Just Like Bonnie & Clyde III

III

"Jennie..." Lisa, with a tube in her throat, struggled to articulate as a thin sweat formed on her forehead.

After a long silence, the brain waves finally showed fluctuations, and all the vital signs were steadily rising.

Rose watched her eyelids flutter, Lisa's fingers feebly clutching at the bedsheet. She wept for joy and rushed out to call the doctor.

A throng of medical staff surged into the narrow single-patient room as a lengthy tube was slowly removed from Lisa's throat. 

Lisa was finally awake.

After over a month in bed, her hair had grown long and hung down to conceal her eyes, and her lips were dry and pale due to dehydration.

The gorgeous brown eyes had lost their sparkle and were bloodshot as they stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Lisa..." Lucy cried with happiness, holding her hand and repeatedly repeating her name.

Rose holds Lily and says, "Lily, call your dada."

Lily's face turned timid. "Dada..."

Lisa's unfocused gaze found direction in response to her family's constant calls.

Looking at Lucy's face, Lisa curled her lips slightly, causing the cracked lips to begin bleeding.

The doctor was equally moved: "This is wonderful; it's simply a miracle in the history of medicine. It's fortunate she didn't spend too much time under the sea and that cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered promptly; otherwise, the degree of brain damage could have been severe."

Lucy moistened a cotton swab to moisten her lips.

Lisa turned her head, as if she wanted to speak.

Her mother understood and leaned in close.

Lisa's voice was hoarse, and she couldn't speak yet. She barely lifted her finger and started to write with a stroke in her palm.

"Jennie."

Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes.

Rose helped her to the side: "Mom, go back and rest. I'll keep watching tonight."

Lisa's pleading gaze turned to her again, her lips trembling and tears swirling in her eyes.

Rose tucked her hands under the blanket, not daring to look again. She turned her back to pour Lisa some water, forcing a smile as she did so.

"Jennie is also injured and can't get out of bed for now. She said that once she's better, she'll come to see you."

A smile suddenly appeared on Lisa's lips.

Her body was wrapped in bandages, including her chin. The smile looked utterly stiff but also foolish and silly.

Yet she seemed inexplicably happy—a kind of happiness that even an observer could feel.

Unable to hold back anymore, Lucy turned around and took Lily out of the room.

Lisa had her fill of laughter, then seemed to remember something, becoming somewhat anxious. She opened her mouth, trying to speak but only uttering a "heh heh" without making any coherent words.

Rose supported her: "What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

Lisa wrote on the bedsheet: Ring.

Her entire fortune, the betrothal gift she had not yet had the chance to give, couldn't just be lost like this.

Rose turned back and fetched it for her from the drawer on the bedside table.