Family
CHAPTER 49: Family
– LIA –
THE BLOOD transfer was a success. Everything was in order, aside from the fact that I felt somehow dizzy after the procedure.
“What are you feeling, mi amor?” Kelleon asked while he is escorting me inside my room. “Do you want me to call a doctor?”
He placed his hand on my forehead before helping me on laying down on the bed. He adjusted the height of the pillow before covering my body, up to my shoulders, with blanket.
My boyfriend’s really the sweetest…
“Hmm, I’m feeling dizzy,” I complained as I closed my eyes. The light from the bulb is too bright and I can’t look at it.
Kelleon caressed my temple, and then massaged it softly. “That’s normal after blood transfusion. I read in a book that it will go away after half an hour,” he explained. “But if you’re still dizzy after one hour, I will call the doctor to check on you.”
I slowly nodded. “This is my first time to donate some blood, but not the first time I lose some,” I chuckled at the thoughts running in my head. “I also felt dizzy everytime I was shot or stabbed during our operations.”
Even with my eyes close, I can feel Kelleon frowning. “That’s not funny, mi amor. I’m now thinking of stopping you from doing that job.”
My eyebrows became stiff. I opened my eyes and glared at him. He suddenly was shocked, and scared at the same time, with my action.
“Now that you said that, I’m thinking of leaving you.”
Kelleon launched himself at me. He buried his face on my neck before hugging my body. He hugged me so tight like I was going to run away and hide from him forever.
“I…,” his hug became tighter. “I can’t breathe.”
“I won’t stop you from doing police operations, I promise. Just don’t leave me, mi amor,” he said while his face is still on my neck.
My eyes widened when I felt something wet touching my skin. I looked down on Kelleon to see his face, but his hair is blocking the way.
Is he crying?
“Cariño,” I called him and gently caressed his back. “I’m just joking. I’m not leaving you.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
He shook his head. The wet feeling on my neck was scattered to more parts as he did that.
“You can do whatever you want. I won’t stop you. Just don’t leave me alone. I don’t know what will happen to me if you leave me,” his voice cracked at the last sentence he said.
“Shh, cariño. It’s okay. That won’t happen, hmm?” I tried to cheer him up. “Leaving you is not on my plan. We’re going to get married, right? Then make our own family.”
I cupped his face gently. Small drops of tears are still in his cheeks. He tried to hide them but I was fast to dried those tears with my thumb.
“There. I’m just joking earlier,” I smiled at him. “When I confessed to you that I love you, I already marked you as mine. I have no plan of leaving you today, tomorrow, or on the next years to come. And I have no plan of letting go away from me. You’re mine and I’m yours. I will kick your balls if you leave me.”
Thankfully, that made him laugh. He touched my face before leaning forward to me and planting several kisses on it. His lips touched mine. They were inseparable for some moments before Kelleon smiled.
“I want us to get married on Basillica of Santa Maria del Mar,” he said with twinkles in his eyes.
I moved closer to him. The dizziness faded and I feel more comfortable. Well, as comfortable as a patient can be.
“Where’s that located? Is that a church?” I asked. That place is unfamiliar to me. I haven’t visited to churches in Spain. The only one I remember is the Basílica de la Sagrada Família. Kelleon toured me in that church, as well as in the tourist spots near it.
He nodded. “It’s located here in Barcelona. That church is a beauty, having a Catalan Gothic style. Besides, it can occupy hundreds of people, which is good because I plan to invite a lot in our wedding,” he said while beaming as if he was thinking of a really good plan.
“Tell me, how many guests are you planning to invite?” I asked while giving him a doubting look.
Kelleon was about to respond when a mature woman’s voice spoke.
“Three thousand!” Mama Thea exclaimed. “Oh, wait,” she steepled her hands and looked like she was thinking deeply. “That’s not enough. I’d say five thousand guests!”
My jaw was hanging as I stared at Kelleon’s parents sitting on the sofa beside my bed. Papa Killian is carrying a basket of fruits which he put down on the table before placing himself beside his wife.
“Isn’t that too many?” I asked. I was thinking of only a hundred guests, or maybe just the close friends and family.
Mama Thea looked at me with a judging look. “Oh, mi hija! I could invite all nobilities in Spain and other European countries to attend your wedding!” she was beaming with excitement. “Oh, wait! We should invite the Royal Family! Oh my god! I’ll call the Queen!”
Kelleon and his father chuckled. Papa Killian pinched his wife’s nose while laughing softly.
“Mi vida, I know that you’re excited. But let us let them decide. Besides,” he looked at my wrist which was covered with bandage. “Lia is still recovering. Let’s talk about the details of the wedding once she and your amiga is discharged. How about that, hmm?”
Mama Thea pouted. “Okay, fine. But I’m still sticking on the five thousand guests.”
“By the way, Mama,” Kelleon looked at his mother while peeling the oranges for me. “How’s Mama Tine? Is she already awake?”
Mama shook her head. “She’s still unconscious. Although the doctors said that she’s fine and just resting, we cannot help but get worried,” she sighed.
