Healing Hearts!!

As Amara stood there in silence, grappling with different emotions, she heard those faint sounds from the bedroom.

So, her parents were awake.

Her heart shifted strangely, the feeling of fear mixed with undefined insecurity swirling within.

Amara took a deep breath, as Zamiel said, it was her responsibility to tell them the truth.

And, she will!!

************

Sarah sighed hard as she clicked the 'enter', removing her spects, "It's been one week, neither Amara is responding to my calls nor she's messaging me!!" she complained looking away from her system.

Ralph looked at her, momentarily pausing cleaning his camera lens. "She already said she is feeling sick, we should give her some space!!"

Sarah looked down at her hands.

Looking her disappointed, he with a sigh reached her, patting on her shoulder. "Did you forget? It's in these days that she had lost everything she had two years ago. She just needs her own space to feel okay! Don't you think so?!"

Sarah nodded slowly, "How can I forget it? Weren't they all whom I had as well?"

She squeezed her hands, "It hurts me when aunt and uncle had able to vanish the lack of parents' love for me while I fail to provide any care for their daughter."

She looked away, "She cannot even share her pain with me!!"

Ralph inhaled feeling helpless, with an unheard sigh, he kneeled, taking her hand into his gently. "It's not your fault, Sarah!"

"May be, you both are hiding your pain from each other?"

Sarah looked up at him with glimpse of tears swirling in her eyes.

"You both suffer the same, and act normal with each other thinking that would work and heal the other!!"

She looked away again, holding back her cry.

"It is no one's fault!!" He assured.

Sarah nodded, her gaze still being settled away.

"Okay now, coffee or tea?" Ralph asked excitedly.

Sarah shook her head, "Nothing likeable for now!!"

Ralph nodded thoughtfully, "What about..... icecream?!"

Sarah chuckled, wiping her almost falling tear, looking back at him!

Watching him in silence, she couldn't help but nod at him for the way he was trying to make her happy, "I'm thinking of to visit her this evening?!"

Ralph nodded, "Perfect, let us surprise her!!"

Sarah smiled.

The door suddenly creaked open, Oliver with bunch of files held in hand, entering in. However, witnessing Ralph being kneeled wondered him, "What's..... happening?!"

"Going for an icecream treat, would like to join?!" Ralph offered.

Oliver seemed confused, "Guys, it's winter!!" he reminded.

"No wonder!!" Ralph mumbled low with a shook. "It doesn't matter!!" He said with a shrug, standing up, offering his hand to her with a slight bow, like a prince, "Shall we go, my lady?!"

Sarah chuckled, his gesture reminding her of her uncle. With a nod, she handed him herself, getting out along with him, heading for the canteen.

Oliver shook his head at them for their weirdness.

************

Amara found it difficult at the beginning, to spit out the bitter truth.

Her parents were surprised and shocked at a time when Amara embraced them with a cry!

Thanking God, and then, Zamiel, inward.

They didn't understand, unless, the truth was out.

Isobel and Harry were speechless, to hear the unknown, to hear the happened, to hear the grievesome, and to feel their daughter's suffering.

Amara had never seen them going this silent, and that bothered her.

The truth somehow bothering them as well.

"The.... immortal....?" Harry's first words, were about Zamiel, while Isobel tried hard not to breakdown.

Amara could feel the suffering in his voice, "Zamiel" she said softly, "Cannot reach him at present father, but....he promised to come back!!"

Harry with a sigh looked at his wife, who kept looking down. He patted on her shoulder assuring, turning back to his daughter, "We would like to share a little talk with him, do...inform us about him!!"

Amara provided a nod.

She felt speechless later, unknown what to say. She sat there in silence, just like them.

Isobel finally cleared her voice, it sounding broken already, "We are sorry....you had to go through it!!"

Amara shook her head, reaching her mother, "Please, don't be sad you both!!" she requested with a cry.

"Whatever happened in the past, I want to forget it!!" She said with a sniff, "For, I've an opportunity to re-write my story, now!!"

She looked at them both in hope, "And.... I want to write it.... beautifully."

"No more grief!!" Amara added.

Harry nodded at her with a smile, "Amara, grappling with everything is seeming difficult," he admitted, "could you.... please provide us a moment?" he asked softly.

Amara smiled, "Take your....own time!!" she assured before hesitantly leaving the room, closing the door.

Amara, as soon as she shut the door, sighed, in relief of letting out the truth, in concern of how is the truth going to affect her parents.

However, she only choose to assure herself by assuming her parents to be strong enough to overcome this hurdle.

Amara went back to her room, this time, happily spending long hours in taking care of herself rather by feeling lost.

Later, when she came down, she witnessed her parents' room still being closed. That somehow bothered her again, however, as promised, she will only give them the time they deserved.

So instead of disturbing them, she thought of preparing breakfast for them.

After years, feeling like her own self!!

************

"We promised to protect her," Isobel's voice broken, "and we failed, Harry!! We failed!!"

