Invaded by you (Ed Sheeran)

Chapter 25

The clinic seems too cold, the white colour is everywhere. Under the watchful eye of an old woman, calling me "Robert" we get into the director's office. The old woman keeps calling me by that name and I can only give her the hint of a smile. There's only one green chair for the guests, obviously Karlie sits on it. I rest my hands on her shoulders in an attempt of massaging them softly. She hasn't said a word. During our way to the clinic, she's been staring at the streets of London. There was only silence.

'We're truly sorry Mrs and Mr Sheeran.' Says the director with a soft tone. She must be in her 50s.

'How can be that possible? My wife has paid every month over £1000 to just prevent this.'

'We know, Mr. Sheeran. We've opened an infringement case. Her carer has been suspended.'

'Do you know what the hell happened?'

'They were celebrating a patient's birthday in the garden. Another patient suffered a epileptic seizure so everyone went to see what happened, of course including our employees. But Mrs. Lawson and another patient stood there, next to the pool. When the carers came back they saw...her, they thought she had had a heart attack and fell to the pool. We're still waiting to the autopsy results but it seems it was willingly.'

'How willingly?' Karlie says for the first time in a long time.

'The patient that stood there, said all the time "She's walking on water, waking on water." Then we saw the video from the security camera and Mrs Lawson gets into the pool and walks towards the deepest part. There's nothing left to do when the ambulance came. I'm so sorry. We remain at your disposition for whatever you might need.'

'Including a lawsuit?'

The woman press her lips firmly and doesn't answer me.

'Now a nurse will come now with Mrs Lawson's belongings. Mrs. Sheeran, would you accompany me to my office, I'm afraid I need your signature in some papers.'

Karlie stands up and I leave a kiss on her cheek before leaving, squeezing her hand. Minutes later a nurse come with a tiny box.

'I guess you're Mr. Sheeran.'

'Yes.'

'Mrs. Lawson left a letter for you. Every month as a part of a therapy we ask our patients to write or to draw something about a particular theme. This month they had to do it about their families. She said she wanted to give you the letter personally. I'm sorry for you loss.' She leaves the box on the table and then closes the door.

I open the box and find the letter, her jewellery, a picture of Karlie and our son, another one of Karlie when she was a little girl and the last one is very old picture from a man. I take the letter and open it out. It surprises me the clear and neat handwriting:

"To my dearest son-in-law:

During the past few years, I've been wondering how it's like to be happy. I always wanted to believe it was love, to love and be loved. I'm sure you know what is like to be in love because I've seen it in your eyes, the way you look to my daughter, even the last time I saw you.

I know perfectly what an unrequited love is. Joseph didn't love me. He didn't kiss me, he didn't touch me. He only wanted my money and I was completely in love with him. Of course, he didn't care about Karlie. Contrary to Karlie's real father. I left him before he knew I was pregnant. Our relationship only last months and now I realize that I was happy. But don't tell this to Karlie. It's better for her.

You can't really imagine how glad I was when Karlie found you. I remember the first time she came to the kitchen all nervous because she was going to have a date with a very weird ginger guy. And after that day she hasn't still lost her smile. But something has changed. The last time when I saw her, I could see something different in the look of her eyes. Please, take care of her. She loves you to the bones, you can see it in the way she looks at you and how she acts when she's around you.

I wanted to write this letter for you because I need to thank you, first for making my daughter happy, you were somehow the male figure she didn't have, you protected her, you took care of her and second for giving me a grandchild. Acker is going to be such a clever man. I'm so glad they have you, Ed.

C. Lawson"

I put the letter away into the pocket of my jeans, trying to process all the information. A few minutes later the office's door opens and I see Karlie and the director of the clinic. I stand up, take my wife's hand and we both walk towards the car. The oldie woman is still there and keeps on calling me Robert. It only takes us twenty minutes to get home. The journey back is even more awkward. We still in silence. I try to imagine what Karlie is thinking about, although I can't stop repeating the words I've just read on my mind.

'Do you want pizza for dinner?' she suddenly asks me, putting her head out the door of the living room.

I shake my head. 'Come here, please.' I say while patting the sofa, where I lay. She's wearing her pyjamas and sits next to me. I take one of her hands and she rests her head against my chest. I caress her back and she starts crying. That's it. That's what she needed. My hand gets buried into her hair, playing with it. Miss Dior Chèrie fills my nostrils when I place soft kisses on her forehead and cheeks, my lips getting wet because of her tears. "Please, take care of her." "She loves you to the bones." Her eyes meet mine and I try to search for that look my mother-in-law was talking about and I have the necessity of taking care of her, of protecting her.

'What?' she asks with a soft tone. 'Why are you staring at me like that?'

'Do you promise me to not lose that smile of yours? The one I fell in love with? Even if it's not the best moment of your life.' She gives me the hint of a smile, trying to do her best and I get closer to her for my lips to meet hers.