"Can I go with you?" I asked him when I saw him just coming out of the bathroom.
He focused his gaze on me as I lowered my gaze to his body with traces of water on the towel wrapped around his lower body. I suddenly became curious as to what was behind that towel. Hmm...
"You can go with me whenever you want to, of course," he said softly to me and stared at me for a while.
Now is Uncle Saldy's operation scheduled so I want to come. I couldn’t imagine much of what I would get there especially when I remembered his mom who suddenly called me last night.
I smiled because of that. I no longer restrained myself to standing up and attending to him who was currently standing in front of the large mirror in our room. I hugged it from behind and I could feel his shock at what I had done.
"Stop doing this, Lumiere. We can't leave right away because of what you're doing," he meaningfully told me. I just smiled at what he just said.
I kept my hug with him. After a while, I felt his grip on my arm hugging him, and forced him to face me. When he finally faced me, he covered my face with both his hands and kissed me gently on the lips. My neck almost break because of what he did because he was so tall.
"What's wrong? Tell me," he uttered.
I just shook my head and smiled at him.
"I just... want to be with you all the time. Thank you for always choosing us, Levi," I said to him and hugged him again before he could even see my tears.
I heard his laugh before reciprocating my hug.
"Stop giving me mixed signals. I might think you're pregnant again and..."
He couldn't continue what he was going to say because I had already hit him in the back.
"I'm not, silly," I told him as I laughed.
As much as I don't want to think anything bad, I still can't help but think that because of what his mom said to me last night. It wasn't that detail. She said nothing but cry and repeatedly mentioned the names of my mom and her husband. I don't want to think that it can affect my relationship with Levi but from what I can see, it can. It’s possible that’s going to happen which is what I’m scared of.
When we arrived at the hospital, we found Aunt Criselda and Uncle Saldy's siblings and Levi's other relatives. I was even surprised when I saw her deep gaze on me and the woman next to her, it was Marichu. Again. Why is it that everywhere I look I see this woman? What is she doing here?
"How is he? Has he woken up yet?" Levi asked everyone and kissed his mom's cheek.
I even saw that Mari was ready to kiss him too but the man quickly avoided her so I almost laughed.
"I'm so sorry... aunt," I hesitated to greet her.
She didn’t move but she hugged me too. Then she turned to her son who was now looking at his daddy who was still unconscious.
"He just woke up earlier. The doctor said he needs surgery now." Uncle Raul answered, Uncle Saldy's youngest brother.
"Really? That's good, right? Why hasn't the operation started yet? Is there anything else that needs to be done?" Levi repeatedly asked his uncle.
I just kept listening and watching as he held my hand tightly. My eyes can still catch his mom's stare at me. It looks like it wants to tell me something.
"He doesn't want to have surgery. He wants to die. We talked to him several times but he didn't listen," Auntie Criselda said bitterly.
I automatically focus my gaze on her. She was crying again as Mari calmed her down next to her. I could feel Levi's release on my hand so I backed away. He quickly approached his mom and hugged her.
"W-why?" Levi uttered in his broken voice.
"He wants to... be with Amalia," Auntie Criselda stated and burst out crying.
I was stunned when I heard that. I could feel the enveloping conscience all over my being especially when its cries echoed in the room while Levi was still hugging her. I can tell that she's really in pain right now. I can't fully imagine how much pain she is going through right now. I also can't imagine why Uncle Saldy said that, that he wants to be with my mom up there. Does he still love Mama? How did he hide it and endure it for so many years to himself?
-
"How is he? Did he wake up again?" I immediately asked Levi when he brought me back to the waiting area of the hospital. It was too lazy to sit next to me.
I wanted to go in and watch at least inside the room but the doctor did not allow many visitors. The brothers and other relatives returned home, and we were the only ones left. His mom stayed by his daddy’s side even though I heard earlier that he didn’t want to see her. She is not the one it wants to be with.
"He's awake but won't talk to us," Levi replied to me. I even heard his violent sigh.
