My Summer Love Story | ✔️

ch. 45 ✰ healing him

Mom? That's his mom?

I curiously look over at his mom and see that her hands are shaking on the bedside, her fingers twitching every now and then. Her oceanic eyes are still fixated on Akash, as if she's trying to recollect certain memories or aspects about him. And her brittle and frail body is still hunched over in the far corner of the bed as she continues to huddle back and forth.

Finally, my eyes rake over Akash, who is still knelt by the foot of the bed. His knees are pressed onto the hard floor as his large arms are on the soft mattress, his hands still shaking due to anxiety. I also notice that his lip is quivering as tears start to spill from his eyes. His body starts to shake as he lets out a sob, tucking his chin into the mattress as he heaves out cries.

Without even thinking, I immediately go beside him and reassuringly place my hand on his arm, leaning my cheek on his shoulder. He continues to shake, and I hold him tight, just so he can have someone to lean on.

"It's okay, Akash," I whisper. "Take your time."

"I-I am," he whimpers, looking at me melancholily. His eyes are bloodshot red, and he has massive eye bags plastered below his deep and welcoming blue orbs. "It's just so hard seeing my mom like that."

I take a deep breath and look at him in the eyes. "Does she understand what we're saying right now?"

Akash reluctantly shakes his head. "No. She can only recognize people that she's seen before, and if they are strangers then she will just stare at you, like she is right now." He gestures towards his mom. I cautiously look over at Helena and see that her blue orbs are fixated at mine as she gnaws on her lip, murmuring a certain word that I can't seem to wrap my mind around. I don't find myself getting freaked out about her staring at me so intensely, but instead I find myself being even more curious about this situation, as to why Helena is why the way she is and how the hell Akash was able to cope with this as well.

I anxiously clear my throat and look back at Akash, who wipes his tears away and quickly gets up. He pushes his hands into his jean pockets and looks at his mom again, not daring to walk towards her because that may possibly break him even further.

Right when I start to get up, I notice that Helena had started to rock back and forth even further, her lips quivering as she takes in deep heaving breaths. Her voice sounds raspy, as if her lungs were deprived of life itself. Her skin seems to be deprived as well, etched in wrinkles and rashes and certain scars as well. She may only be in her mid 50s, but due to the unfortunate marks formed on her body, she looks much older than that.

"So, this is all she does?" I can't help but ask Akash. After a few moments, he nods his head, swiftly looking at me. I gulp and look at him, trying to figure out his story that he hasn't exactly told yet, but his story is so vague that I just can't seem to figure it out as my mind runs around in certain directions.

Her whimpers had started to get louder to the point where I can sort of decipher that certain words she's breathing out. "Can't... br-breathe," she whispers, her voice raspy with each breath.

Akash takes a few steps towards her, but he is still a good distance away from his mother. "Mom..." he slowly breathes out, speaking at a respectable tone. "Take a deep breath, alright? I am here for you. Y-your son is here," his voice cracks as another tear flows down his cheek. Seeing Akash like this absolutely pains me because I truly had no idea that his past consisted of this. I mean, my heart is cracking into pieces just seeing his mom huddled into a ball, her lips parting every now and then to mumble another incomprehensible word.

"C-can't... bre-eathe..." she stammers, wrapping her brittle arms around her frail body that is coiled around the hospital gown. I can see that Akash has to physically restrain himself from going up to his mom and holding her close. He has his fists clenched by his sides as he clenches his jaw, his eyes screaming with hindrance and angst.