On Fire novel Chapter 8

When I arrived at the hospital, Daniel was still in the surgical theatre. Paula was standing by the door as if standing guard, and she immediately stood up at the sight of us. She was a contract cleaner I had hired to clean up mother’s house from time to time.

“Ms. Shaw, the doctor asked about the whereabouts of his relatives, and I told him that you were on the way.”

“Paula, I am really grateful towards you.”

I was really moved by Paula.

Paula was really a down-to-earth person who even came to accompany my mother so late at night. Seeing that it was almost dawn, I shoved a five-hundred yuan note into her palms and urged her to go back home.

Both me and my mother who were waiting outside the surgical theatre looked at each other with teary eyes. We didn’t have words at the moment. I reached out to wipe off the tears on her face, and while I wanted to console her, my tears gushed forth the moment I opened my mouth.

“Jessica, don’t you think you should ask Daniel’s dad to come take a look at him? He is in such a dire situation now.”

My mother always thought that I have parted ways with Daniel’s father and given birth to him on my own. She never made it clear, but I knew that she was very conscious about the fact that Daniel didn’t have a father by his side. My mother was one traditional-minded woman who saw husband as the focal point of her life, so naturally I didn’t have the courage to disclose to her the truth.

“Mum, we have broken up long ago. Can you stop mentioning him again?” I sniffed while I replied.

“Do you really want to live your life like this? Why do you reek of alcohol? And you’re always coming home late.”

“I have business gatherings in the company. I can’t pull myself out of it.”

I turned my face away, not wanting to meet my mother in her eyes. Although she wasn’t highly educated, but she was very thoughtful and cautious. If she continued to dig deeper, there was a chance that I wouldn’t be able to keep lying.

“Jessica, you’re only twenty-two now. If you have any suitable prospect for your future partner, you should consider. I have gone through your age long ago, and I know that a woman has to have a partner by her side.”

“Mum, I’m sorry, if it were not for me, dad wouldn’t…”