ECHOES OF FORBIDDEN LOVE | (ongoing and undergoing editing)

✤Chapter Seven✤

❁Kayla❁

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I wiped the tears that ran down my cheeks once again as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was in the plane's bathroom, crying my heart out, while people were probably waiting impatiently to use it, cursing me out. But I didn't really care right now.

All I wanted was to find comfort and peace, but lacking that, I cried and cried until it felt like all my tears had dried up.

I craved peace of mind and emotional stability, but every time I thought about my mom and the inevitable events that were about to unfold, more tears started running down my cheeks as I sobbed, feeling a deep sadness engulf me completely.

I loved my mom so much. She was my hero, my everything. She gave me so much, even working long hours to provide us with opportunities and a happy life. She never gave up on us, and seeing her in this state, unable to help her, it hurt so much.

I felt so guilty, even if I shouldn't. I couldn't shake the feeling that all my life I had taken everything from her, and she kept giving, even when it seemed like she had nothing left to give. And now, I might never have the chance to give back to her, to take care of her the way she did for me, and that realization hurt deeply.

I wanted to be by her side, to let her know that I was truly grateful and that I loved her so much, so deeply, that it hurt.

I knew this trip wouldn't be easy, and I doubted I'd return to my old life the same person. Right now, it was hard to think about anything else but my dear mother.

I put on a sleep mask, resting my eyes for a bit. As I sat there in my seat, surprisingly beside a kind and respectful gentleman, I couldn't help but think about how my class would go today with the substitute professor. Would the students be disappointed? Would they be worried? Would they ask questions about my whereabouts? Would the substitute teacher be enough to make the lecture feel like I never left? And Laurent, was he on campus today? How would he feel about not finding me after a week off? I hoped he was in school today and that he wasn't upset. I didn't know why, but I was starting to think that what he thought of me mattered more than it should. Did he miss me? I hoped he missed me.

I blew out a deep breath that relaxed me a little. I felt so mentally and physically exhausted. I should try and sleep in these uncomfortable seats; maybe that would relax me a bit and relieve some of the tension in my muscles.

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Three hours later, the plane finally landed. The gentleman beside me kindly woke me when he noticed I was still asleep.

I waited for about fifteen minutes for my suitcase before exiting the airport. I already knew where I was going, so I didn't have anyone waiting for me outside. My siblings didn't know I was coming; if they had, they would have probably tried to stop me. I just needed to find a cab to take me to the hospital and figure out later where I could spend the night.

I found a cab not far from the airport entrance, and the driver was kind enough to suggest some nice hotels. As we drove to the hospital, I contemplated calling Kate to let her know I was here, but I stopped myself before I could.

As we drove around the small city, I looked through the window, curiously eyeing the new buildings that had appeared over the years. I could barely recognize the city I grew up in. I looked around, trying to spot all the things that would remind me of the perfect childhood I had—all the places I loved and the things that made me happy.

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When I got to the hospital, I realized it was a stupid idea to come here with my suitcase. But that wasn't the first thing on my mind. All day, I had been thinking about my mother, and I almost cried in the car. But I didn't want to do that again. I had cried so much in less than twenty-four hours, and I could feel a massive headache starting to kick in. I should have found a place to put my things away first. Now I was going to have to lug it around all day until I found a place to stay.

I just hoped I would find a safe space to leave it without getting in trouble with the hospital staff.

I entered the building, walking straight to the reception. I wanted to call my siblings to tell them I was at the hospital, but I preferred to ask first what room she was in and if she was with someone. And if she wasn't here anymore, this might have been a great waste of time and money.

"Hello, how can I help you?" the young woman at the front desk asked. She looked at me oddly, her eyes fixed on my luggage, probably wondering why someone would enter a hospital with a suitcase unless they were checking into a maternity room. But I wasn't pregnant, and she clearly saw that when she looked at me again.

"Umm, hello, I am here to visit Sacha McAlister. She is a cancer patient, and she was admitted here two days ago," I said, feeling a bit uncomfortable. I didn't know why I felt that way, maybe because the girl couldn't stop staring at me like I was a mad psycho killer because of my suitcase and my beige raincoat.

"Are you related to her?"

"Yes, she is my mother," I replied.

"Alright, let me check that for you. If you could just fill out this form in the meantime," she said as she handed me a clipboard with a form. It was the procedure for visiting a cancer patient. The form had a questionnaire about any health issues that could affect the patient. It also contained rules on what to do and not do while visiting a cancer patient. My siblings and I learned that when we first found out Mom had cancer.

I took the form from her hands and went to sit in one of the waiting chairs, filling it out quietly. I finished quickly and returned to the front desk, handing the form back.

"Kayla?" I turned at the mention of my name, surprised. I recognized the voice immediately; it was my big brother Henry. "What are you doing here? We've been trying to reach you since last night."

"What? I...," I took my phone out of my small handbag, checking it after many hours. I was surprised and shocked to see that my battery was low. "Fuck." I looked up at my brother, who was looking at me like I was a ghost.

"I'm sorry, my phone died, and I didn't even notice," I whispered the last part.

"I've been calling for hours. When did you even get here?" he asked with a deep frown. I noticed that he looked tired and sad, really, really sad.

"I got here this morning. Where's Mom? Is she okay?"

"Kayla, Mom is... she's no longer with us."

"What?"

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Hello, lovely readers! I know the suspense at the end of this chapter isn't too good. The chapter was getting too long, and I was rushing to finish it. But I promise the next chapter will be better with more dialogue.

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