My mother's weak lungs.

Room 205, Nambong Nursing Home.

"He has to love me. No, he won't leave me here to die"

"He said he would do anything in the world just to make me happy"

"He won't surely leave me to die here"

A woman in her late twenties is seated on a rocking chair, biting her nails. She keeps biting hard like it does not hurt and continues to speak with so much fervor. She did not seem to mind the blood seeping out.

"He must still love me!", she screamed and stood up with a full force. Crashing the rocking chair on the floor, she walks over to her bed and knocked down the flower vase by bedside.

Two nurses ran into her room, the noise had alerted them. One with a syringe already filled with anaesthesia to induce sleep.

She tried to break the next vase by the window before she felt a stiff grip on her arm and was too late to react, before she felt the needle piece her other arm and the effect of the injection started to kick in as she felt compelled to sleep and closed her eyes.

The nurses sighed in relief and carefully tucked her in bed. They switched on the light and called for a cleaner to clean the mess the patient had created again.

No matter the number of times they switched on the lights, the patient always turned it off.

The patient's bed read, "Kim Eunjoo, 28"

…

Marian POV,

For how long does she intend to keep me locked up? Eversince Peter had betrayed me by leaving me with the woman who claimed to be my biological mother, I have refused to leave the room allocated to me.

Even though, she had made it clear to me that I could explore the property and stretch my legs. She still has me locked up as I cannot leave the place.

I am tired of this place, even if it's only been three days. I still cannot believe Peter had left me here. I am bored to the bones, there's no fun in being here. I feel like I do not belong here. I feel like a prisoner here. I miss Belinda and Zoey so much but I am sure the traitor that had left me here would have told them not to worry. God! Even a prisoner has more liberties than I am granted.

Deciding to get a good read from the library, I walked to the door and headed to the Library but stopped half way when I saw my mother lying lifeless on the floor, with her phone a few meters from her.

She seemed to be speaking on phone as the person on the other side, continued to ask if she was following.

I stood there and took in the scene before, absorbing the situation.

Realization sunk in as I rushed to her. I was about to lose my mother, I had not even given a chance to explain herself.

I screamed hard till it felt like my lungs were burning. Raising her up with all my might and carrying her towards the entrance, I was glad to find back up soon and in no time, my mother was taken to the nearest hospital.

I watched as my mother was rolled into the emergency unit and some doctors gathered her like children feasting on chocolate. Once her vitals were stable, she was rolled into a VIP room where I stationed myself and refused to leave.

I felt so scared earlier, I thought I was going to lose my mother. I thought I would never get to spend quality time with her. I thought I would never learn of her like and dislikes. Sighing, I move a chair quietly, and sat close to her bed.

I woke up to someone patting my head and whispering sweet words to my ear.

Where am I?

I opened my eyes and raised my head to see my mother and remembered everything that had happened but strangely, I could not say a word to her. I just sat there looking at her like waking up to see her was the strangest thing on planet earth.

And that was when it hit me, this has never happened before. My mother being the first person I see when I wake up in the morning or seeing her this close.

Tears filled my eyes and I shamelessly shed them. My mother eyes that were once smiling, held pity in them and she let a tear slide down her cheeks.

"Marian, I am so sorry for leaving you". She said as if she knew exactly why I was crying like a child.

Holding her hand in mine, I asked, "How are you feeling? I should call the nurse to see to you-"

"I feel better now, with you by my side, my secretary told me that you were the one who found me. Thank you"

I closed my eyes and opened them again to address her. "What exactly is your condition? I could not ask the doctor as I slept through the night"

"It's nothing to worry about, I did not have lunch in time, that just be the reason. Silly me", she ended her statement with a chuckle.

With anger clear in my tone, I half screamed, "You have kept me in the dark for so long, please tell me the truth if it will hurt me to know later"

After wiping a tear furiously, I say in almost a whisper with pleading eyes. "Please"

My mother inhaled and responded truthfully, "I have weak lungs, when I exert too much stress on myself, my lungs give out"

Standing up and looking at my shoes, I assimilated her revelation. "And now it's weaker as you are getting older". Wiping another tear, I said defeated. "Try to find a way to lessen the work load at least. Jesus christ! I just met you and I thought I was going to lose you".

For a minute, I thought my mother would not say anything else until I heard her speak in a small soft voice, "Help me reduce the workload, I know it's too soon to let you on this boat of mine, but promise that you will help with the work, promise me that you will help this shameless mother of yours."

I do not know what to say, I stand and stare at the woman who birthed me. The woman I thought I would have lost to death.

My mother shifted slowly and removed a necklace from her neck, she told me to come closer and fixed it on mine.

"It was your father's first gift to me, he gave it to me on our first anniversary. After I lost you, I promised to give it to you if we ever crossed path again. I want you to have some of your father's love too", she spoke sadly.

I wondered what my story is exactly but do not question her. Yet.

Inspecting the pendant, I plastered a small smile and thanked her for giving it to me. It must have been hard for her.

She smiled at me before adding, "I want you by my side, I know I am being selfish but please stay with me. Please help me. Promise me". She says the last part and covers my hands completely.

I do not know what made me so touched, if it was the warmth seeping out of her hands to mine or the necklace round my neck because I hugged her and whispered, "I promise".

I did not know what I had gotten myself into.