It's a Big Deal.
Chapter 17-
Days passed and Hilary showed no signs of recovery. Her condition, both, as per the doctors, physically and mentally worsened and there were days when she remained unconscious for even twelve hours or sometimes a little more than that. Doctors sometimes said that she may end up any time but since she is not dead, they are keeping their hope and trying their best. Expenses skyrocketed and Kai found hard to meet them a few times, but his company colleagues supported him and he got rid of his financial crisis quite quickly. What disturbed and distressed him more were the increasing questions of Lavinia as the days passed and Kai's worries about his wife.
He couldn't be any sadder. Still, he had perfectly hid from Lavinia that her mom is just a little sick and Doctors are not leaving her. All those fake smiles, fake words, fake courage would work sometimes on his daughter or sometimes she'd just get tired of the same stories said again and again.
"Daddy, are you really telling me the truth?" she asked with puppy eyes once, "Why can't I meet her once just like you do?"
Kai breathed in and sniffled lightly before answering, "Baby, kids below twelve are not allowed at that place. They will take you too just like momma and I don't want to lose you, sweetie."
"No no no!" she said stubbornly, "they can't take me. Why don't you tell police about what they're doing? Why are you keeping quiet dad?" she asked with a pouted angry tear stricken face.
"That's because-"he was lost for words, he couldn't put a reason.
"Tell me!" she commanded.
"Police has refused to help. What can I do? Those people are very clever." He said with a sad smile.
"Those bloody Doctors are really subtle!" Lavinia said with her nose steaming out in anger," Are they dangerous men?" she asked in fear and worry.
"Ah no, not dangerous- They take care of your mom so well, you can't even imagine but they like her so much that they always delay to send her with me." He said feeling that the façade of his act was tearing.
"Arghh! I don't know anything! Just bring my mom back! Can you at least tell me the location dad!" Little Lavinia was very angry by the moment.
"Enough! Now go there and sleep with Sylvia. I'm not answering anything!" He yelled in frustration not able to hold back. Her face didn't change and she as still looking at her dad with the same anger that she had seconds ago. Her face was stern and angrier.
"I'm not talking to you." She said with thick icy voice and left him heading to Sylvia's room.
Sylvia was waiting for her cousin already but Lavinia pretended not to acknowledge her and simply lied on her side of bed, facing the wall window and covering the sheet. Sylvia took that as – 'I can switch off the lights now'. The room darkened and the windows were closed leaving a small slit to avoid the suffocation.
Sylvia wondered if her cousin was alright but she did know that that she was not in a good mood to talk. She probably needs the space but she made sure to talk to her the next morning without fail and help her. Sylvia was okay since Tyson returned that day and the father and daughter could talk and share conversation at least in nighttime or in lunch breaks occasionally. As for Lavinia, she missed her mom and that too so much. Her absence for almost a month now, was something she couldn't digest. When she said about her mom to her closest friends in the school, they either consoled her or said that her dad was lying to her and probably her mom is kidnapped. Sometimes that added to her anxiety and she didn't even speak to her even on phone. That added to her doubts.
Lavinia even refused to go to her own home. She said that she would only come when her mom would return. Sylvia was the only one she shared everything and Salima took take that she didn't deprive even mistakenly of any needs whether they were physical or mental to Lavinia. If anything might happen that she missed, more than Kai, Tyson would kill her.
Salima felt bad for her cousin too. Hils was like a small sister to her after all. Salima did know about Hil's real condition and the truth but she never dare to reveal or even discuss about it in front of Lavinia. However she didn't know that Hils had short of her memory as well. That was the thing that only Tyson knew.
Tyson did have a talk with Hilary later when he got chance but it was something like this- complete opposite to his expectation.
He stood in front of her bed and she was lying on it with her half lidded eyes.
"Hilary…" he softly spoke her name.
She opened her eyes and acknowledged his presence. Her memory started recollecting and she could picture him again in her mind. She was shocked to find her eyes filling to which she found very weird to deal with.
Why am I crying over him?
She quickly wiped them with her fingers and he was so busy looking at her with those innocent feeble eyes that he didn't notice it.
"A-Are you okay?" he asked walking towards her.
"I'm fine. What about you?" she asked looking deep into him.
"I'm alright. Was just a little worried about Lavinia." He said with a sigh.
"What happened to my daughter?" she asked a little shuddering.
"She misses you a lot." He said with a sad smile.
"And I'm sure my cousin bro will take care of my daughter very well! She's staying with Sylvia, right?"
Tyson nodded. He was a little confused at her attitude. She was behaving as if nothing was wrong in between them.
"We are close cousins eh Tyson?" she asked with little fear and questioning aura on her face.
