“Ana, come home quick, honey! Maul got into an accident this morning.”
My heart pounded violently. My hands trembled as I grabbed my phone, then tried pressing the button to call my mother. The spicy taste suddenly faded, no longer registering on my tongue. My head filled with countless questions.
I hurried to pay for my food, then reached into my bag to look for my motorcycle keys. Unfortunately, the keys seemed to be deliberately hiding beyond my reach. Anger, panic, confusion, and worry all blurred together. I stopped for a moment. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I repeated this three times until my pounding heart calmed down.
“Your mother’s already at the hospital. Just come straight here. He’s still being treated by the doctor. Be careful on your motorcycle,” Mom said before I left to follow them.
The cold air greeted me as soon as I arrived at the hospital. He was still in the ER. I hurried over to my mother, who was in the waiting room. Many other people were waiting there too.
“The doctor’s stitching up his wound. There’s a very long gash below his knee. Otherwise, it’s just some scrapes.”
I let out a relieved breath. Relieved that he wasn’t dying. Relieved that he was still all right.
“Who’s waiting with him inside?” I asked Mom.
“His uncle. He’s the one who brought him here,” Mom explained.
My eyes fixed on the ER doors. I couldn’t see him from outside. Then I sat beside Mom. I closed my eyes, holding back something that wanted to spill from them.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, just stay calm! Maul’s all right now.”
I felt Mom squeeze my hand. She gently stroked it. My heart was in complete turmoil. I truly couldn’t put it into words.
If only I’d gone to see him this morning. If only I’d waited for him instead of going back to sleep. Maybe Maul wouldn’t be here now. I was truly awful.
“That’s Maul,” shouted one of the people waiting there, whose name I didn’t know.
My gaze immediately turned to the open ER doors. The man was being helped along by his uncle. I looked him over from head to toe. There was a bandage wrapped below his knee. Then I saw the scrapes on his face, elbows, hands, and legs. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of him.
“Ana.” His eyes seemed to light up when he saw me. Our gazes met. I nodded in response.
“I’m sorry. I turned off my phone this morning,” I blurted out.
Who knew how many elaborate lies I had built? I kept deceiving that man. And yet, how selfish of me to keep asking him to understand, giving myself so many chances to leave.
“Hey, hey, this isn’t your fault.” His hand wiped away my tears. He smiled. Even at a time like this, he was the one calming me down. “I’m the one who wasn’t careful enough.”
Mom had finished making the payment. Meanwhile, his uncle got the car ready to go home. I followed behind him.
For a while, I stopped by his uncle’s house with the people who had witnessed the accident. To avoid a small child who suddenly ran across the road, he had swerved hard and skidded. As it happened, the child was his own neighbor. When his uncle heard that his nephew had been in an accident, he rushed to take him to the hospital.
After making sure Maul took his medicine, Mom and I said goodbye so he could rest. There were still many people at his house, though—people joyfully welcoming his arrival. And his birthday party was only five days away.
Ah, soon, huh?
I thought that as I looked at the decorations being arranged. I let out a weary breath before walking away and leaving his front yard.
Could I come tomorrow?
…to be continued…