The navy blue car zoomed towards her at tremendous speed. She tried to dart out the way, but it was too late. The impact of the collision threw her high up in the air. She landed on the road with a sickening thud. Blood had stained all over her pale–looking face. Soon, it started to rain in buckets. Pearls of thunder sounded intermittently as the paramedics lifted up her up into the ambulance.
I received an unwelcomed phone call from the Ghim Moh Police Station while enjoying my movie at the refurbished Lido Cinema. “Hello? May I speak to Mr. Harvey Lim, please?” the police officer said politely. “Speaking,” I replied, worried for what was coming along the way. “I am a police officer, Timothy Swift, calling from Ghim Moh Police Station. I would like to inform you about your mum, Gee Hwee Fong, has met with an accident today along Ghim Moh Road. She is now sent to a nearby hospital and the doctors are trying to revive her.”
My legs turned jelly and my heart sank upon hearing the news. I did not know what to reply to the police officer. It seemed like as though I had turned into a mute within minutes. My mind was blank. I was stunned and stood rooted to the ground. “Are you okay, Harvey?” my friend asked as he walked out of the cinema hall. I turned around. My eyes widen as I had finally thought of what I was going to do next. “I have to go now, Ian. Something had happened to my mum.” I sprinted towards the stairwell that was hidden behind the lift lobby at the cinema and ran down the steps, towards the car park.
Within minutes, I arrived at the hospital. There were several police officers waiting outside the operation room which my mum was in. “My name is Harvey Lim. My mum is Gee Hwee Fong.” I told the police officers anxiously. The police officers then explained to me what exactly had happened to my mum. I listened to them – attentively. “Mr. Lim,” one of the police officers addressed me and with a slight pause, he continued, “I promise you that the driver will be caught as soon as possible. I hope that your mum will be fine. My colleague and I shall take our leave now as we have something else to attend to. ” I forced a smile to them, “Thank you.”
I waited eagerly for the doctor. Despair had overwhelmed me. I hoped that she would live on. I needed her to live. I hated her to leave me alone in this world. I chanted some prayers quietly to myself. This waiting was killing me. Tears began to roll down my cheeks and my face was swollen with grief. I closed my eyes, hoping to take a short nap and escape from reality. “Leave me alone! Don’t be such a pain! I have told you many times already – I am not coming back home for dinner tonight.” As soon as my closed my eyes, these familiar voices echoed in my brain, disturbing my rest. Those voices, if I were not wrong, belong to me.
I could not sleep. I opened my eyes and observed the things around me. As I turned my head, I noticed a withered potted plant that was placed in a small forgotten corner. I gazed at the withered plant sorrowfully. It reminded me of someone whom I truly love. Ironically, I mistreated her and brought her grieves and disappointments. I was not the smartest student in class, I was not a wealthy businessman, and I was definitely not the most filial son ever born.
Creek! The door slid opened. Doctor Low walked out of the operation room and revealed his clam–looking face. I rushed to him, “Doctor, how is my mother? How is she?!” Low patted my shoulder and smiled, “Don’t worry. Mdm. Gee survived the accident.” I heaved a sigh of relief. She survived! Yes, she did survive! Thank God! I thought to myself. At that moment, the smile on the doctor’s face faded away. “But –” the doctor continued. “But? What about her?” I sounded demanding. “But because of the huge impact of the collision, she broke her limbs.”
At that point of time, I felt that I had a lump in my throat and was blinking away the tears. Broke her limbs? The words echoed in my brain. The doctor patted my shoulder for the second time and continued, “Don’t be too upset. At least, she managed to survive. She is lucky.” I nodded my head, “Thank you, Doctor Low.” Perhaps the doctor was right about this. Although she had lost both her limbs in the accident, at least she had retrieved her life back from Death. Mum was pushed out of the operation room into Ward 32B. She smiled peacefully as she saw me. I observed her pale–looking face. Guilt was written all over my face. “I thought I would never get to see you again…” she murmured softly. She reached out her arm and wanted to wipe away my tears. “Men don’t shed tears, if not they would be nicknamed as sissies.” She joked.
I wanted to apologize to her for my ill–treatment towards her. I knew I did not treasure her in the past. I wanted to repent and apologize to her. “Mum, I know I have always been rude to you in the past… I am really…really…s…s…sor…sorry…” I blurted out the last word with much difficulty. I never had said this word for years, even though I made mistakes every day. “I know… I know…”She answered. I sat on her bed, stroking her. “You looked tired, boy.” She observed. “Nope. Not tired at all, Mum.” I lied. She laughed and placed my head on her abdomen.
She stroked my cheeks and began to sing my favourite traditional Chinese classic, “An unconditional love of the mother… How she loves him, what she does for him…” My eyes broke into tears once more. My heart felt heavy as if a huge mountain rock was resting on it. Mum, I love you too. This was what I always had wanted to say to you many decades ago…
A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional, and forever.
