Let Me Go, Mr. Harvey

Elva talked a lot this night, as if wanting to talk all the things about Angela and Greyson at a time.

At first, Angela was listening carefully. But she soon yawned and fell asleep as she felt sleepy more easily since she was pregnant.

Half awake, Angela felt that someone kissed her forehead. But she was so sleepy that she swung her arm with a frown and turned over and fell asleep again.

This night, Angela unusually dreamed something happened in her childhood.

At that time, both her mother and father loved her brother and her and gave whatever they wanted. And they loved each other and never quarreled.

With the corners of her mouth lifted, Angela was relaxed from inside out.

In the next morning, Angela was woken by a loud sound of the door.

She sat up with a frown and looked at the person at the door with sleepy eyes, and then said with yawn, “Greyson, you are so noisy that Mom and I can’t sleep.”

“An… Angela…” said Greyson with bloodshot eyes and bearded face, looking quite messy, “Mom slashed her wrist and is in the emergency room… now…”

With her pupils shrinking suddenly, Angela was so shocked that she went blank.

She stiffly turned her head, only to find that no one was there. Then she touched the place next to her with a shaking hand. The quilt was cool and Elva had left for a long time.

Taking a deep breath, Greyson wiped away the tears in the corners of his eyes and said, “The doctor has said she is not good. Be quick. Maybe we can see her… for the last time.”

As her ears were buzzing, Angela couldn’t hear any voice.

She opened her mouth, only to find that she couldn’t say a word.

‘Why?’

‘Didn’t the psychologist say that she just had minor depression?’

‘Why did she slash her wrist!?’

“Don’t think too much,” said James as he hurried in with a lady’s long down jacket and covered it on Angela, “and I’ve arranged the best doctor. Let’s go there right now.”

Being held in the arms of James, Angela held the front of his shirt tightly with tears streaming down her face.

Angela opened her mouth, trying to say something, but failed to let out any sound. She tried again and sounded hoarse, on and off, “Why… did… she…”

–

When Angela and James arrived at the hospital in a hurry, the door of the emergency room was still closed and Lorenzo was standing outside the room.

He looked quite dispirited, with short dark stubble coming out from his face overnight and was anxiously walking back and forth at the door.

Seeing Angela, Lorenzo strode towards her and raised his hand with the intention of slapping her on the face.

Grabbing the hand of Lorenzo, James shook it off coldly and said, “It’s the last time.”

The implication was that James would not spare Lorenzo if he dared to hurt Angela the next time.

“Are you crazy? Why do you beat Angela?!” growled Greyson with red eyes.

Pointing at Angela, Lorenzo said with rage, “Your mom was normal, until she stayed with Angela for a night, and then she …”

Lorenzo paused as he couldn’t speak out the words ‘commit suicide’ and then continued, “Angela must have said something to her, or she wouldn’t have done that!”

“Stop blaming Angela for anything!” said Greyson impatiently, “She’s your daughter!”

They were flushed quarreling with each other until a nurse trotted over and said, “Please be silent! This is the hospital and you’ll influence other patients and doctors!”

Simultaneously, they looked at the closed door of the emergency room and fell silent.

Angela had been sent into the emergency rooms for many times, but this was the first time she waited for someone at the outside of the emergency room. Especially the someone was her mom.

Angela stared at the door of the emergency room blankly with dry lips and messy mind.

Walking back and forth restlessly, Lorenzo couldn’t help asking snappishly, “Did you say something to your mom last night?”

“Pay attention to your attitude, Mr. Chante,” said James coldly as he slightly narrowed his eyes.

As his mind was a mess, Lorenzo couldn’t care that much about the warning of James as usual at all.

Seeing that Angela didn’t answer, Lorenzo asked again, “Didn’t you know that your mom went out in the middle of the night?”

Ignoring him, Angela still stared blankly at the emergency room.

Lorenzo couldn’t help snapping, “I’m asking you, Angela. Don’t pretend to be deaf!”

“If you continue to speak to my woman like that, I can let you be dumb,” said James as he stared up at Lorenzo threateningly.

Startled by the stare of James, Lorenzo finally realized what he had done just now.

He stepped a few steps back in embarrassment with his arms behind his back and walked back and forth restlessly again.

Greyson sat directly on the ground, staring at the emergency room. After a moment, he turned his stare and asked in a hoarse voice, “Do you have a cigarette?”

“I’ve given up smoking,” said James.

He had given up smoking as passive smoking was bad for Angela’s health.

Pulling back his hand, Greyson buried his head between his knees with an inscrutable expression on his face.

“I’ve been sent into the emergency room for so many times and I would always be fine. She’ll be fine too…” murmured Angela.

Kissing her lightly on the hair, James said gently and lovingly, “Yes, she’ll be fine.”

Every minute and every second began to be a suffering to Angela.

Even a second was a long time for her now.

Not knowing How much time had passed, the door of the emergency room was opened.

Angela ran simultaneously up to the doctor with Greyson and asked in a trembling voice, “How is my mom?”

Lorenzo was hiding near them in indecision as he feared to hear the result.

“Seize the time to see her for the last time,” said the doctor with a tired look on his face. After saying that, the doctor sat on the ground, exhausted.

Angela wanted to cry, but failed to shed a tear.

She couldn’t believe what she had heard and deluded herself into asking again, “What did you say, Doctor?”

“Seize the time,” said the doctor as he was too tired to say more words.

All of a sudden, Angela felt heart-stricken.

She shook her head and staggered backwards. James caught her as she fell on the ground.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Greyson was stunned too and didn’t dare to go in.

“Elva!” shouted Lorenzo as he ran in with red eyes.

Wiping away the tears in the corners of her eyes, Angela said softly, “James, Hold me into it, please.”

Her legs were so weak that she could hardly walk.

With a nod, James bent to hold her up and strode into the emergency room.

“Get out. I don’t want to see you,” said Elva, who was lying at the operating bed, looking pale. She raised her hand to point at Lorenzo and put it down weakly.

There was blood all over the clothes of Elva and under her body, which was harsh to Angela.