The most awaited call went unanswered — twice that day.
The third time her phone rang, it wasn't the same.
The last call that day twisted everything.
This time, the caller ID flashed — "Mom <3."
She was clearly panicking because of the sudden change in the caller name.
Her thoughts stumbled, colliding into each other.
What would she say? How would she explain the hospital noise?
But —
She straightened, forcing herself to breathe.
One step back. Then another.
A deep breath.
She picked up the call.
"Aira... Mom... she's not waking up."
Her breath caught. Her heart ponded, uneven.
"W-what! What do you mean by she's not waking up? What's happening?" she stuttered.
"She fell from the roof yesterday... was rushed to hospital. They operated immediately. She's out of danger, but... she's not waking up. The doctors think it might be a coma... temporary, maybe — but we don't know how long."
His voice broke.
Her world stilled.
Everything around her faded into a dull silence.
Heavy. Empty.
Her eyes stayed open, but something inside her... went distant.
"Hello... " her father's voice cut through the silence.
"Dad... I'm coming. Mom is going to be fine."
She tried to sound strong, but inside, she was already breaking.
She paused for a moment before disconnecting —
making sure he wasn't alone in that silence.
She pushed open the doctor's cabin door in a rush — almost colliding with the doctor as she returned.
"Are you alright?" the doctor asked, her eyes flicking to her file.
But the words barely registered.
But her mind could not focus on it that moment.
"Sorry, doctor," she said, her voice faint —
distant.
And then —
she ran.
Outside, her phone was already searching for a ride, while she moved from one taxi to another, trying to hail anything that would stop for her.
But somehow, nothing did.
She couldn't get a taxi.
And then —
her phone rang.
"Hello, ma'am, I'm at the pickup location. Are you coming?" the driver said.
"Sir... I had to hurry. I'm ahead of the pickup point. Could you please come about 200 meters forward, near the first signal on X Road?" she said quickly.
"No, problem," the driver replied.
Inside the cab, the faint sound of the radio blurred into the silence inside her.
What have I done to deserve this? Why does everything keep going wrong — one after another? Every day... a new mess..
The silence in her head slowly turned into noise — restless, accusing.
The ride felt longer than it should have.
She pulled out her phone and started searching for flights.
But as if things weren't already enough, bad weather had already delayed most of them.
The earliest she could leave was the next morning.
She had been holding it for so long, but now—it broke.
Tears blurred her vision.
She wanted to cry — loudly, freely.
But she forced herself to stay quiet.
The ride, somehow, came to an end.
Every step towards her door felt heavier than the last.
She pushed it open, grabbed a few tissues, and walked straight to the bathroom.
She pressed them against her mouth—and finally let it out.
A muffled scream.
Raw. Uncontrolled.
All the weight she had been carrying spilled out at once.
Being strong for too long...
had left her hollow.
She cried until there was nothing left to hold in.
Until exhaustion took over
Her eyes burned, refusing to stay open.
But she had to.
She wiped her eyes and splashed cold water over her face.
The chill pulled her back — just enough to steady her.
She opened her cupboard and started pulling things out, but the moment she did —
her thoughts spiraled again.
Just a few weeks... and everything had already fallen.
What if I had never left?
What if that night... never happened?
I would've been there. With her.
Nothing would've happened... Right?
The weight of that thought pressed heavily on her chest.
She forced herself to pack her things.
For the first time, she wasn't excited to go home — but scared. For the first time, she felt completely drained — inside and out.
A part of her just wanted to sleep...
and not wake up until everything was somehow okay again.
She wanted to believe — convince herself — that this was all just a nightmare.
That she would wake up... and everything would be normal.
The night dragged on.
She set an alarm and lay down, staring into nothing.
But even in her exhaustion —
sleep never came.
Time blurred... and before it felt real,
the alarm rang.
She dragged her bag —
but dragged herself even more.
Inside the cab, she leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to steal a moment for rest.
"Could you turn off the AC?" she murmured, opening the window instead.
A soft breeze brushed against her face —
and for a moment, everything went quiet.
Then —
A sudden horn.
A sharp brake.
Her eyes snapped open.
They had already reached the airport.
Her eyes burned, too tired to stay open for long.
She checked in and sent her father a message.
The reply came almost instantly.
And in that moment, she realized —
he hadn't slept either.
She sat in the lounge area, quiet — almost detached.
Her eyes moved over the people around her.
Everyone carried their own moods, their own worlds.
A toddler right in front of her struggled with a bag,
fully absorbed in his tiny challenge.
He finally pulled the zip open —
A small victory.
A small laugh.
Her heart reacted — just a little.
But her face didn't.
Happy... right?
But not content.
A few people nearby were sleeping,
just as exhausted as she was.
But for reasons nothing like hers.
Her mind drifted —
grabbing onto anything it could.
The faint smell of coffee.
The uneven roll of trolley wheels.
A distant airport announcement —
But her chest remained tight.
It was strange.
How the mind could move on —
while the heart stayed stuck.
Maybe that's why the mind learns to survive.
It knows when to look away.
When to pause.
But the heart —
holds on.
It holds on long enough to wear you down.
Her thoughts slowed.
Maybe her mind had already had enough —
and was just trying to feel normal... even for a moment.
She boarded the flight.
The hours passed in a blur —
and for the first time in what felt like forever,
she slept.
But the moment she landed,
that brief calm shattered.
The wait for her luggage felt endless.
Every second dragged.
All she wanted was to get to her mother.
From the moment she had left... everything had felt unreal.
But now, standing here —
The air felt familiar.
The sounds around her — home.
And yet...
it still didn't feel real.
It hadn't been long, she had left.
But it felt like ages.
She switched on her phone.
The screen flooded with messages —
friends checking in, casual texts —
But her eyes stopped at one.
Dad.
"Message me when you are land..."
"Have you arrived?"
"Shasha is on the way to pick you up."
She let out a slow breath.
Thinking of Shasha — her cousin, somehow she could lean on —
brought a quiet sense of ease.
"Landed, Dad, I'll find Shasha. Will be there soon." she typed quickly and hit send.
She texted Shasha.
And then —
For a second, everything blurred.
Maybe I've cried too much.
Maybe my eyes are just tired.
This doesn't feel real...
Or —
is it?
Her breath hitched.
It was him.
The last person she had expected.
She shook her head slightly — as if to clear the illusion.
But he was still there.
Standing.
Real.
For a moment, her mind went blank.
Everything from the past day faded.
As if none of it happened.
Then, all at once —
it came rushing back.
"Aira..."
Her name.
Soft. Familiar.
And suddenly —
too heavy.
It reminded her —
she was pregnant.
Just a day ago, she had been in the hospital...
ready to end it.
When she missed that call.
And now —
he stood right in front of her.
Her gaze shifted.
Shasha stood beside him.
That only made it more real.
More confusing.
Why was he here?