"Yeah." Tyson said wiping a hand across his forehead as if he's just a little tired but inside, he was wondering about her question. It wasn't an assertion. It was a question- and he concluded one thing- her memories didn't include memories of their relation before her marriage and also what happened with her, that is, Salima's betrayal and her despondent states of her infatuation with him after her marriage.
He thought to make it sure once more.
"Of course. I love both you and your daughter, so sheesh, have to take care of her, though Kai cares a whole lot about her than ever I can." He said carefully but with a half laugh.
She chuckled back lightly but that was pure. "Of course, you are that same idiotic and sweet cousin like you were ever since we were in the same class." She expressed her naïve and pure laughter cordially.
His thoughts were confirmed and he nodded sternly to himself. He controlled his aftermath reactions in front of her.
"So, are you willing to drink some soup now? Pleaseee?" he asked making that same pleading face that he used to make when they used to fight and he used to come to her for saying sorry.
"Oh-kay." She nodded, "I will try. You still didn't change. Salima is your wife, right? So why are you going to meet her. She must be worrying about you." Little did she know that her words that she assumed as 'subtle' and 'non-detected' to test her memory that really if Salima was his wife were completely understood by Tyson and caught that she was purely confirming her memories.
"Yeah, my Lil wife, she's okay. She's worried so much, your elder sister!" he pretended to joke, "She forces me to stay by your side along with Kai and Tala and take care of you."
"O-okay." Hilary smiled.
"Now, stop thinking much and take a nap sis!" Tyson sighed softly.
"You won't get rid of your habit to sigh at everything. Will you?" she said confidently. He smirked lightly but nonetheless, covered her sheets properly on her and '''Night. Sleep properly sis." He strode with that out.
His controlled and buried sobs were erupting out as he strode out.
Tyson's POV:
I quickly ran to the spare room that was the last one through the expanse that passed the corridor. It was empty with nothing but a small table at the corner and an attached washroom probably. I don't even remember it.
I locked the room from inside and I was quickly stepping back until my back crashed with the plane wall. My steps stopped and my back slid down the wall and I finally sat down.
My mouth was open and I was breathing heavily in and out. My eyes were shutting on and off so quickly that I was feeling my inside complaining.
This wasn't supposed to be…
Did she really forget us?
I wasn't ready to believe this. I found it very hard to believe. All her words were echoing inside me. She was just confirming our memories that that didn't include those things.
But, you know, I should be feeling happy at this? Our relation of past was the thing that was affecting her life with Kai and now that she don't remember a thing of it, why the fuck am I crying!
I'm that idiot and selfish who thinks about his happiness only. This wasn't supposed to be and I should be happy with whatsoever happening. This is all so perfect. *sob*
This is just so perfect for all of us…*sob*
I don't know why I'm hiccupping like I've been given a tongue lashing by my mom.
Mom?
You'd left me quite early, *chuckles sarcastically*
And with that, I was left with Grandpa alone. You said that he will listen my heart first and then me.
You've no idea of what I've been through. I'm just living this life because of Sylvia. Before her, I found no purpose.
I couldn't believe that Aunt Tach had done this to us. Bloody, what's the use of remembering the past things? That can't be changed Tyson! You are over it! You have to be over it! Please forget it! This is our future.
My wife is not Hilary.
My daughter is Sylvia. Sylvia Granger- my daughter and I've her.
I've to take care that she never loses someone just like Hilary did.
*sighs in extreme despair* I'm okay. I shouldn't be thinking this. I am happy that Hilary can pursue her life without any tension. She will be happy and that's where my happiness lies. *smiles sadly*
From now on, I'm her cousin only. No more that sad smiles, sad faces that make her remember of what we were. I'll be avoiding her to max just till she doesn't suspect or think anything.
Wonder if *laughs in whisper* Sylvia will ever write the story of my life…*sighs*
…..
There were times when Kai would return home late at night, around midnight when Doctors would have to tell him controlling their anger to leave since still all rooms were full.
Should all accidents and other stories have to occur in this time only?
He would sigh but nod slowly. Usually he would be dressed in the same black suit with a white tie that he used to wear for the office day. Sometimes the extreme or hectic work had to delay his reporting at the hospital. Tyson would be same way busy till two or sometimes three in noon. Till then Tala would be there at hospital, thanks that he was at the vacation. After one more month, he has to leave for US.
Kai and Tyson would after be around two or three. Both the teens had developed strong brotherly relations and were equally worried about Hilary. Even during their work at their respective quarters (Hiwatari quarter's for Kai and BBA quarters for Tyson) half of the time their minds shuddered at the thoughts of Hilary if something would suddenly happen to her.
