No Filter

Chapter XXX (30)

I watch my mom eat the soup I made her. Tomorrow's her surgery, and I'm happy. But I'm awfully scared too. What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors mess up? I have to have hope that she'll be okay.

Right now, I'm just trying to ignore what I saw yesterday. Disgusting. How can my dad cheat on my mom? He loved her. Why did he? I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to look at him.

"Is everything alright, mija?" My mom asks. She touches my cheek to check if there was a cold or an illness.

I shake my head and gently remove her hand off my heel. "Yes, mom," I said. "I'm just scared something might go wrong during your surgery."

She chuckles lightly and replies, "Nothing is going to go wrong, mija. Believe it." I smile and nod my head.

Ring!

I stand up from my seat and pull my phone out. I excuse myself and walk into the bathroom. I lock the door and look at the caller ID: Liam. My heart pounces, and my breath became inconsistent. I answer the phone and put the phone against my ear. "Hello?" I greet.

"Hi, Ally," he says, sounding upset. "I'm sorry I can't tell you in person, but I heard what happened with your father. And he's an idiot for doing that to you and your mom. You guys do so much for him, and he doesn't see that. I wish I could be there for you. I really do."

I bite my bottom lip, feeling like crying again. "I wish you were here too. Where are you, anyway?"

"I'm at a different hospital," he answers. "Cheryl is having a checkup because she's been feeling a little sick."

"Oh," I said. "Well, I hope she is alright."

"Me too," he says.

I breathe out slowly. My throat ached. "What are you doing after?"

"Cheryl and I have a dinner reservation at a restaurant. I'm meeting her parents today," he says.

"Oh," I reply once more, a little disappointed. "Alright. I'll see you then."

"I'll see you," he says.

I ender the call and unlock the door. I walk out and stand beside the bed. I look at the empty bowl and pick it up. I put it on the table behind my seat and gave my mom a smile. "What's the matter?" My mom asks.

I shrug. "Nothing."

She shakes her head. "Mija, how many times do you have to bottle everything up?"

I nod my head. I take a seat and explain, "It's Liam. I don't know what to do. I need help. I need therapy."

She chuckles and pats the top of my head. "You don't need therapy. You just need to tell him."

"Tell him? I can't. He's with someone else. And if I do, I'm going to get my heart broken," I rebuttal.

"Or he will pick you. You don't know if you don't try, sweetie," she says. "Your father loved me before. And now, he made his choice to be with the girl he's spending everyday with."

"You knew?" I question.

She nods her head. "Yes, I did. It wasn't obvious at first because of my back. But once it started to slowly heal, I begin to see things clearer. Your father loved me once. And I do love him still. I will always love him."

"Mom, how can you say that? He cheated on you," I point out.

"If you love someone, you have to set them free. And if they come back, then they were meant to be yours. But if they don't, it was never meant to be. If Liam doesn't feel the same, let him go. And if he does, he'll love you again."

I didn't know what to say, so I just said, "I'll talk to him."

"Good," she says with a smile.