The Flower You Didn't See | Mystery

Final Chapter

There was a sudden bang on the bathroom door. Ruby grabbed all her things and stuffed her bag. When she opened the door, Laksh stood on the other side, sputtering nonsense. Unable to deal with an immature Laksh, she immediately left the party.

"Pa, now listen to me very carefully. I have sent you an email. Please check your mail. Use it to file a complaint against that b**tard. The poison I have taken are leaves from a plant called Oleander. It has bright pink flowers and it's there in his greenhouse. Very pretty, you'll know the minute you see them."

And John did, so he nodded, without thinking that she couldn't actually see him. She seemed to think for a few seconds and then continued.

"Maybe Prof. Sloan can be a witness tonight. He might have seen Thompson and I together. And please, do not let anyone else listen to this recording. And delete the voicemail."

She remained silent for a few seconds, and then said slowly.

"I actually took it Pa. It's in my body right now. If you find this on time, I might survive. Else... That's okay. But if I'm going down, I'm taking him down with me. But if he is left free even after all this, I...

I love you Pa. You are the best thing that ever happened to me in my life. But I just wish that you'd stop trying to make everything perfect. Everything is not perfect, and that's okay.

I know you don't like talking about mum much, which is why I don't ask you much either. I don't know what you are hiding from me, but I know that you must have had your reasons.

I have always tried to make sure you were happy, that your dreams for me came true. But college was very difficult Pa, I could not do it. I wanted music in my life. I felt like I was killing myself without it. I was creating a version of someone else's ideal. The Ruby you knew was dead, and the Ruby I knew was dying anyway. I thought I might as well kill her."

She coughed heavily, John's hand absent mindedly reached for the glass on his bedside table. The poison was probably taking effect.

"I'm not scared anymore Pa. I had my time with you. I had a small time with my music. Alex... Alex has my song. Please listen to it if you don't hate me after all this... I'm hanging up now. Either you'll hear this, or this will remain forever buried in the depths of the internet... Good bye Pa."

***

Email:

Pa, I am writing this mail because I couldn't get you on the phone. I don't know if I'll survive the night. I don't feel so good right now.

There is something I have hidden from you for the past few days. Now I feel that I shouldn't have. There is a man who teaches in my university. Prof. Thompson. Under false pretenses of being a good man, he invited me to his vacation house. After knowing him for a longtime as a good person, I trusted him and decided to go.

While we were there, he drugged me. I had woken up, realizing that I was asleep for 24 hours. I'm pretty sure he had done something to me while I was unconscious. He admitted to having taken my pictures. He has been mentally torturing, harassing and blackmailing me. He threatened to fail me in his subject or get me expelled from college, if I wouldn't listen to his demands.

I had thought of telling his family the entire truth, to expose him, to get him to stop. But now, I think he might just kill me. I just had a conversation with him at a party at Sara Amari's house tonight where he threatened to end me if I approached his family ever again.

I think he mixed something in my drink tonight. I don't feel so good. I'm scared... I can't breathe really well... I really hope you see this mail Pa...

**

Sunlight entered through the window filling the room with a pale yellow light. The sun meant a new day. It meant that there weren't many clouds in the sky. John liked the sun.

The monitor beeped at equal intervals and John sat by her bed as he read the newspaper. He has been eagerly waiting for Ruby to wake up.

Ruby's case had been the highlight for almost a month now. Reporters had come multiple times, asking for her interview. Though Thompson had tried his best to pin everything on Ruby, the evidence was against him. Needless to say, Thompson's family had disowned him. 

The mail from Ruby, toxin report from the hospital, the presence of the plant from the greenhouse was enough to file a case. Sloan did see Thompson and Ruby come out of a room. Sloan specifically mentioned that though Thompson looked perfectly fine, smiling smugly even, Ruby looked sick. This helped.

Cops found the pictures stored in Thompson's phone and cloud accounts, and destroyed them. Thompson was charged with sexual assault, drug possession, possession of sexually explicit photographs, attempt to murder and many more that John didn't know so well.

Saving Ruby was nothing short of a miracle. John himself couldn't believe how brave Ruby had been over the past few weeks. To have the mental strength to take such a big decision, John didn't know Ruby could do it.

He was proud of himself for raising her like that. He realized that he had in fact done a good job. Hence, it would be okay if Ruby knows the truth about her mother. And someday in the future, John would surely tell her.

Unexpectedly Ted gave his testimony which played a vital role in winning the case. All credit for that goes to Mary. That little girl convinced Ted that this was a way he could actually help Ruby. She was smart and brave, and John was happy that Ruby had made at least one good friend.

Alex would visit Ruby every single day. If not for John, John was sure, Alex would even consider living in the hospital room with her. His dedication was something John had rarely seen, if not in himself.

John would never want Ruby to harm herself, physically or metaphorically. If music helps her stay alive, he will not ask her to give it up. One should stay close to anything that made them feel alive once. He truly believed that.

There was a knock on the door. Mary and Alex walked in.

"Is she still sleeping?" Mary whispered. John nodded. "Let her wake up first, then I'll play her song," Alex said as he sat down.

"You guys are here already?" said a sleepy voice. Ruby had woken up.

"We just walked in. Sleep some more if you feel tired," said Mary. "No, I'm up," said Ruby, sitting up on her bed. "Would you like to hear your completed song?" asked Alex, picking up his guitar. Ruby nodded with a smile.

"Go ahead, I can't wait to hear it," said John excitedly. Alex smiled at him.

"The title is 'The angel wishes to fly.'

Tied to a wall, her wings tattered

An angel lay on the floor battered

A touch of water hurt her

And the wind would burn her

Longing to spread and take flight

She dreamed of an enchanting majestic sight

Strength had to arise from within

But the chains tied her underwater, deep in

The key she thought lay with another

Was clutched in her own hand tighter

A rescue she hoped would save her

It was late to see the in the water, her savior

A touch of water hurt her

And the wind burned her."

Had it been before her accident, he wouldn't have understood what the song meant. But that day, it was crystal clear. He smiled at her, squeezing her hand. Ruby's voicemail and audio clip will forever remain a secret that only Ruby and John shared.

"Should I try singing this song?" he asked her. She stared at him and said with a straight face, "Sure, let me go get your Grammy." John laughed and Ruby joined him. Mary and Alex sat clueless at their inside joke.

John had decided not to try and make everything perfect. Everything isn't perfect. Everyone isn't perfect. And he learned that that's okay.