Chapter 10: I Want To See Your Face

As Judy gradually opens her eyes, she finds herself bedridden. Her gaze wanders around the room in search of others, but only a nurse is present. As she tries to sit up, the nurse interrupts and stops her.

"Mam, please don't move."

"Can you tell me why I'm here?" She asks her dolefully. "You faced a car accident two days ago!" Panic takes over after she remembers everything.

She tries to leave the bed, but the nurse runs to her. "Mam, what're you doing? You've just regained your consciousness, don't move, please." Gently guiding her back onto the bed, the nurse speaks in a calm and reassuring tone. "Please lie down and rest for a little while longer." Her voice is steady and comforting. "You need to take it easy for now and allow your body to recover." Judy nods, realizing the significance of following the nurse's instructions. "I'm calling your mom; she is waiting outside."

Judy's jaw widens as she listens to her; curiosity overcomes her since she believes the nurse made a mistake. She finally notices a woman and the doctor enters the room.

"Wait, I know this woman!" Judy mumbles while the lady smiles at her. The doctor starts to check her pulse.

"Mrs. John, your daughter is alright now." The doctor gives her a gentle smile which she returns. She leaves after giving directions to the nurse. Mrs. John approaches her and softly takes her hand in hers. "Sweetheart, are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah, I know her. She is our restaurant's new owner." Judy sighs in relief and immediately shakes her head while smiling slightly.

"Mam, you brought me here?" "Yes, but I'm so sorry." She lowers her head. "Please, don't be sorry."

"Aren't you going to yell at me?" She asks her suddenly, which makes her chuckle at her question. "Why even do I?" "My car hit you," she says sadly, and regret is visible in her eyes.

"You don't know; you protected me that day. I am so thankful to you, and here you are saying sorry?" She takes her hand to her cheek and caresses it affectionately.

"I must say, in all my life, I've never met someone quite like you. If it had been someone else instead of you, she would have reported it to the police."

"Why do I do that, mam? You've brought me to the hospital, treated me, and most importantly, told them I'm your daughter! An orphan like me, who never saw her parents, suddenly got a mom; what more does she need?" Judy lowers her head, still thinking about how the world is full of different types of people. One is trying wildly to hunt her, but she is there, sitting dolefully, after protecting her from his clutch.

"I'm really happy to meet a person like you; you saved my life by putting yourself in danger. would be blessed if I had a daughter like you," she says; her words fill Judy with joy. "You can call me mom whenever you want." "Mom!" She mumbles nonchalantly, but she feels how powerful that word is at that moment! How lucky someone has to be to address someone as her mother! Pure happiness spreads into her face listening to her words.

"Thanks a lot, but I wonder what you were doing there in the early morning." Judy is startled by the sudden question. She wishes she could confide in her, but she can't risk putting her loved ones in danger by telling anyone about him.

"I was just returning from my village, but the car got damaged, so I was searching for another vehicle, but suddenly-" She smiles awkwardly at her, but her phone suddenly rings, so she stops speaking further. She feels terrible for lying to her, but she has no choice. Fear starts to grip her as she gradually remembers what has happened to her.

"Baby, my son is calling me, I will be back soon." Saying that she leaves, and Judy lets out a deep sigh.

The room is quiet, with only gentle breezes and sun rays coming into it. But it's the first time these two natural elements have failed to make her happy. Her heart gets buried in pain as she thinks about how they are doing.

"I miss y'all so much. I want to see y'all."

Nobody is in the room, so she tries to stand up and walk toward the telephone. She quickly dials Smith's number, and without any delay, he receives the phone.

"Hello, who's it?" She hears Smith's hoarse voice and listens intently. She puts her hands on her mouth to suppress any crying sounds that might escape.

"Hello, who's there?" He asks again, but it's desperate this time.

"S-smith."

"Huh, Judy!" He says this frantically, his voice full of concern.

"Yeah, I am."

"Ah, thank Almighty." He let out a deep breath in relief.

"Are you okay? Please tell me, where are you? Tell me now, damn it!" He keeps asking her desperately about her address; his voice shows what he is going through because of her absence.

"Yah, Judy, please tell me where you are."

"I'm in a hospital," she says in her low, cracked voice.

"What! Hospital? What are you doing in a hospital? Are you okay? Which hospital, I am coming now? Why are you not replying, Judy?"

"Calm down, Smith. I'm okay," she says to calm him down, but hearing his cracked voice, she understands well that he is crying, and it's killing her from the inside. She doesn't know why she always becomes the cause of others' tears.

"If you are okay, then what are you doing in a hospital? Tell me what happened, please."

"I'm okay, but someone trapped me."

"What!"

"Yeah, I ran away from there. He doesn't know anything about it where I am staying now."

"Tell me who that b**d is! I'll kill him; how could he dare to harm my girl?" He blurts it out, which fills her heart with joy listening to it from his mouth; she knows he loves her.

"I want to see your face just once."

"You know it's hurting Smith. I missed you so much."

"I can't take this anymore; where are you?

"I can't tell you where I am now. He knows everything about you, Daisy, and Granny. He'll harm y'all if he finds me with you."

"He can't harm us, Judy. He just terrorized you. I will protect you from all the evils of the world; nobody can harm you. I'll protect you; just believe me for once."

"Please try to understand; don't worry about me. I'm fine now, and take care of yourself."

"W-what're you trying to say? C'mon, you cannot go anywhere."

"I'm not going anywhere; I can't go anywhere leaving you all; just take care of yourself. I'm just worried about you."

"You don't have to be worried about me; nothing will happen to me. It's you who's suffering alone."

"Yeah, I'm worried. How much you say, I can't stop being worried about you!" Judy booms, immediately trying to manage him.

"Stop it, Judy. Just tell me, where are you? I keep asking about your destination, but you keep denying me! Why, Judy? Tell me what's bothering you."

"I can't stop Smith. I love you! Why don't you understand? I can't put you in danger." She says while crying out loudly, "I'm worried about you because I love you; I can't lose you for my mistake." Her sudden confrontation makes Smith the happiest, but also the saddest, at the same time. The urge to take her in his embrace arises inside his heart, but she is not in front of him.