Chapter 9

The sad gloomy day had finally arrived. A day after Mr McDonell had come to see Angel at the hospital, was the day Angel was finally getting discharged and also it was the burial day of her mother, Lisa.

Angel couldn't help but feel her heart torn out of her body as she looked out of the window in her hospital room. The room had felt like her comfort zone these past few days and she knew she had to face the reality when she stepped out of this place. She had to face the horrible reality that her mother was no more and that her road in life had just got tougher.

As Angel sat on the wheelchair waiting for Carly to come back from signing papers for Angel's dismissal, the door flew open and Eric entered all dressed up in black. Angel turned to face him as he entered and a small smile appeared across her face.

"Hey, how are you doing?" asked Eric as he came to stand beside Angel with his hand on her shoulder.

"I know I'm supposed to feel good that I'm leaving this place," answered Angel, "but I know when I leave this place, I'll have to accept the harsh reality that my mum isn't here anymore."

Eric squatted beside the wheelchair so as to have a clear look at Angel face to face. Angel's eyes were filled with tears but she did all she could for them not to fall down her cheeks. Eric placed his palm on her cheek and Angel gasped a little at his touch.

"It's fine to cry, you know?" said Eric, "I'll be here for you whenever you need me, Angel."

"Thanks, Eric." Angel placed a hand on Eric's hand already touching her cheek. "You're really a great guy. I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me this past week."

"It's nothing. I'm just glad that I met a great person like you."

Angel forgot about the tears in her eyes and almost laughed out loud. She stared out at the window as she covered her mouth with her other hand as she tried to hide her laugh. Eric smiled and he took her hand she covered her mouth with.

"That's what I want to see, you laughing."

"You're crazy, Eric."

"Ya, I'm crazy. Crazy about making you happy, Angel. I love to see you like that."

Angel didn't say anything as she was dumbstruck at what Eric said. As for Eric, he continued to smile at her. He tucked a strand of hair behind Angel's ear and continued to stare into Angel's eyes. They stayed like that for a while until Carly came in through the door with Mr McDonell behind her and they too were dressed in black. Eric straightened himself up from the floor.

"It's now time to go, Angel," said Carly. "Are you ready to leave?"

Angel didn't say anything and all she could do was nod her head. Carly gave her sister a sad smile as she took the handlebars of the wheelchair and dragged Angel out of the room.

They went out of the room and into the white tiled hall way of the hospital, and in a matter of minutes, they found themselves in the reception area. Huge wide glass doors of the hospital were wide open for them to pass through to the outside. Angel couldn't help but look around the hospital for one last time. She was really going to miss this place. Once she was beyond those glass doors, things were going to be totally different.

Cold prickling air greeted Angel in the face immediately the two sisters had stepped out through the doors first. When Angel took in the air, not only did it prickle her face, even her lungs as well.

Two black SUVs stood waiting in front of the hospital. Eric got to the first car and opened the door to the passenger seat. He helped Angel inside the car by lifting her up from the wheelchair. Carly went in and sat beside Angel while Eric and Mr McDonell went in the second car. The two cars drove out of the hospital premises.

"We will first go for the funeral to pay mum out last respects," said Carly, as she tried to make a conversation with her sister. "Then we can go home."

Angel looked out of the window taking in the view outside as they passed Central park. She wasn't really in the mood of talking to Carly at the moment. Not even looking at her.

"Don't worry, you will see," continued Carly when Angel didn't say anything. "Once we're home everything will be back to normal, even if mum isn't with us anymore."

Angel closed her eyes tight when Carly said that. Her heart ached so much just at the thought of their mother. She could hear Carly sob quietly beside her.

Angel slowly opened her eyes and she knew they were coming closer and closer to the cemetery. And she knew she was going to break down any second now as she felt her heart ache and beat faster.

"Ummmm...Angel," Carly said in between sobs, "there's.... there's something I need to tell you urgently. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I just couldn't."

Angel felt Carly put her hand on hers. Angel winced by her touch as she tried to slowly pull her hand away. But Carly grasped it.

"Look at me, Angel," said Carly, almost pleading. "I can't tell you now if you don't look at me."

The black SUV came to a halt in front the burial site where they were supposed to put her mother to rest. The other SUV came behind them and Eric soon appeared by the car to help Angel out. Angel could only breathe out a sigh of relief as Eric opened the door.

"We will talk later, Carly," said Angel without even taking a look at her sister. "Now isn't the right time."

Eric had set the wheelchair for Angel outside and carefully took her out of the car and onto the wheelchair. He pushed the wheelchair towards the burial site where the priest and other friends and family members stood waiting for them.

Angel didn't know if she was ready for all this. Her heart soon gave out when she soon realised that her mother's black coffin lay amidst the crowd.

***

Leo lifted his shades as he noticed Kim's red Chevrolet pack close to his black Mercedes Benz. He looked on as Kim came out of her car and she wore a red short dress with matching red stilettos. She also had shades on and her lips were perfectly painted red and she looked really beautiful. But to Leo, she couldn't be more beautiful than Carly. All he just wanted now was to finish all of this once and for all.

