When Fate Decided to Play its Part

Chapter 77: Unfounded...?

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE:

Unfounded...? Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

--

Tyler panicked when he realized that Kai was not with them, he scolded Sharon for being neglectful, he almost called the cops and his mother's private soldiers when the kid appeared next to them.

He was glad and mad at the same time, seeing the kid was okay and unscathed, he angrily rubbed his small head and abandoned the idea of calling higher authorities.

He asked Kai where he has been, but the kid told them nothing and just smiled at them. Seeing that he wasn't willing to tell them the truth, he did not press any further, although he was very curious.

After scolding him for a few times, he finally calmed his raging heart. And then, they stopped a little bit in a supermarket to buy fruits for Althea and headed directly to the hospital.

.

The first thing Tyler saw when he opened the room's door- with the basket of fruits in one hand and the other is holding Kai's hand- was Althea sitting on her bed.

His heart jumped and his eyes can't help but widen a bit. He immediately did a quick survey on her body but found nothing abnormal except that she looks sickly. That was then he can finally sigh in relief.

Before he can even enter the room, the small hand that was tightly clinging on his hand loosen and he saw a small figure dashing quickly in the room. He can't even stop the kid before he lunged directly at the patient.

Althea heard the door opened and she turned to see who visited her, the first thing she saw was an overly familiar figure with basket of fruits in his right hand. Their eyes met briefly before she focused her attention to her son.

The kid hugged her waist tightly that she can feel her bones cracking under his strength. Her face twisted in discomfort but did not pushed her son away. Instead, she bend down slowly and carefully snaked her arms around his small body.

Sharon and Tyler watched the two hugged and carefully entered the room without disturbing them, Sharon gently closed the door behind her, and the noise from the outside was cut off.

The room was silent, and because of this, they can hear the stifled sobs from the only kid in the room.

"Shh," Althea tried to coax her son. "Why are you crying? Boy's should not cry!"

Kai sniffed and hugged his mother tighter. "Liar! Charlotte said I should cry more since I can't cry when I'm older anymore!"

Tyler, who was just putting down the basket on the side table looked at the two with furrowed brows.

Charlotte?

Tyler wanted to ask about who owns that name but seeing the two was in their own world, he shuts his mouth up and thought that he was maybe overthinking.

There's no way it was 'that' Charlotte, right?

Althea let out a small chuckle after hearing his words between his sobs. She gently pushed him away and caress his head. Seeing those big tears streaming down fro his eyes made her heart ache. She dipped down to give her son a peck on his forehead.

No mother can bear to her child crying.

With her two thumbs, she tried to catch the escaping tears and rubbed his eyes gently. "Hush, hush. It's okay now. Mum's okay. You don't have to cry anymore. Do you want to see mother hurting?"

Her voice was very gentle, it coaxed the crying child completely. The sobs came more silently and his eyes were red as he tries to stop his tears. He held his mother's hand in place on his face with his small ones. He then shook his head firmly, indicating that he has no intention to hurt his mother.

Althea sighed and carefully put him back on her embrace. The part of her body that was stitched during the surgery ached a little but it did not stopped her from bending down and placed her head on Kai's small shoulders.

The action made her visibly relaxed.

Ever since she woke up from her seemingly endless darkness dream, her heart can't calm down. Everytime she attempts to close her eyes, she can remember how those black, shadowy hands tries to drag her body into an endless abyss. Even without entering that abyss, she can feel that it was nothing but a place of unending despair.

She tried to calm her heart but the ring Charlotte gave her to help comfort herself in tough times was gone and she can't see anyone she can share her pain with. So she bottled it up and was harsher than usual.

So after hugging Kai, a part of her anxiety calmed down, but her heart is still stirring, especially after seeing the person that might be the root of all her traumas and the death of her parents.

After coaxing her son and at the same time herself, the two had a simple conversation between mother and child.

When things calmed down, that was the only time the two paid attention to the other people in the room.

"Tyler," Althea managed to squeeze out the word without contempt. "I heard from Becca that Kai stayed in your house yesterday. For that, thank you."

Tyler was silent the whole time he entered the room and he was treated like an air, so no word can describe how happy he was when she finally decided to stare at him.

He tried to calm down under the familiar aquamarine eyes and smiled. "It's okay, he can stay at my house for the meantime while you-"

"No." Althea did not let him finish his sentence.

Tyler's smile froze. "What?"

This time, it was Althea who showed a smile that is not a smile. "I say: no. There's no need to bother you with that."

Tyler frowned.

Sharon was just spectating from the sidelines, and when she thought that everything is becoming serious, she stared at Kai hesitantly before ushering him to come out with her. Without knowing what will happen inside the room, she carefully closed the door behind her.

.

Silence dawn in the room when the other two left. Althea saw them leaving and did not bother stopping them.

Her eyes that usually stares at other people unwavering, shook after staring at him for so long.

Countless of thoughts entered her mind and she turned away, avoiding his gaze.

She can still feel his stare on her, he was staring so hard that she felt like it was tearing a hole in her body.

She frowned, but did not bother telling him to stop. Just opening her mouth is energy consuming for her. He can stare all he want.

"Althea." The suffocating silence finally broke when a magnetic voice called out. Althea flinched since his voice sounds so near her ears. His voice were like feathers touching the tip of her ears. She doesn't like it, but it didn't stop her ear to feel itchy. She casually rubbed her ear with a frown. "You hate me this much?"

Althea replied with silence. His frown deepened. "If it's because of what happened years ago, I-"

"Shut up." She sneered. "Shut up."

Althea was the only person who turned him down again and again. He thought that he would last long since he was used to it, it turned out he can't.

Especially since he thinks that her hatred towards him is unfounded and irrational.