I FEEL WORTHLESS ANYMORE
"Ozora, sweety, are you in there?" Bella knocked on the door several times but there was no answer. Her hand gripped the doorknob and pushed the door to open it.
"Why is the room such a mess?" Bella's eyes saw the messy bed and some things scattered on the floor. Ozo never had been messed up even though she's untidy either. Every child who enters the age of adolescence can indeed get their own generosity with its own room facilities. Moreover, the orphanage could run better because of the presence of Ozora in Jacob's family.
"Ma'am!" Chia was shocked. Just now she arrived at Ozora's room and she wanted to clean up the mess that had occurred. Coincidentally she met her boss there.
"Where have you been, Chia? Where's Ozora? Why is her room a mess like this?" Bella's voice rose because she was sure something bad had happened.
"Ozora is in the hospital, ma'am."
"Hospital? What happened?" Bella tried to calm down hoping that Ozora would go to the hospital because of an ordinary illness.
"According to the doctor's explanation, Ozora was sexually assaulted. Now she is accompanied by her family. Mr. Jacob said that if you and your husband do not find and hand over the perpetrators to the police, they will withdraw all funds from donors."
"Sex abuse? To hell with donors! I have to go to the hospital now." Bella hastily stepped foot to meet her husband who had just entered the room. In her mind there was only Ozora. She was more worried about the girl than the funds from the donors.
"Honey, we have to go to the hospital. Chia took Ozora to the hospital and her family was already there." Ernest, who had just changed clothes, turned around to see his wife's face.
"Ozo is in the hospital? Usually, every time she was sick, she just took medicine and immediately recovered." Ernest knew exactly how Ozora was. The girl was very rarely sick. Even if she was sick, she only needed to take medicine and rest without touching the hospital.
"We can talk in the car. Her family is already there."
"Okay. I'll take the car keys first."
***
Jacob sat with his head supported with both hands. His head was bowed and his eyes closed thinking about his adopted daughter's fate. He had repeatedly asked Ozora to live with them but the teenage girl always refused. Moreover, Daven and Daphnee are still little and need extra attention from them.
"You calm down, honey. We just try our best. This is all beyond our control. Don't blame Ernest and Bella too much. You know how long they've been treating children. They have sacrificed a lot for the orphanage. I don't think it's fair if we put the blame on them." Aster sat beside Jacob while rubbing his husband's back. They deliberately waited outside because the doctor had entered the room to carry out a more intense test.
"Doctor Northman, Ozora is looking for her parents." The male doctor who had just come out called for them.
Jacob and his wife walked hand in hand into the room the man in white had not yet had time to close. Ozora's pale face became the center of their attention. Aster sat on the edge of the bed while her husband sat on a chair to the right of the bed.
"Dad, I'm sorry." The girl apologized fearing that her adoptive family would blame her for everything that had happened. Ozora was bitter and many experiences made her easily intimidated, afraid, and her self-confidence was very low.
"You're not wrong, sweety. I'm sorry for not being able to take care of you. It should have been my responsibility."
"No, Daddy. I'm too stubborn. I always refuse your invitations to stay home. Now I feel the consequences. I feel worthless anymore."
"Don't talk like that, kid. It's not your fault."
Seeing them blaming each other, Aster immediately changed the subject. "Soon your brother and sisters will come here. They will bring your favorite food. You'll be glad they came. Right?" Aster rubbed Ozora's head with great empathy.
"I'm embarrassed, Mommy. I've been abused and I'm worthless. All of my friends will definitely make fun of me."
"Who dares to say you are worthless? What rights do they have? You are beautiful, kind, and very special to us. Now we don't know what all this means. But later we will know that all this will bring good. We will accompany you to that stage. You're not alone, honey. We will face it together." Aster gave Ozora a kiss on the forehead and grabbed the back of the girl's hand. Although not a child born from her womb, her family loves Ozora very much.
"Thank you, Mom." At least Ozora wasn't alone. God has sent the warmest family for her.
"Ozora!" The exclamation of Bella's voice made the three pairs of eyes turn to the door. Ernest and Bella just got there. After getting the patient's room number, the two of them immediately walked quickly to the room occupied by Ozora.
"Calm yourself, honey. Just talk outside. Soon Geona and the twins will come. Don't let them hear the commotion here." Aster advised and whispered in her husband's ear. She knew for sure that her husband's heart was pounding for an explanation.
"Let's talk outside. Let my wife accompany Ozora." Jacob stood up and smoothed the collar of his shirt. He went out first and the couple followed behind him.
The hospital hallway became an option for the three of them to discuss this issue. While on the road, Bella told her husband about the chronology of events like what she had heard from Chia, a kitchen servant at the orphanage.
"Who did it?" Jacob immediately asked. Jacob's jaw clenched, the veins in his arms felt like they were going to burst from his anger that was already over the top. His hand tugged at the collar of the polo shirt worn by Ernest.