After he left Carmila stared at the door for some time,coming back to her senses she said "The doctor looks familiar.. like I've seen him before. But I just don't know where."
Suraj explains that he is a native of Luxembourg but travels around a lot and he came for a conference that's how he helped her. Carmila brushes off the feeling, "I think you should eat and get some rest, tomorrow I'll go and collect your belongings at the airport and the day after we'll be going back home" Suraj says in a calm voice.
Carmila nods but she says "I really don't have the appetite" he cuts her short "You'll need the energy so no buts, and plus tomorrow you'll have to come along to go to the mortuary to see Jessie one last time. I know that it's hard for you but at least if you won't take care of yourself for you then do it for him. Do you think that he'd want you to fall ill and be depressed? I'm sure he'd love for you to be even happier now that he is no more. You need to be strong for him and all your family as well. It's not easy but you have to try. The flight will be long and you'll need strength and energy so please rest and eat for the time being, alright?" He spoke with pain in his voice, he just didn't know how to prepare for this and just let everything out all at once, he moved closer to her and put a hand on hers and said "I'm sorry that you had to go through this, you didn't deserve the pain of this ordeal, you were supposed to be happy. But please be strong even for me. I've known you since you were little and it breaks my heart to know that the joy you have has vanished. You're like a daughter to me and seeing you in pain brings me pain too. Please for all of us take care of yourself. I'll be here tomorrow by 10am when I'm done with everything I have to deal with." He kisses her on the forehead and left her to the quiet of the room.
When he left her room he took the elevator to return to the hospital's reception and went straight out, he was met with the cool breeze of the night and came along Damien again "How is she holding up?" Damien asked with a hint of concern in his voice, Suraj looked exhausted as he replied in exasperation "It's gonna be a long process, she hasn't seen a brighter moment since she arrived here. I don't know how she'll handle going to the mortuary tomorrow." Damien saw the pain in his eyes as he looked straight at Suraj. "If there's anything I can do to assist just let me know" Damien said and patted Suraj on the shoulder and left.
The next day was even worse for Carmila as the first 3 days of an injury are intense before it eventually lessens. She was given a sedative and she continued to sleep through the afternoon, meanwhile Suraj had finished with all the formalities for the repatriation and booking tickets and later made his way to the hospital.
When he'd arrived he met the nurse in the hallway and asked "How is she doing now" Lily responded with a concerned look, "she is in more pain than yesterday but it will lessen in a few days time. She ate her breakfast and soon she'll have lunch despite that she's eating with difficulty".
Suraj only shook is head gently and entered her room, he saw her sleeping peacefully. The nurse walked beside her and gently nudged her "Mila its time to wake up, you have to eat and have your meds" upon feeling the nudge her eyes lightly fluttered open.
She faced the nurse with a slight smile and greeted Suraj upon noticing his arrival.
He explained that he was late due to some work, Carmila only smiled slightly understandably. Lily helped her sit up and gave her a glass of water and pills to drink. Carmila took her medicine and looked at the food on the side. At first she wasn't in the mood but then she remembered what uncle Suraj told her, she forced some bites in and Suraj was at ease after seeing her try.
Much later, Suraj asked Carmila if she was ready to head to the mortuary as tomorrow afternoon they'd be taking their flight back to Vianden.
She was lost in thought at that moment and felt slightly aggrieved. She thought to be strong despite the fact that she was internally breaking.
She put down the glass of water she had at hand and gently nodded her head. Suraj readied her wheelchair and helped her sit since her ankle was still bandaged and healing.
Along the way, going down to the mortuary was the building across from the hospital, they saw Damien getting out of his car, Suraj called for him "Dr Vaughn! Over here", Carmila was slightly startled and wondered what Suraj meant. 'Why was Uncle Suraj calling the doctor for' she thought.
Damien approached while taking long strides to where they stood and greeted them cheerily, "It's good to see both of you doing well. It seems that Miss Avoca is adjusting and tomorrow she'll be going home without a problem."
Carmila only paid attention to how he emphasised the Words Miss Avoca only just 3 days ago she became Mrs Jessie Wayne and now she was a widow and called Miss yet again it broke her heart again.
She paid no heed to the rest of their conversation only when Suraj started pushing her into the reception hall of the mortuary did she notice it was slightly chilly and dead. It was a place she never had imagined before, looking around she noticed the dull grey walls and the receptionist's black desk with a high black chair behind it some folders neatly stacked to one side on the other side was a computer, few centimetres a way stood a coffee mug and plate of croissants. Across the reception desk was some black chairs that served for a waiting area, and in front of her was a long dull hallway this must be the way to the cold rooms.
Suraj inquired about Jessie's corpse and the lady who was at the reception was fairly aged with greyish black hair silver rimmed glasses, wrinkles in the corners of her eyes and mouth, paled skin with a slight sprinkle of freckles. She was clad in black high waist pants, a white shirt, a dark grey cardigan and dark grey flat pumps to match. Her eyes were a hazel brown colour and her lips a slightly pinkish colour that was complimented by a soft pointy nose.
Just like this place her composure was dull she looked like she was reaching her sixties and on the brink of retirement. She checked the information in her schedule pad and nodded to them to follow her. All this time Damien tagged along, to make sure that this pair would not break down at the site of Jessie's lifeless body.
They went through the dull corridor and reached the sixth door down the hallway. It was in this cold room that Jessie's body had been kept, she spoke to a man that was attending to another body if he could help them see Jessie's body as it would be leaving in the evening for the airport (For those who don't know a coffin is sent to the airport earlier to be placed in the cargo, so as not to startle the passengers or people at the airport).
The man nodded and went to a certain cabinet that had the number 6D on it and pulled it open, lying on the cabinet tab was the lifeless Jessie, his complexion completely drained and pale, he was barely recognisable from this point of view.
Carmila stared blankly at this site. Suraj held back a few tears that stung his eyes as he reached for a handkerchief in his back pocket and wiped the tears. Damien stood silently as he recalled how he first met Carmila on that fateful day, no emotions on his face he looked down at Carmila who was still in a trance he understood that she was trying to hold herself together but failing every second that passed and soon would crack.
As expected Carmila broke down and started to weep, Suraj put one hand on her shoulder and pressed on it showing his concern and comfort. She continued to cry for some 30 minutes until she started muttering "Jessie, I never knew that we'd be separated as soon as we—we'd gotten mar- married, today you're all frozen up and tomorrow you'll be buried. You took vows Jessie! Vows that you haven't and didn't accomplish and now you're lying here lifeless, not uttering a single word in retort. Are you letting go of the future we planned for? What am I to do without you now that you're gone? Will I ever heal from this dreadful pain? If you can hear me please wake up and come back to me, I need you, your family needs you. Please Jessie, please come back."
Listening to these painful words both men thought it was time to leave as it wasn't good for her to overwork herself emotionally and so Damien took this moment to gently console her saying "Carmila it's time to go you need your rest and medicine. Jessie needs to be prepared as he'll be going to the airport this evening so we must let the staff do their job. We can't delay them further." Upon hearing this Carmila looked up at Damien and slightly smiled understanding him, she asked if she could just have a few more minutes alone before going, they all stepped out leaving Carmila, she put her warm palm on his cold hand and said "Your Mila will do her best and try to live as you always told me to bloom and live happily no matter what happens, you had a risky job and every time you went away you'd repeat those exact same words but today you aren't here because of our joyous union that turned to a tragedy. I love you Jessie and I always will. Goodbye my lover and friend."
She rolled her wheelchair out the hallway and straight to the door Damien and Suraj followed suit and helped her back to her room.
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