Kim walked over to Leo who waited beside his car. She had a huge smile on her face as she hugged Leo and gave him a peck on the cheek. Leo didn't react to her gesture and all he did was step back a little out of her arms.

"Hey, Leo," Kim said, furrowing her eyebrows behind her shades. "Are you okay? You don't look like you're happy to see me."

Leo took his shades off and stared out in the distance. The two had parked nearby a public park on the bridge which overlooked the whole area. It wasn't such a bright sunny day to meet at Central park. It was kind of gloomy. Maybe it was because Leo now had to come out clean to Kim by telling her the truth that he didn't have any feelings for her anymore. He took in a deep breath as he tried to figure out how to answer her.

"Leo, you're scaring me," said Kim. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"It's nothing, Kim," answered Leo, now turning to face her, "I'm just glad you came here."

"Well, you don't look glad at all, Leo. Is there something wrong?"

Leo took in a deep breath before he spoke. "Yes, Kim. There is something wrong. I know it was stupid of me to avoid you all this while. But now it's time I come out clean."

"You're starting to scare me," Kim now removed her shades and stared at Leo. "What's going on, Leo?"

This was going to be really hard and Leo knew it. He passed a hand through his hair. It was now time to tell the truth. All he hoped for was that Kim would try to understand him a little. But was he really going to tell her the whole truth though? Well, it was time to find out.

"The time the wedding got cancelled, I had been thinking a lot lately. A lot had happened that day. And it had a huge effect on me and maybe even you. And I've been avoiding you for so long because of it and all I want to say is that I'm really sorry for acting like a jerk, Kim."

"I understand that the wedding had affected you. But something tells me that something else had happened that day. Was it the accident?"

Leo looked up at Kim and knew he was cornered. He drew his eyes downward and nodded.

"What happened then, Leo?" Kim asked. "How did the accident affect you? I want to know. Did something happen that day that has made you this way?"

Leo felt his mouth run dry so suddenly. What was he going to say? That he had fallen in love with a prostitute and that he didn't want to be with Kim anymore? Was he really going to tell Kim the whole truth for sure? The thought of telling Kim everything made Leo wonder how badly she would react.

"After all that had happened," said Leo, his throat causing him a problem to talk, "I came to a conclusion about our relationship, Kim."

"What do you mean?" Kim asked looking like the worst was yet to come.

"I hate to say this, but I don't think I can go on with this relationship anymore."

***

Angel held the flowers in her hand and slowly put it on the pile of dirt that now covered her mother's grave. She was really going to miss her mother so much. All she wanted was to drop dead too. She didn't want to face what life had for her. It was going to be very difficult. She didn't want to act like a coward, but she still felt angry through her tears. Her sister was nothing but a betrayer and her mother just left without even saying goodbye. Tears kept on falling down her cheeks as she took all that in. She wanted to punch the whole world including her sister.

After the funeral procession and everyone had left, Angel just sat in her wheelchair with Eric beside her looking around the cemetery. It was quiet and Angel enjoyed the silence. Eric was such a good companion to be with. He knew Angel wasn't in a mood to talk at the moment and he was quiet beside her the whole time letting Angel get lost in her own world.

After what seemed to be like an eternity, Mr McDonell came from behind with an old woman Angel didn't recognise on a wheelchair just like her. They stood right beside Angel and Eric.

"Angel, this right here is my mother," introduced Mr McDonell. "She also knew your mother as well."

"It's good to see the daughters of Lisa," said Amanda, she reached out to hold Angel's hand. "I'm happy that she had such beautiful daughters like you."

Angel smiled at the kind geature. "Thank you. It's a pleasure meeting you."

"No, the pleasure is all mine. I'm just glad I get to meet you since I hadn't seen your mother in such a long time. And now that you'll come to live with us, it will be great."

For a moment there was silence among them. Angel looked up at Mr McDonell and Eric who didn't say anything.

"Umm, well my sister and I might not leave with you, uh," Angel paused for a while.

"You may call me Amanda, dear," said Amanda, "what do you mean you might not stay with us?"

"I decided that it won't be appropriate for my sister and I to come and live with you. We can take care of ourselves."

"Angel, I think it's time you know the truth." said Carly as she came from behind.

Angel couldn't help but roll her eyes and turn to face the other way when Carly came to join them. Carly stood beside Eric trying to take a look at her sister, but Angel did all her best to hide her eyes. Amanda noticed and she couldn't help but feel worried over Angel's expression.

"What is it now, Carly?" Angel asked trying to keep her tone cool and even.

"I....well, I wanted to tell you that, we won't be able to go back home any more."

Angel now shifted in her wheelchair so suddenly to look at Carly whose eyes were red and puffy from crying. This time her eyes were now full of fright. Even Angel noticed it. What was she hiding that she was scared and had kept it hidden?

"Tell me what the heck is going on? What have you kept from me, Carly?"

Angel demanded.

"We won't be able to go back home because," Carly hesistated. "They took the house from us, Angel."

Angel felt her heart shatter at the news. And this time, she felt like tearing the whole world apart for sure.

"What?!"