Coming back to Kai, his mental status was terribly shaken and broken. Actually, Voltaire stayed with the new couple (speaking of Kai and Hilary) until they got together well and Lavinia came in their life. After that, he'd made some reason though it seemed so profound and definitely secretive as per Kai and left for UK. He just said he want to spend his last days over here. No matter that almost two weeks there were debates from Kai and Hilary for Voltaire's decision but he was being stubborn at last and just said that it was necessary. They implored him to stay with them and Lavinia was just three years old and she wasn't even informed about him leaving that time. Hilary even literally sat on her knees, held Voltaire's hands and said these words, "Grandpa,*sigh* I may not be the best granddaughter in law but I have always been trying and am trying and will always try to satisfy your wishes. I will proof to be the best partner for Kai and a good mother for Lavinia and always try to maintain the peace in this house. I might have done many mistakes as I'm not sure that I'm perfect and might not be even aware of it. You never even complained. But please forgive me if I caused you any problem. Please don't leave us."
Voltaire felt extremely bad for Hilary but he just hugged Kai and Hilary once and said in tears that he has to leave saying that he's very much grateful to God that he has given him and Kai such a wonderful and sweet women and he's very much satisfied with Hilary's works and her nature and he can trust her for Kai.
Kai's and Hilary's relations deepened even more after Voltaire left, mostly because they felt the need of Voltaire and always talked about why he had left them, usually ending up crying together thinking about it. Lavinia's condition was worst. It took almost a month for her to cope up Voltaire's absence. Obviously Voltaire very much loved Lavinia and he didn't have the courage to tell her that he was leaving. Initially, Lavinia almost didn't talk to her parents, angry that they'd hid about Voltaire leaving from her. After a few months, lots of consoling and distractions made her forget slowly till she was seven and her memories became vague about Voltaire.
Life was passing and everything was fine. Hilary still remembered Tyson but since they rarely met, it didn't much of impact on her life. Shortly, she got pregnant again and there was again something to keep her busy.
Everything was fine till they once visited her cousin's house that day and that's where new perceptions and feelings re-started in her mind for Tyson.
That's when everything got disturbed perfectly. But all those things again were getting correct and Tyson was trying his best to not regret about this. If Hilary has forgotten about everything that he'd be not sad.
Coming back to Kai again, his nights were shackled and torn. Most of the times, in his sleeps in the middle of nights, he would put his arm on the other side of his wife's place and would wake up like he's seen a ghost breathing heavily and finding her not beside him- Darkness in his room is what he would see. All dark and nothing… Speedily the fan fanning. That's the only sound.
He missed Hilary. He missed her being around him, no matter how she was- sometimes smiling at him, caring for him, cooking for the love she has for him, telling him to return early, waving the goodbye even after closing the door in morning, kissing him in middle of nights, snuggling into him during winters and all of their moments. But most of all, he missed her. And how come he won't be worried and have these kinds of states when his wife is still in hospital even now when it's more than a month?
He missed Lavinia too. She simple refused to come back until either Hilary would come back or he'd take her to her mom. She was once even a little rude saying that Sylvia would console her better than him. Initially Kai was hurt but he then said himself that it's just because Lavinia was without Hilary at this time.
He would try back to sleep but the darkness would haunt him- making him feel he was all alone. He used to wonder why Voltaire left him. It came to them as a shock when they learn that he died after a year of Cancer. The thoughts of his grandfather made him feel worst. Voltaire had done so much for him starting from his parent's death till he'd left. The way he is- a successful person capable of handling all the work of the Hiwatari enterprises he has inherited, a mature person with patience and tough natured- it's all because of him. Voltaire had built him strong. He was lonely but still he had become used to it though sometimes he would break down very badly and nobody would even know about. He felt like all alone like nobody was ever going to be like friends with him. His past was dark and a little cruel- spend in complete discipline, no fun and all alone. His only fun was with his cousin called Kane, Daichi and…Akira. And that's why Akira's death had brought him immense grief and sadness. Akira was the best person in his life who understood his woes and his insecurities. The cousins shared their time but most of the times, they were not allowed to meet each other. They were taught to be aloof and maintain a lot of personal space (more than needed). Voltaire has brought him up in the best way and has chosen the best girl he could have ever got. He wasn't sure of what life he was getting- all better than best after his marriage. But nonetheless, he realized it very soon.
Ever since Hilary came in his life, Kai has been loving life even more with Lavinia adding warmth in his life. He didn't know that his cruel-some past was going to be repeated once again.
….
….
A/N: Thanksss so much for your reviews! I was so excited to read them. I hope this chapter satiates all your hopes for this chapter. Not sure when the next chapter will be posted, perhaps at the weekend.
Please review and let me know of what you thought. ;D