Behind the Curtains: A Tale of Hidden Emotions

special chap

"Faye's grandfather was rushed to the hospital earlier."

The sudden news from Denise hit me like a truck. Without thinking, I grabbed my wallet, ready to rush out the door to be by Faye's side. But Denise quickly caught my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"Yoko, calm down," she urged, her voice steady. "Faye contacted me, knowing exactly how you'd react. She said not to worry."

"Denise, I have to see her," I insisted, my voice firm with determination. "I don't believe Faye when she says she's okay. She just doesn't want to burden us with her feelings, but I know she's hurting."

That was Faye-selfless to a fault. She was always there for others, no matter how difficult the situation, but when it came to her own struggles, she kept them hidden. She'd rather suffer in silence than feel like a burden to anyone.

Denise hesitated, torn between respecting Faye's wishes and understanding my desperation. "But she told me..." She trailed off, looking into my pleading eyes. Finally, she sighed, giving in. "Okay, fine. I'm worried about her too. Let's go."

It took us only a few minutes to reach the hospital. As soon as we parked, we rushed inside, heading straight for the front desk to find out where Faye and her grandfather were. My heart pounded in my chest, filled with anxiety and concern. All I wanted was to be there for her, just like she's always been there for me.

"Room for Mr. Malisorn?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency.

The receptionist looked up from her computer, her expression professional and neutral. "What's your relationship to the patient?"

Denise and I exchanged a quick glance before I responded without hesitation, "I'm his granddaughter's girlfriend." I didn't care about the implications or who might overhear. All I cared about was getting to Faye.

The receptionist nodded and typed something into her computer. After a moment, she looked up again. "He's in room 402, ma'am."

I didn't wait for further instructions. I was already heading down the hall, not entirely sure where I was going but moving as fast as I could. Denise struggled to keep up as we navigated the maze of hospital corridors. Finally, we found the right room.

I paused outside the door, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves before knocking gently and pushing it open.

Inside, I saw Faye sitting alone in a chair by the bed, her face puffy and red, clear evidence that she had been crying. When she noticed us, her eyes widened in surprise. "Why are you...?"

Before she could finish, I crossed the room in a few quick steps and wrapped her in a tight hug, pulling her close.

"It's okay to cry, my love," I whispered softly against her ear.

At my words, she broke down completely, her tears flowing freely as she sobbed into my shoulder. I held her tightly, my heart aching for her. Faye was one of the strongest people I knew, but even the strongest have moments of vulnerability. And that was okay. It was okay to cry, to be hurt, to let the emotions out. This is what it meant to be human, and I was here to share that burden with her.

"He... he's in pain, Yo... he's... he's..." Faye's voice broke as she sobbed uncontrollably, struggling to get the words out.

I rubbed her back gently, trying to offer some comfort. "Shhh... I know I can't take away all the pain, but I want you to know that I'm here for you, always. I'll be by your side, no matter what." It tore me apart to see her hurting like this, knowing there was nothing I could do to make it better.

Faye continued to cry, her tears soaking into my shoulder, as the door opened and her mother walked in, looking just as worried as we were.

"How is he?" her mother asked, her voice trembling, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.