Chapter 70

Aurora's POV
Comforted by Dante’s words, I tried to calm my mind. My mother had been there for me through every hardship I had gone through. Now, in this difficult time, it was my turn to be there for her with all my love. “I want her to know that she is not alone in this,” I said with a deep sigh.
As the time for surgery approached, the medical team came in to explain the procedure. Despite the amount of information they were giving me, I chose to focus on the things that would help me and my mother stay calm. Seeing my mother smile even though she was so nervous gave me encouragement.
“I’m here for you, Mom. We’ll get through this together,” I said, reaching out to take her hand.
With a gentle hug, my mom returned it with a loving look. “You’re the light of my life, my love. We can get through this.” With that reassurance between us, the worry slowly faded away.
As the doctor wheeled my mom into the operating room, I felt like a part of me was slipping away. But with Dante’s support and faith in my heart, I pushed myself to stay positive. After my mom went into the operating room, Dante and I waited in the waiting room, sharing a glimmer of hope.
“She’s strong, and she’ll be okay,” Dante said, looking at me with conviction. “Keep believing.”
As I waited, I began to reflect on all that we’d been through, including the constant upheavals that life brings. I cherished this moment—getting stronger and growing as an individual. And now, more than ever, I was determined to give my mom all the love and appreciation she had, because she was my pillar of strength.
Hopefully the operation goes well, our relationship can be closer, and the love in our family will play a more important role. With hope in my heart, I look forward to good news coming soon.
After waiting for what felt like three long hours, the doctor finally came out of the operating room with a relieved smile. “The surgery went well,” he said in a calm tone, and my heart swelled at the good news. Gratitude immediately filled my heart; I felt a weight lift from my shoulders.
However, when the doctor continued, “Your mother is still asleep due to the general anesthesia,” I felt my ears ring again. “But that’s normal,” he added. “She’ll wake up soon after the effects wear off.”
Hearing that my mother was still unconscious made me feel worried, even though I knew it was part of the recovery process. I continued to wait outside the room, hoping to see her wake up and see her smile. In the silence of the waiting room, I felt a mixture of calm and anxiety.
Dante, seeing that I was starting to feel tired and hungry, approached me. “Come on, Aurora. Let’s eat in the cafeteria. You need to recharge,” he suggested, trying to distract me for a moment. “You can’t just wait here without eating.”
I nodded, trying to agree with the suggestion, even though my mind was still focused on my mother. “Okay, but just for a little while,” I said. Slowly, the two of us made our way to the hospital cafeteria.
While we were in the cafeteria, I wearily ordered my food. Hunger crept back into my stomach even though I was still feeling a little uneasy. Dante sat beside me, occasionally joking around to try and lift my mood. He patiently shared funny stories and memories of the past, doing his best to make me feel better.
“Trust me, your mother is a strong woman. She will recover soon,” he said, encouraging me to believe. “You are here for her, and that means a lot.”
I smiled at him, feeling compassion and understanding within me. Even though the current situation was very difficult, there was relief when I was with Dante, finding strength in our bond. We were simple, but supportive in a way that made me feel less alone.
After a while, we returned to the waiting room. And as we waited with him, a few moments later, I felt like time had stopped. When the doctor entered the room and told me that my mother was starting to regain consciousness, my heart fluttered with hope.
“It will take her a little while to fully recover, but she is in good condition,” the doctor explained. My steps quickly headed to my mother's treatment room. When I entered and saw my mother slowly opening her eyes, all my anxiety burned away.
"Mom, I'm here," I said softly, approaching while holding her hand. Seeing my mother regain consciousness gave me an infinite sense of happiness. In her weak state, she smiled at me, as if saying that everything would be okay.
Understanding that the journey ahead was still long, we would face it together, and the love between us was a stronger guarantee than anything else. My mother was on the road to recovery, I was ready to give everything for my mother.
After a few hours in the hospital and making sure my mother was okay, my father told me to go home. "Your children need you at home," he said in a calming tone. I knew how important her role was, and even though it was hard to leave my mother, I understood that the journey to recovery was still long and I had to be there for my other family.
"Okay, Dad. I'm going home," I replied, even though my heart felt heavy as I stepped out of the treatment room. Before leaving, I gave my mother a soft kiss on the cheek. "Mom, I'll be back in a moment. Get enough rest."
Dante waited outside, and as we exited the hospital, he looked at me with a knowing smile. “Ready to go home?” he asked, trying to distract me from the feelings that were probably overwhelming me.