Memory Mirage

Her wish

The girl looked devastated as she walked inside and hugged the old lady tightly. I assumed they were related. Her gaze finally landed on my expressionless face. She seemed to have opinions about me, but they didn’t bother me. I continued writing, trying to stay out of their business.

“Why… why can’t I stay here, Granny? They’re taking me away from you!” Her desperate voice made the old lady panic, but before she could respond, the girl, who looked like she was in her late teens, added, “Is it because of this person?” She pointed her finger at me.

"I’m just here for work," I replied succinctly.

She didn’t believe me or simply wanted to blame me.

“Please come with me, Miss Selena,” the nurse behind her said, attempting to pull her away from the old lady, which made her scream louder.

This is definitely going to test my patience

“Dear, listen to me. No one is taking you away from me. You have to stay with the other kids. This room is only for elders,” Ms. Gabriella finally spoke up.

The girl paused, listening only to Ms. Gabriella. After quietly thinking it over, she finally decided to leave. Her slow walk and gestures conveyed the rejection she couldn’t put into words.

After a moment of silence, I glanced at Ms. Gabriella, who looked equally upset. I decided to ask her about what had just happened.

"Was she your granddaughter or someone you know?"

"No..."

"Then what’s up with the brat?"

"Oh my, isn't that rude? Her name is Selena, and she thinks of me as her real grandmother." Her gentle smile and kind response made me realize the strength of their bond.

Our conversation lasted more than thirty minutes, during which I learned that Selena didn’t get along with the other kids in the hospital because she was too energetic and loud. Ms. Gabriella had been staying here for six months, and the two of them had grown close. Strangely, after her husband passed away, Ms. Gabriella was placed in this hospital.

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Date: 24.01. 2020
Time: 3:00 pm

Two days later, I decided to visit Ms. Gabriella again. As soon as I entered the hospital, a loud voice nearly deafened me. Ah yes... that little girl again.

“I’m not going anywhere, so leave me alone!”

“Hey! Stop shouting already. I’m so tired of your tantrums,” the nurse said, pulling her arm and dragging her away from the entrance.

I glanced at her arm, now red from the nurse’s strong grip. Everyone was just watching as if it were a show more interesting than any drama. I could’ve cared less, but when I remembered her being an outcast and the other kids not getting along with her, something stirred inside me. It pushed me forward to stop them from leaving.

"Do you know where Ms. Gabriella’s room is?" I asked, gently pulling Selena back.

She looked at me as if I’d just asked her a math question.

“I do…” Her small nod of approval gave me the courage to pull her away from the nurse and dash toward the second floor. She didn’t hesitate to run with me. The nurse looked furious and called after us, but were we going to look back? Obviously not.

It took me a second to process everything. Meanwhile, she was still trying to figure out what had happened. I let go of her hand and looked back at her with a serious expression.

“If you want to stay with your granny, lower your voice. She might get a heart attack just from hearing you scream.”

I crossed my arms and gave her a stern look. She didn’t seem to hear my words, just staring at me with a confused expression.

“You helped me…?” she muttered.

“Yes, and what about it?”

She shook her head, then responded after a few moments of hesitation.

“Nothing…”

I sighed and glanced at my watch. It was getting late, and I needed to leave, but her pitiful expression was hard to ignore.

“Just so you know, if you need to report something, ask your parents to do it. Otherwise, no one’s going to listen to your pleas.”

My words seemed to reassure her a little. She nodded and smiled at me. I turned to leave as soon as I saw her smile.

“Thank you for helping me! I hope I can help you one day too.”

She threw those hopeful words at me, not knowing how hard it is to break down the walls I’ve built. I foolishly ignored her, yet her wish to help me stayed with me for a long time.

Thank you for reading.