net around me with his life, trapping me with no way out.
"Stop talking nonsense, you silly kid. I'm not that old; I can live for many years. Maybe one day you'll get better and see again."
Daniel didn't say anything else, and the room was filled with the sound of sobbing. Other than that, it was eerily quiet.
I felt so lost, like I was stuck in a gray fog. "Brad, what should we do?"
Before I could hear Brad's answer, I collapsed into his arms, hearing Ronan, Helen, and Brad's anxious calls. Something hot fell on my face, burning me.
Helen's gentle voice made me open my eyes.
I was lying on a small bed in the emergency room, Brad holding my hand, his eyes red.
"It's okay now, just a sudden fainting from extreme stress. Take a good rest. Be careful not to get too emotional, or it could cause complications."
Ronan thanked the doctor a million times as he walked him out.
"Brad, what should we do?" I cried, asking him.
Brad knelt down, covering his eyes with my hand.
In just over a month, this tall, strong man who gave me the most warmth and love was crying again.
"I don't know, I don't know. It's all my fault, I dragged you into this. Why did I have to catch a cold? It's all my fault." Brad kept blaming himself, his voice getting lower and lower until it turned into a sob.
When Emma came in, I shrank into the covers, scared.
Emma took Brad's hand, comforting him, then touched my cold face, giving a sad smile. "Jane, don't be afraid. I came to tell you that Daniel won't get his sight back because of you, and without you, he won't get worse. It was my fault for pressuring you before. This time, I won't make the same mistake.
You're right, Brad is also my son, and I can't be so biased as to sacrifice one son's future for another's wish. Daniel is already like this; I don't want to ruin Brad too. Don't force yourself to do things that make you unhappy. You love Brad, so be with him and live a happy life.
I got two sons, and as long as one of 'em is happy, I'm happy too. Jane, don't feel any burden. Hugh and I will take care of Daniel."
Emma's words hit me right in the feels, bringing tears to my eyes. Helen looked at Emma, totally shocked, and reached out to hold her hands.
With Emma backing us up, Brad and I finally saw a glimmer of hope in our mess.
"Emma, thank you," Helen cried, hugging Emma.
Sometimes, crying's the best way to let it all out.
Brad kissed the back of my hand, saying, "Mom, thank you, and I'm sorry."
Suddenly, a loud noise made us all jump.
At the emergency room door, Hugh stood there, pushing Daniel in a wheelchair.
The noise came from an apple, rolling helplessly on the floor.
That throw must've taken all Daniel's strength. He slumped back in the wheelchair, his eyes empty, his face showing anger, despair, deep regret, and sorrow.
"Daniel."
No one said a word because no one knew what to say.
Seven people in the big emergency room, but it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Hugh's shout broke the silence because Daniel had fainted.
After some emergency treatment, he woke up, but he didn't cry or make a fuss, not even a single word.
He'd gone back to being the Daniel who shut himself off from the world.
The mental health doc said his physical disability had triggered depression, and it wasn't looking good. He needed family care and warmth, and we should encourage him to talk and remember happy times, especially the ones he liked.
"In his current state, what's the worst that could happen?" Brad asked the doc, worried.
The doc adjusted his glasses, looking calm. "It's hard to say. Some people cooperate with treatment and bounce back in a few months. Others, for various reasons, trap themselves, and meds don't help much. In some severe cases, self-harm can happen."
"Self-harm?" Emma repeated, shocked.
"Yeah, like this one woman had really bad postpartum depression and couldn't get better. She ended up jumping from the ninth floor, losing her life. Of course, that's an exception; most patients can recover."
Life!
That word felt like a curse, trapping and hurting everyone.
The little hope I had just seen vanished again.
Daniel slept under the effect of sedatives, with Hugh watching over him. The rest of us sat silently in the smoking room.
We just stared at the empty chair.
Helpless silence!
Emma broke the silence first. "Helen, I meant what I said. It's not that I'm heartless; Daniel's already like this, and we can't sacrifice Brad's whole life." She rubbed her tear-dried eyes, giving a bitter smile. "Jane, be with Brad. No matter what happens to Daniel, you don't have to worry this time. Hugh and I will handle everything."
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