I bit my lower lip and continue stared at my trembling hands. Wondering what I can do to help him just so that his daddy agrees to have the operation even though I really don't want to be involved anymore. I know he's still mad at me because I'm sure he sees Papa in me, but he's wrong there because Mama really looks like me. Is that the reason why? Or did he really not want the traitors to be a member of his family then?
"I’m still wondering who Amalia's mom was referring to earlier. Why does Dad want to be with her?" Levi asked in the air.
That's when I found out that until now, he didn't really know anything so I was just shaken.
"You should ask your mom, Lev..." I uttered to him and held his hands.
"I know how hard this situation is for you but please... don't give up. We will find a way to get your dad to have the surgery," I encouraged him and kissed him on his cheek.
Before Levi could utter any word, I was about to scream when Mari suddenly appeared and went straight to my future husband as if she hadn't seen me.
"There’s an emergency in the office, Lev. Can you go with me?" Serious but I can feel the teasing in her voice.
My eyebrows rose when I saw her holding Levi's arm and glanced at me for a moment.
"Why? What happened?" Levi immediately asked her and stood up so I just stood up too.
"This is about the movie adaptation of Astraea's book, they can't find a new artist to replace Marcus. They want to talk to us," Mari stated.
I just kept looking at the two of them until the man suddenly turned to look at me. As if he was trying to get my permission to go with her.
"Can you come with me?" he asked me but before I could answer him, Mari snapped from his back.
"She can't, Lev. She's not a part of the Acuzar Empire. Come on, we have to go," she said emphatically so I was stunned.
"But--"
"Just go, Lev. I'll just wait for you here," I cut him off then look at Mari. I raised an eyebrow at her and grinned at her.
"Make sure to take your hands off my fiancee, Mari, or else I will punch you without you realizing it," I threatened.
I could see the irritation on her face but before she could recover from me, I turned back to Levi with a wide smile.
"Wow," he uttered. He slid his palm around my waist. "I'll be quick there. I'll be right back," he said softly to me.
I just led him and glanced at Mari behind him for a moment. She was just staring at everything we were doing so I intentionally kissed Levi on the lips while looking at her.
"Be quick. I'll wait for you here," I said goodbye to him when I broke away from his kiss.
When they left, I wondered a few more times if I would do what I had thought before. I was walking towards Uncle Saldy when I saw Auntie Criselda go out of that room. I stood on the side for a while and when she disappeared from my sight I quickly entered the room.
When I entered, I was greeted by a deafening silence inside. I automatically focused my gaze on Uncle Saldy who was lying down and seemed asleep so I approached him quietly. I sat in the chair on the side of his bed and stared at him. His forehead was furrowed while still closed. There is a bandage on the head and there is oxygen attached.
I was staring at him for a few more minutes when he suddenly looked up and looked straight at me. I could feel my chest pounding as it stared at me for a long time.
"A-Amalia..."
My mouth dropped open when he said that. Its voice was cracked and still trembling.
"A-Amalia... I waited for you for a long time..." he fucking uttered.
I was even more shocked when I saw his hand lift as if reaching out to me. When I saw that it was difficult, I let him accept his hand. As soon as he held my hand tightly, I saw tears trickle down his face.
"A-are you choosing me now? Have you been here because you chose me?" he stammered again as those tears continued to stream down his cheeks.
I sighed. I could feel my heartbeat slowing down due to extreme pain. I feel like someone is refining me and someone is choking me. I could no longer understand how I felt especially when he tightened his grip on me.
"U-uncle Saldy..." I almost whispered to myself.
"P-please... tell me you're choosing me right now that's why you're here. I-I've been waiting for you for a long time. I want... I want to be with you, my love," he kept telling me.
I cried right after I saw his tears continuously streaming down his face. I do not know what to say. I didn’t know what I would react to. All I know is that I can clearly see in him now how much he is struggling. How much he hurts.
"I... I don't want that operation. I want to be with you... my love. Please, come with me. I-I forgive you. I-I'll forget you left me with Apollo... just come with me. I-it's just me again. P-please..." he begged and cried his heart out.
Now I can see how much he loved my mom and that he's willing to forgive her for choosing my father over him. Did Mama still love him before she died?