“Ezekiel is so worried. He won’t leave his wife’s side even if I told him to eat first. He looks so tired earlier,” Papa Killian added.
Guilt suddenly covered my heart. “Mama Tine wouldn’t get hurt if not because of me.”
A hand caressed my back while Kelleon touched my hand and intertwined it with his.
“Mi hija, don’t think like that. Celestine chose to do that to save you,” Mama Thea said before offering a grape for me to eat.
Papa Ezekiel nodded as a support to his wife’s statement. “Celestine will be mad if you continue to blame yourself for what happened. Just thank her once she wakes up.”
“I know how brave my best friend is,” Mama Thea spoke. “She is like a hero in a story. Always trying to save everyone,” she smiled. “You know, this is not the first time such thing happened. Tine was also shot before in the leg because she tried to save a kid from being hostage.”
I was in awe. “Wow, she’s really something.”
Mama Thea smiled at me. “She is. Ezekiel always have a hard time because of this trait of her. He’s scared that a time will come that his wife will be in worse situation because of her love to save people. He said that he’s already used to it but he can’t help but to worry.”
While listening to Mama Thea and Papa Killian talk about how Mama Tine loves to save and help people, I can’t help but to admire her. Between Mama Tine and her husband, I will think that Papa Ezekiel is the one with that characteristic.
“Mi amor, ahh,” Kelleon spoke while trying to feed me with an orange. I opened my mouth and ate it with a heart.
We didn’t noticed that hours already passed. We were so busy talking about any random topic that we can think of. I noticed that we haven’t talked about Denisse or her family, which is good for me. I don’t want to ruin the atmosphere just because of them.
A knock interrupted our discussion. Doctora Guillermo entered the hospital room with the same female nurse behind her. Her eyes landed on me first before looking at the Gonzales Family.
“Madam Celestine is already awake,” she spoke, making everyone beamed with happiness.
I hurriedly got up. “We should visit her now!”
The doctor smiled at me while Kelleon and Mama Thea were helping me stand up. “I actually come here not just to break the news, but to also ask you to come with us in Madam Celestine’s room. I have another news to tell.”
“Oh,” Mama Thea spoke while we were already walking. “I see. Can she talk? Move?”
Doctor Guillermo nodded. “She’s fine aside from the aching wounds from the bullet shot. Madam Celestine can talk properly and also move her body. The results from the lab test are all normal, too.”
The walk to Mama Tine’s room was uneventful. We just talked about the health of Mama Tine and I.
“Amiga!” Mama Thea exclaimed and ran towards her best friend. They hugged and kissed each other’s cheek.
Kelleon helped me sit in a two-man sofa before placing himself beside me. He touched my hand and intertwined it with his before resting his chin on my shoulder.
“What’s the other news, doc?” Papa Killian asked when we already sat down.
The doctor looked at the nurse. A folder was handed by the female nurse before Doctora Guillermo opened and read the contents of it.
“Before we conducted the blood transfer, Lord Kelleon,” the doctor looked at my boyfriend. “gave a request.”
“And that is?” Mama Thea asked.
A small smile formed in the doctor’s lips. “To conduct a DNA test between Madam Celestine and Lady Mahalia.”
My eyebrows furrowed after hearing that. I turned my head to Kelleon who was grinning at me. “Huh? What? What DNA test? For what?”
He just shrugged and signalled the doctor to continue.
“I’m here to announce the result of the DNA test.”
My gripped on Kelleon’s hand while waiting for the doctor to speak again. I can’t believe that he did that! For what? Does Kelleon think that Mama Tine and Papa Ezekiel are my parents?
I stopped at that thought.
Looking back, I have lots of similarities from the two of them. I didn’t think much about them before, because the thought that their child was confirmed dead always stopped me.
“The DNA test is 99. 99% sure that Madam Celestine is Lady Mahalia’s birth mother.”
My mind stopped functioning. I can still see the doctor showing us the result printed in the paper, Kelleon’s parents beaming with happiness, Papa Ezekiel’s widened eyes, and Mama Tine looking at me while her eyes are watering.
Memories that were clear as day entered my mind.
“Mi princesa, mamá te compró un rompecabezas nuevo,” a woman with brown hair and amber eyes talked to me with a baby voice. She was waving a box at me.
“Mama!” I grabbed the box from her. “Gracias, Mama!”
She helped me open the box. I shook it excitedly, making the contents if it fell down on to floor.
My eyes beamed with happiness when I saw puzzle pieces scattering on the floor. I put the wooden board on the side and started putting the pieces together.
“What a sight!” a man with darker brown hair entered the room with his arms spread apart. “Mi princesa!”
I stood up and ran towards the man. “Papa! Puzzle!” I spoke while pointing the incomplete puzzle.
The man hugged me before lifting me into the air, making me laugh.
As the man put me down to the ground, everything became blurry and I found myself having another memory.
Childhood memories came after one another. Before, the memories I have are all about pain, darkness, and isolation. Now, everything is lively. Everything screams happiness. For the first time while remembering some memories, I don’t feel alone.