The house carried the quiet life of early-2000s comfort, cream-colored tiled walls that reflected the warm glow of recessed lights, a polished marble floor broken up by patterned rugs, and heavy curtains framed with gold tassels. Framed landscape paintings and porcelain ornaments sat neatly on glass shelves, giving the space a restrained, almost formal elegance.
Dominic walked in, his leather bag slung over one shoulder, clearly just back from work. He stopped short when he found Elena standing directly in his path, rigid and unmoving, her eyes fixed on him.
"Not even a hello? Or a hug?" he said smiling, stepping forward to pull her into an embrace.
She shoved his hand away.
"What have you done?" she demanded, her voice sharp.
He sighed and moved past her, dropping into one of the cushioned chairs in the sitting room.
"If this is about Fay, I don't want to talk about it."
"You..you.." Elena's voice trembled with restrained fury.
"Fay is Ray's wife! I know the family never truly accepted her, but she just lost her husband, Dominic. And you do this? Why? Why, Dominic?"
"Honey, you need to understand," he said, rubbing his palms together.
"Business is different from family. I'm doing what's best for all of us. Just imagine, us collaborating with Oakline Furnishings. Do you know what that could mean for this family?"
"At the expense of a struggling mother and her child?" Elena snapped.
"I'm not abandoning them," Dominic said, massaging his temples. "Once this deal works out, Fay and Sally won't be left out. They're family too. Don't think too much into it."
He stood and moved closer, taking both her hands gently.
"You don't know what I'm putting on the line to make this happen. Just give me a chance. Everything will be right eventually."
He brushed her cheek, leaning in for a kiss, but Elena turned away, pushing him back.
"I won't have a hand in this," she said coldly, then walked off toward the bedroom.
"Honey…"
Dominic called after her.
When the door shut, the room fell silent. Dominic exhaled, brought out a file in his bag then slowly opened it. His eyes scanned the documents, and a small smile crept onto his face.
...
The hospital ward was quiet in the way daytime hospitals often were, curtains drawn halfway, sunlight slipping through the windows, the steady beep of machines blending with distant footsteps and murmured voices.
Fay lay on the narrow bed, an IV drip hanging beside her, the clear fluid slowly emptying into her arm.
Sally sat on the chair beside the bed, her small hands gripping Fay's tightly. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying as she stared at her mother's pale face.
"This is all Uncle's fault,"
she whispered softly, sniffing her voice small and shaky. "He's become a bad person."
Becky walked in carrying a nylon bag filled with food. She paused by the bed, checking on Fay, then glanced at the drip, almost empty, and sighed quietly.
"Come, let's eat something,"
she said gently, pulling out containers from the bag.
"I won't eat," Sally said, not lifting her head.
"Mommy hasn't opened her eyes."
"She's just sleeping," Becky said with a soft smile, gesturing for Sally to come closer.
"You need to eat so Mommy won't worry when she wakes up."
Sally refused to move. Slowly, she lowered her head.
"Daddy slept too," she whispered.
"But he never opened his eyes again."
Becky froze. The words hit her so suddenly she didn't know how to respond.
Just then, Fay coughed softly. Her eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened.
"Mommy!" Sally cried, jumping up instantly, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Are you feeling okay?" Becky asked quickly, moving closer.
"You scared us."
Fay turned her head weakly toward Sally and lifted her hand.
"Mommy won't leave you, hm," she said softly, as though answering the words Sally had said earlier.
"Okay," Sally nodded, clinging to her hand.
Fay then looked at Becky.
"Thank you, Becky. I've troubled you again."
"What are you saying?" Becky replied, squeezing her hand. "Just focus on getting better."
…
"I still can't believe Dominic did that," Fay said later, her voice weak and tired.
"I guess he's like the rest after all," Becky replied quietly.
"Just finally showing his true colors."
She lowered her voice and glanced at Sally, who sat quietly eating.
"And Elena can't be relied on anymore," Becky added.
"No,"
Fay said gently.
"You can't blame her for what Dominic did."
"But I called her when you fainted," Becky said, irritation slipping into her tone.
"I told her you were here. She never came."
Fay smiled faintly.
"Elena isn't like that. She probably feels guilty. After all, her husband is the reason I'm here."
Becky nodded slowly.
"That's true. It would look hypocritical for her to come acting all caring."
Silence followed.
"I'm leaving, Fay,"
Becky suddenly said.
Fay smiled, quiet, as though she had been expecting it.
"Daniel got transferred," Becky continued. "I have to go with him."
"Yes, you should,"
Fay replied softly.
Becky suddenly turned and grabbed her.
"Come with me. Both of you," she pleaded. "You have nothing left here. Let's go together and start over."
Fay gently loosened Becky's grip and held both her hands instead.
"I can't leave. Not yet. This place… it's where I shared my life with Ray. I can't bring myself to leave it behind."
She took a breath.
"If I leave now, it means cutting off Sally's roots too. I don't want her to grow up like me, without a place, without family to fall back on."
"And you think this family will?" Becky said bitterly. "Look at them, they..."
"Sally is still Ray's child,"
Fay interrupted softly. "She carries his blood. Maybe… maybe they're like this because of me. But I hope, one day, they'll see her as their own."
Becky pulled her hands away, frustration spilling over.
"You just don't want to let go," she said, her fists clenched. "You're not doing this for Sally, and you know it. You're selfishly holding on to the past when it's time to move forward!"
She stood, fighting back tears, and glanced at Sally, who was now staring at her quietly.
Becky sighed, turned away, and left the ward without another word.