Revelations

The theatre room is dark and sterile, filled with the steady hum of machines and the sharp scene of disinfectant.

Doctors in blue scrubs love with calm focus around the patient, monitors beep softly, and overhead lights cast a white glow on shining instruments and the still body on the table.

“Scalpel” the lead surgeon ordered, stretching out his palm, and it was placed on it.

“Suction, quick!” The doctor yelled as the monitor started beeping very rapidly.

“Suction”

They tried to keep the excessive outflow of boood in check.

“Sir”

“Do a proper job!”

“I can’t see”

“ it’s not just 1 or 2 spots”

“It keeps bleeding”

“Her vitals are dropping” they panicked.

“Gauze”.

*

*

Mrs Donalds sat outside of the theatre ward , with the cops at her back.

“Her right rib is fractured and her lung is bleeding. Even her pelvis is fractured. Her organs are damaged from excessive bleeding so we cannot continue with surgery”

“For now, we can only monitor her condition” the doctor explained, a sad look on his face.

“Thank you for your help. I know you did your best so I won’t pursue the matter” she appreciated.

The doctor nodded and left, leaving her outside of the ward.

The wood opened and Anita and Samuel rushed in. Anita gasped, her palms clasping her mouth in shock when she saw her sister's condition.

Samuel used his palm to cover her eyes but she moved it away.

“Mom, how is Anna?” She asked worriedly.

“Is she going to be okay?”

“Samuel, can you get me a glass of water?” Mrs Donalds asked.

“Sure” Samuel replied and left to get it.

“Samuel, can I have some water too?” Anna asked weakly, but no one could hear her.

He came back and gave the water to Mrs Donalds which Mrs Donalds then fed to Anita to help her calm her nerves.

Mrs Donalds drank the rest of the water and after drinking, she squeezed the disposable cup and threw it on the floor, her face burning with fury.

“Who’s calling? Is it Daniel?” Mrs Donalds asked Anita as she took out her phone when it started ringing.

Anita nodded.

“Take it outside. If he wants to see you, see him even if it’s just a few minutes. Can you give her a ride?” She said and turned to ask Samuel.

“Then go home and pick up some fresh clothes for Anna” Mrs Donalds instructed.

“What about Anna, though?” Anita asked, concerned.

“It’s not like something will happen to her overnight. Go on”

Anita took one last glance at Anna’s bed.

“All right, then” she obliged and walked out.

Samuel sighed and followed after her.

Anita got into the elevator just as Samuel got to her. He stood outside and looked at her with sadness in his eyes. She looked at him unbothered and allowed the elevator door to close.

Mrs Donaldson walked closer to Anna’s bed.

Standing close, she stared at the monitor. Then slowly, she walked and removed the plug and everything shut down.

“Now, it’s quiet. Right?” She asked the now almost lifeless Anna, laying pale on the bed.

“Mother” Anna managed to call out weakly.

“Finally, we’re here alone, just the two of us” she sat on the chair and said.

Anna tried moving her fingers.

“Can I be honest with you now?” Mrs Donalds asked, beaming.

“Anna,” she called again.

“From the get go, I never liked you,” she said.

Suddenly, Anna’s eyes opened as she stared at her sadly.

“Do you remember the day we first met?” Mrs Donalds asked her.

FLASHBACK

“All right kids! Let’s greet the guest” a young lady said, ordering the kids.

A younger Mrs Donalds stood in front of them with a sullen look on her face.

“Be polite” the lady said to the kids sweetly, beaming with smiles.

“Hello!” The kids greeted, in unison.

Mrs Donalds huffed and started fanning herself with her palm, exhaustion written on her face.

“Hello” a little girl holding a cup of water walked up to her and greeted.

“It’s such a hot day, isn’t it?” Stretching the cup to Mrs Donalds, she said smiling.

Mrs Donalds took the cup from her, staring at the girl intently.

She took a gulp to the excitement of the girl, and she smiled back too.

“You tried so hard to win me over and you succeeded, but…” Mrs Donalds continued.

“My gosh! Are you crying?” Mrs Donalds asked a young Ann after she had finally adopted her and taken her home.

They were at the dinning, eating.

“Does it taste weird?” She asked.

Wiping her tears, Anna shook her head.

“No, it’s not that. I’m crying because it’s so good” Anna beamed amidst tears.

“What?” Mrs Donalds was stunned.

Mr Donalds just looked up and smiled, but Mrs Donalds kept staring at Anna, puzzled.

“When you moved in with us, you cried saying you felt bad that you were now living in a nice house, eating good food when the other kids at the children home weren’t”

“I was baffled when you did that”.

“It looks good, doesn’t it?” A young Anita asked Anna.

They both sat on a couch staring at a beautiful strawberry cake.

“And I became more curious over time,” Mrs Donald’la continued.

Mrs Donalds at that time stared at the two kids, she lifted the knife and divided the cake, taking out a smaller piece and placing it on a plate.

“Take this to your father” she gave the cake to Anita.

“Okay” Anita collected it and left.

“I’m good” Anna got up and said.

“My stomach is a little upset” Mrs Donalds stared after her as she left.

“How much longer will she hide her greed?” She was curious.

“Anna, is there anything you need??” Mrs Donalds asked her another time when she went to Anna’s room.

“No, I’m good,” Anna responded excitedly.

“All right, then”.

Before leaving, she paused and stared at Anna. Anna smiled at her, arranging her clothes.

“How much longer will she keep her pathetic ways?” She asked herself again.

When they were much older, the two sisters became close friends with Samuel and from observations, Mrs Donalds could already see the love triangle sprouting.

Samuel came visiting one day and the three sat at a table.

Samuel looked at Anita as she talked and smiled while Anna stared at Samuel looking at Anita.

Mrs Donalda noticed this and smiled.

“Observing you taught me this firsthand. ‘A life where you can’t even say what you want. And living life, not even knowing that people look down on you and badmouth you for that. It really is the worst’ “ she stared deep down at Anna, lying on the hospital bed.

She got up, adjusted her down and fixed her hair.

“Let me give you a piece of advice for one last time for old times sake” she said as a tear slid down Anna’s cheek.

“Anna” she called, almost like a whisper, moving close to her face.

“In your next life, don’t be too nice. It only makes your own life more difficult” staring deep down to her face and into her eyes, Mrs Donalds said.

Ann grabbed the bedsheet weakly.

Then, her mother moved away from the bed and out of the room where she met Mr Kim who was just coming in while she was on her way out.

“Plug the machine back in and come right out” she whispered to his ear, and left, a triumphant smile on her face.

Mr skin headed inside. His phone started ringing so he picked it up.

“Yes, sir. I’m here alone now” he said.

“Got it” he said again, then placed the phone on Anna’s ear.

She was weak and could barely move. Her eyes were wide open but clouded with tears.

Mr Kim disconnected the call, put the plug back in and left the room. The monitor started beeping loudly.

Anna stared at the ceiling and as soon as the monitor stopped beeping, her eyes closed slowly, with her breathing her last.

TBC