Chapter 19 A smile

["We interrogated the clerk at the store who sold her the med. What he said matched exactly with what was recorded in the camera. We found no evidence against him."

He sighs. The elder son of Mr Mins submitted the sample of all his mother's medicine and the food she ate before her death. With that he found that her medicine was poisoned. Now he is being interrogated by the police.

"At this rate, the most suspicious person is your father."

He put down his finger from his lips. "Why'd my father want to kill my mother? Can't you see how devastated he is?"

"Then do you have any other suspicions?"

The younger son interrupts and reckons, "The strange lady next door."

"Can you please specify?"

He comes and sits beside his brother. "I never personally met her but I've heard in the neighbourhood that she once barged into our home with a knife in her hand. I've seen her son before and I'm guessing that she's pretty much responsible for it."

"On what basis do you ascertain that she might be the culprit."

"Go and knock on their door. You'll see that they look suspicious from head to toe."

"Will you two please stop it!" Mins comes and grumbles at his sons. "At first you both left us alone and now you're trying to act like sons by framing another family!"

"Mr Mins, please calm down."

"Father!" Yells the elder son. "How can you say this?! Our mother might have been killed by her!"

"Can you prove it?!"

"I've heard she's a maniac! A psychopath! Dad! Why are you taking their sides?!" Grumbles the younger son.

"How many days has it been since you're staying here, huh? Did you even properly talk to them? I and Eilin did. Unlike you two that boy is a proper and decent son! Despite being insane her son didn't leave her! You just don't like anyone better than you, do you?!"

"Father! We are trying to reach the depth of your wife's murder! How can you trust someone you've known for a month and half?"

"Because I've seen him! I've seen him stopping his mother from doing anything wrong. I've seen him trying to protect his mother… taking care of her… never giving up on her. What we could never do for Eilin." He starts to weep. "The more you remind me of him the more I feel guilty. You two already left her… even I didn't stay at home so often. Eilin was all alone. Stop reopening my wound and rub salt on it!"

His sons could say nothing more. They fall silent. They also feel guilt and regret. For which their father's words hurt even more.

Mins wipes his tears and tells the police. "We do not wish to prolong this investigation. Please give us some time and leave us alone."

Once the police leave, the elder son declares. "We are not staying here anymore. Father. Please come and stay with me."

"I'm not going to your place! I'll live here."

"Brother is right. You shouldn't stay here anymore. The family next door is putting an impact on you." Says the other son.

"Don't try to command me!"

He tells his younger brother. "Go pack his belongings. I'm taking father to my place."

"Yes."]

We pack our pencil case and stuff as our exam ends. Outside the window, there are clouds.

It is going to rain.

"Man. I couldn't concentrate on the exam." Complains Dew.

"Neither could I." Eclise agrees. "I'm curious what happened to Ms Yana."

I stand up. "Do you want to go and see her? I've heard she's been admitted at the xx hospital."

They stare at me for a while and glance at each other. "We should buy something for her on our way."

I smile. "Sure."

Eclise and Dew contribute to buying some fruits while I buy an assortment of colourful flowers. We take them to the hospital.

She has been shifted from the ICU to a cabin this morning. So they allowed us to take the fruits and flowers with us.

But..

"She hasn't woken up?" Expresses Eclise.

"Her condition doesn't look good. In fact she looks horrible."

Dew shrinks his pupil out of fear. "What happened to her face?!"

Most of her face looks burnt. Even her forearms and palms.

"What exactly did she have an accident with?!" Eclise steps back and glances at my crouching to put the flower near her feet. The sudden noise of a thunderbolt startles him.

Terror shrouds his face even more when he sees… He is smiling?! He's smiling behind the flowers!