Chapter 31: Belated Reunion
After several dragging hours the plane touched down on the tarmac in San Francisco. As they had gotten closer and closer, Chang's feelings threatened to overwhelm her. As if sensing that, Jian had kept constant contact with her throughout the flight, trying to help assure her.
Walking outside to a light drizzle, a private car was waiting for them to shuttle them right to the hospital where Chang's mother was admitted. Although it was only the afternoon, the gray fog that encased everything made it seem far later than it was. Looking up at the hospital building, Chang felt it looked somber and imposing with its dark swirling cloak. Tightening her grip around Jian's hand, she let him lead her inside to the receptionist nurse's desk.
Behind the desk sat a kindly-looking plump middle-aged woman. The woman wore the look of someone who had been awake for far too long and had already become deadened to the world around her. When she saw Chang's ashen face and huge wet eyes, her glassy eyes softened a little.
"Hello, how can I help you? Are you in need of medical attention?" Looking at the two of them the woman spoke in a kindly tone.
"No. We are here to visit Mrs. Dumont, a one Li Hua." Holding Chang's hand tightly, Liang JianAmal answered for her.
The nurse quickly shuffled through her files on the computer before finding the correct one.
"Are you her immediate family? With the patient's condition, we are only permitting immediate family members to visit at the moment."
"What's wrong with my mom?" Chang's voice broke while asking, the more time went on, the more serious this seemed.
At her question, the nurse looked at her incredulously. "The patient's ongoing condition just flared up. For patient confidentiality, even though you are family, I cannot reveal more. You will have to talk to her yourself only then can we release that information. You will find her in room c-42. It will be on the fourth floor, second door on your right past the elevator." While speaking, the nurse gave Chang a pitying look as Jian and her headed to the elevator.
After receiving her mother's whereabouts, Chang wanted to immediately rush to her mother's room, but she had to be slow and cautious in the busy hospital. Every step she took seemed like a mile, but the corridor to the elevator seemed to stretch on to eternity.
Eventually, they came to c-42, a private room with the door shut. Looking at the shut door, Chang reached out a nervous, shaking hand to the doorknob, her pulse pounding in her ears. She tried to swallow the dryness in her mouth but it stayed chalky.
'What is on the other side of the door? What kind of condition will my mom be in? Do I have the courage to see this? What if this is just like dad all over again?' Her guts twisting into knots, Chang tried not to think about her mom being cold and lifeless. It had not even been that long she he had been gone, how could her mom leave so suddenly as well?
"I am here." Beside her Jian spoke, breaking her from her thoughts. Even though the words were very simple, they touched and reassured her.
'I need to be here for my mom, like she always has been for me.' Giving him a smile, Chang steeled herself and grabbed the knob firmly, letting them into what awaited. 'I will face whatever awaits with Jian.'
Alone in a private room Li Hua lay in her bed sleeping with a peaceful smile on her face. The years had been kind to her and had only made her graceful beauty more pronounced. One hand was curled on her lap, while the other lay beside her side with a slow IV drip constantly feeding into the needle in her inner arm. Her glossy jet black hair was neatly braided and lay over her shoulder in her usual style. Except for being a little pale, she appeared exactly as she had last to Chang.
Tears of relief instantly sprang to Chang's eyes to see her mother whole. When she had first heard her mother was in the hospital, Chang had started feared the worst. Touching her mother's warm hand, Chang smiled through her tears. 'Mom's alright, everything is ok, Jian was right.'
Standing beside her, Liang JianAmal felt his heart twist seeing her smile of relief. He pulled them both a couple of chairs from the corner of the room to Li Hua's bedside, to wait for her to wake up.
"This might be a while before she awakens, you have not eaten today, what would you like?"
"Mm nothing, I don't feel hungry right now." Liang Jian Amal pursed his lips in disapproval at her answer and whipped out his phone.
Chang's attention was on her mother waiting for her to wake up, she was so nervous but so excited. From the rollercoaster of emotions she had just been through, Chang felt exhausted and layed her head down, nestling it in her arms on her mother's bedside.
Liang Jian Amal smiled tenderly seeing her so obviously relieved, she always so openly showed everything she felt. She radiated with a beautiful glow in her joy. Slipping off his jacket, he put it around Chang's shoulders so she would not get chilled as she rested.
Gripping it with her other hand, Chang gave him a small gratified smile before turning her eyes back to her mother. It had been past time for her to reunite with her mother. Liang JianAmal was glad he could do this for both of them.
Especially now.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone