After three hours of anxious waiting, Posy's doctor emerged from the operating room. Despite her evident fatigue, she managed a reassuring smile as she approached Sasha, Bian, and Rosa, who had arrived a few hours earlier, still mourning En.
“Posy is now in the recovery room. Her surgery was a success. We’ll bring her to her room shortly.”
Relief washed over the three women as they embraced, their tension momentarily eased. Bian and Rosa hurried to Posy’s room as soon as she was wheeled out of the operating room. Sasha remained behind, her heart heavy as she waited for updates on En, who was still in surgery alongside Alina.
After another four hours, Doctor Zhao emerged from the operating room and approached Alina’s mom.
“The surgery is done, and we’re seeing a good response,” he said. “However, we need to keep her under observation to ensure there are no complications. She will be in the ICU for the next 48 hours.”
Though still deeply worried, Alina’s mom felt a wave of relief and hope at the news that the surgery had gone well and that Alina was responding positively.
Doctor Zhao shifted his attention to Sasha and approached her with a solemn expression. He handed her a sealed bag, which he had carried out from the operating room.
“These are En’s belongings,” he said quietly. “She is now being attended to and will be taken to the morgue shortly. I admire the sacrifice she made for the woman she loved.”
Sasha took the bag with trembling hands, her grief deepening as she processed the doctor’s words.
When Posy regained consciousness and learned about her sister’s sacrifice, she was heartbroken. The emotional weight of her loss was overwhelming. Along with the other women from the farm, they all gathered to mourn En, honoring her memory and the profound sacrifice she made. The shared grief brought them together as they supported each other through their collective sorrow.
Sasha entered En's room, carrying the sealed bag of her belongings. As she sat on the bed, her gaze fell on the bag, and she recalled their previous conversation. En had entrusted her with the key to her safety box.
Opening the sealed bag, Sasha found the key attached to a chain on En's necklace. She went to En's safe and unlocked it, discovering a letter meant specifically for Alina, to be given once she fully recovered. Inside the safe, Sasha also found two additional letters—one for Posy and another for herself.
Sasha carefully read the letter written by En. In it, En expressed her profound gratitude for Sasha’s unwavering support and love for her sister, as well as her welcoming nature when En first arrived. En entrusted Sasha and Rosa to look after Posy after her passing. She expressed confidence that, with their guidance, Posy would grow into a strong and compassionate person. The letter was filled with heartfelt appreciation and hope for the future.
In another room, Posy sat in silence as she read her big sister's letter. En expressed how deeply grateful she was to have met and spent time with her, despite the short duration. She conveyed her immense love for Posy and how proud she was to be her sister. En reassured Posy that, even though she was leaving so soon, she would always be looking after her spiritually, and that her love and guidance would remain with her forever. . . .
Outside the coffee shop, Sasha observed Alina’s disbelief as she held the letter from En.
"En never left you by choice," Sasha said gently. "She continued saving the money and might have still wanted to take the risk and undergo the operation. But she chose to sacrifice that chance for Posy’s well-being. And the only way she could stay connected to you was by ensuring her heart remained within you, Alina."
Overwhelmed, Alina burst into tears, clutching her chest in emotional pain, struggling to accept the reality of En’s sacrifice. Alina was at a loss for words, unable to fully grasp the depth of her pain and sorrow. She wished desperately that this was all just a bad dream and that she would awaken to find it had never happened. Sasha and Alina sat in silence, each immersed in their own grief, sharing a profound sense of loss.
Posy approached suddenly, holding a bouquet of tulips in her hand. Her voice, tinged with concern, broke the heavy silence. "Sasha? Jiejie? Are you guys okay?" she asked, her eyes searching for reassurance amidst the sorrow.
“Yes, little one. We were just talking about your big sister.”
Sasha replied, wiping the tears from her face. She offered a comforting smile, trying to mask the depth of her own grief for Posy's sake.
Posy’s face showed a deep sadness and longing as she said, “Aww. I miss her too. A lot!”
She then asked with insistence, “Can we visit her now, Sasha?”
“Of course, dear!” Sasha replied, giving Posy a reassuring smile. “And I’m sure your big sister would be happy if Alina came as well.”
Sasha’s gaze shifted to Alina, inviting her to join them as they paid their respects.
The four of them walked slowly into the memorial park, the silence around them profound and overwhelming. Posy, still clutching the bouquet of tulips, ran ahead of the three women and stopped in front of a freshly made tombstone.
As Alina saw Posy halt in front of the tombstone, her heart ached with unresolved grief. The realization that the next time she would see En, it would be six feet below ground, was almost too much to bear. Her mind and heart battled with the overwhelming reality, and she struggled to move toward En’s grave, each step a painful reminder of the loss she was trying to accept.
Posy carefully placed the flowers in front of the tombstone as Sasha, Alina, and Bian approached. The inscription on the tombstone read:
"Here lies Enid Chen.
Gone but never forgotten."
The words stood as a poignant reminder of En's enduring presence in their hearts, despite her physical absence.
YOU ARE READING
Bus 732
RomanceEn thought that moving into the new, unfamiliar place would be her biggest struggle - but she was wrong. . .
