What A Beautiful Face She Has

Sorrows

Mathew's POV:

The sterile smell filled the room as soon as the doctor entered the room. My heart pounded as the doctor checked my mother's breathing with his stethoscope. Her chest rose and fell steadily now, but I couldn't forget the moment I saw her gasping for air. My fingers were still trembling.

I stood beside her bed, anxiously shifting my weight from one foot to another. I was prepared for the worst.

"When did you have your last asthma attack?" the doctor asked Amma in a calm but concerned voice.

"Just a few minutes ago, doctor," Amma replied softly, her voice weak.

"What?" he raised his eyebrows. "But you look stable now. This guy," he said, pointing at Joe, "rushed to get me saying the condition was serious and that she urgently needed an injection to reduce the asthma symptoms."

"Yes, doctor," Amma began to explain, her tone grateful. "I was really struggling to breathe, but the girl who lives downstairs, Stella, she made me use an inhaler. That helped me breathe better. That's why I'm fine now."

The doctor nodded slowly, visibly impressed. "Then she deserves a big thank you, first. If she hadn't given you the inhaler in time, you could've lost consciousness. That much breathlessness, along with chest pain, can be fatal."

I looked away, guilt eating me from the inside. I couldn't believe that the very girl I insulted, the one I doubted, was the reason my mother was okay today.

"But doctor," I interjected hesitantly, "the doctor we usually consult had warned my mother against using an inhaler. He said it's dangerous because she's too weak."

The doctor gave me a sharp look. "What nonsense! Who told you that? Just look at her, she used the inhaler minutes ago and she's perfectly fine. Don't believe in these myths and rumors. From now on, I'm prescribing an inhaler for her. Use it during every attack. No need for injections unless it's critical. Also, try to stay in places with fresh air."

He scribbled something on the prescription pad and handed it to Joe, then walked out. Joe followed him to discuss the dosage.

I sat beside Amma, her wrinkled hands in mine. The warmth of her skin reminded me that I'd almost lost her today.

"Just because of Stella, I'm alright now,", my mother said, her voice brimming with emotion.

Just because of Stella, I'm stable right now. Rombo nalla ponnu da. Ennaku asthma attack nu therijadhum odi poi veetlendhu inhaler kondu vandhu kudutha.", she said.

("She's a nice girl, Mathew. As soon as she realized I was having an asthma attack, she ran to her house and brought her inhaler. She didn't even hesitate.")

My throat tightened. Stella. The same girl I had scolded, accused, insulted.

And yet, she had helped Amma like her own.

I remembered the words I spat at her earlier. My tone, my accusations, everything. But, she deserves it as her aim is to impress Joe.

"Idhu edhuku da kailaye pudichitu iruka?"

("Why are you holding this in your hand?"), Amma asked, her gaze falling to the inhaler clutched in my fist.

I froze. I had taken it from Stella... aggressively. I didn't even give her a chance to speak properly.

"Enga da andha ponnu? Kupdu avala, naan pesanum. Avaluku nandri sollanum.", amma asked.

("Where is she? Call her, I want to thank her.")

"She... she left, ma. Went back to her home," I mumbled.

I didn't know how to tell Amma that I had unleashed a storm of insults on her.