Harry shut his eyes briefly, tears streaming down.

"It is difficult to imagine alone," Isobel shook her head, more tears cascading down her cheeks, "how was she without us?"

Isobel took his hands helpless, looking at him, "It would have been difficult for her, right?" She looked away, "It would have been.... difficult for her!!" She cried.

Harry with a deep breath, embraced his wife, "Calm down, please don't cry!!"

"We shall not break down at the moment!" He said dedicated.

"She has seen alot, and so is she wanting to write something new for herself, and....us!!"

"Let us not ... disappoint her?"

Isobel nodded thoughtfully, wiping away her tears.

"We shall not....!!" Isobel said to herself more.

************

Amara placed all the dishes neatly on the table, with a smile.

She hesitated to call her parents out, however, her parents themselves coming out of their room, freshed up, relieved her.

She watched them in admiration, oh, how her heart swelled up with happiness seeing them!!

They watched her in silence which carried away until they both reached her.

"Please....sit!" Amara said awkwardly.

The couple exchanged a glance before getting seated.

"You cooked heavy!" Harry commented low, taking an overall look at the dining table.

Amara just smiled, "We can eat heavy!!"

Isobel smiled faintly, "You learnt to cook so many dishes!!" she commented as well, feeling bad to be fated to leave their daughter all to herself.

Amara shrugged, "However, I always missed your handmade cooking, mother."

Isobel barely managed to smile, looking down her plate as Amara served them the meal.

Very heavy for a brekfast!!

She smiled.

"About you discontinuing your medical practice...." Harry hesitated.

Amara smiled assuring, "It's all in the past, father!"

"I regret nothing!!" She added.

"Despite the constant sting of lonliness, I've always managed to make it, I've got friends who would go to any lengths, for me. I had it all, but you!" She sighed, taking their hands, "I neither want to regret it now!!"

"Let us forget about everything for a while and just be a family?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

A sting settled at their hearts as they smiled at her.

With a tap on their hands, Amara lightened the situation, "Shall we begin now?!"

They both gave a slight nod.

Amara's heart swelled in great contentment as every passing second of her with her parents became an assurance of their permanent come back. The fear of losing them again slowly beginning to fade.

And she couldn't help but inwardly thank Zamiel, her hand reaching for the bracelet she wore, caressing it.

When will he....come back?

Amara choose not to be disappointed, he promised to come back and so he will. Until, she will just enjoy her new life that she's gonna live with will now!! Her own will!!

Despite Isobel and Harry being hesitant in the beginning with their constant self reminder of grief, Amara helped them slowly yet steadily get over with it.

They spent their time with peace, Amara saying how her work life was, with Sarah and Ralph, briefly giving an introduction about Oliver. How her uncle Max, used to watch over her, in secret silence for she always choose to push away the direct care. How she met different people for an interview and some changing her perspectives while some providing her a better vision of the society.

How she still kept taking care of the hospital management, and found happiness by continuing the charity works as much as possible, just like them.

Despite the grief their loss provided with, Amara had let them know how life still was beautiful for her, she though felt she was exxagerating, she didn't mind, cause, she didn't want her parents to live in guilt somehow.

Them hearing her only made them feel happy and sad at a time. They were happy that their daughter was strong enough to lead her life in her own way, to choose not to fall but rise. However, they felt a huge lump settling in their hearts to realise that she had to do and go through it, all alone.

She showed them her blog, the one which she and her team was working with. Isobel and Harry read almost her every article, seeing the videos of her every interview.

While they watched her on screen in admiration, she watched them in admiration mixed with a taste of nostalgia.

Time passed away as it flew, them skipping their lunch for they had eaten heavy in the morning itself.

However as evening neared, Amara was excited to bake, bringing almost dragging the couple to the kitchen.

Isobel helped her make the batter while Harry helped her cut needed dry fruits and gather other ingredients.

The calling bell suddenly ringed surprising them. Amara was so into work that she didn't notice her mother instinctively heading towards the door, to open.

Her heartbeat stopped for a second realising it, and she soon rushed out, making a wondered Harry follow the act. "Mother!!" She called but for no help.

Isobel creaked open the door only to witness her niece standing ahead.

As planned, Sarah and Ralph drove to Amara's home, to surprise her and spend some time with her.

Sarah excitedly ringed the calling bell, however, her heart skipped a beat when she saw the person who opened the door.

Ralph who was as well excited, was now shocked.

Isobel and Sarah kept staring each other in an undefined silence.

"Aunty....?!"

Amara and Harry were speechless.

"Sarah!" Isobel managed to whisper, tears swirling in her eyes.

Sarah's gaze travelled ahead, witnessing Amara and her uncle standing in silence.

Sarah felt her heart almost stopping its beat as her vision blurred, her soon losing her conscious, collapsing.

"Sarah!!" Ralph was quick enough to catch her, the scene leaving everyone stunned and concerned.