Chapter 139: Still So Sensitive, Huh?

~~~~~~ Amelia’s POV ~~~~~

I smiled at Sylvia and shook my head.

"Not yet."

Sylvia returned my smile and gave me a small nod.

There was something gentle about the way she looked at me. Her eyes stayed on mine for a moment.

The room was quiet again.

The soft beeping of the monitor filled the silence, steady and almost comforting. The air conditioner hummed above us, sending a cool breeze across my face. I could still feel the warmth of Sylvia’s hand around mine.

For a few seconds, everything felt peaceful.

Then the door suddenly opened.

A woman rushed into the room.

She moved so quickly that the door swung back slightly behind her. Her footsteps hurried across the floor as she made her way straight toward my bed.

I turned my head. The moment my eyes landed on her face, something inside me shifted.

She looked familiar. Not in the way Sylvia did.

This was different.

The feeling came suddenly, almost like my heart recognized her before my mind could understand why.

My lips parted. "Mom?"

The woman stopped. For a second, she simply stared at me, then her eyes filled with tears. She nodded quickly and moved closer to my bed.

"Yes, sweetheart." Her voice trembled. She reached the side of the bed and immediately began looking over me.

Her eyes moved from my face to my arms, then down to the blanket covering my body. She noticed the wires attached to me and the monitor beside the bed. Her expression tightened. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

"My daughter, what really happened to you?"

She lifted her palm and dabbed at her eyes, but more tears followed.

Something squeezed inside my chest.

I didn’t like seeing her cry.

I wanted to tell her that I was fine. I wanted to reach out and hold her hand.

Instead, I watched her quietly.

There was so much emotion on her face that I didn’t know what to do with it.

She looked terrified. As though seeing me lying in that hospital bed had reminded her of how close she had come to losing me.

A man walked into the room a moment later. He stopped behind her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

He looked at me. His face carried the same worry.

I stared at him.

Another strange warmth spread through me.

"Dad?"

His lips curved into a soft smile, and he nodded.

"Yes." His voice was quiet. He looked relieved to hear me call him that.

I looked between the two of them.

Mom.

Dad.

The words sat strangely in my mind, yet they also felt natural.

I lowered my eyes for a moment.

There was no clear picture attached to the names. No specific memory came forward.

Just the feeling that these two people mattered.

Mom wiped her face again. Dad’s arm remained around her, his hand resting gently against her shoulder.

I looked at them for a few seconds before my attention shifted.

Sylvia was watching them. She hadn’t said anything. Her expression was different from before.

She looked almost tense. Her eyes moved between Mom and Dad, and there was something in the way she looked at them that made me curious.

I glanced at Mom, at Dad, and then Sylvia.

"Do you know them?" The question came suddenly from my mouth.

Sylvia’s eyes widened slightly. She blinked.

For a moment, she looked as though she hadn’t expected me to ask. Then she shook her head.

"No. I don’t know them." She said it slowly. A small smile appeared on her lips.

I narrowed my eyes.

Something didn’t sit right with me. Her answer sounded too careful.

I studied her face. She was smiling, but her eyes looked different.

There was something hidden behind them.

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly.

I wasn’t accusing her. I simply wanted to know.

Sylvia held my gaze and nodded. "I’m sure."

Her smile remained.

I continued looking at her.

There was a strange feeling in my stomach.

I couldn’t explain it, but I felt as if I had just caught something that wasn’t supposed to be there.

I glanced at Mom again. She was looking at Sylvia too. For a moment, their eyes met, and something passed between them.

I frowned.

Before I could ask anything else, Mom spoke.

"We actually don’t know her, honey." Her voice gently cut through the silence.

I turned toward her. She stepped closer to the bed.

"Let me look at you."

Her hand reached toward my face. She touched my cheek carefully, almost as though she was afraid I might break.

Her palm was warm. I instinctively leaned slightly into her touch. Her eyes softened.

"You look so pale."

"I’m okay." My voice came out quieter than I intended.

Mom smiled sadly.

"I know you’re trying to be strong." Her thumb moved gently across my cheek. "But you don’t have to be strong all the time."

I didn’t answer.

There was something about her voice that made my throat tighten.

Dad stood behind her, watching us. He looked calmer now, but the worry in his eyes hadn’t disappeared.

He reached forward and gently placed his hand on Mom’s shoulder. "Let her rest."

Mom nodded.

"You’re right." She looked at me again. "I’m just happy you’re awake."

I gave her a small smile.

The words touched me more than I expected.

I looked down at my hands. One of them was still holding Sylvia’s. Her fingers were warm around mine.

Sylvia shifted slightly. Maybe she wanted to give Mom more room beside the bed.

She slowly began to stand. But before she could move away, my fingers tightened around hers.

Sylvia stopped. She looked down at our hands before looking at me. Her eyebrows lifted slightly.

I looked at her with confusion. "Why are you running to?"

She blinked.

"I’m not running." Her voice was soft. "I was just trying to make space for her."

I looked toward Mom and then back at Sylvia.

"Just sit down." I pointed toward the chair beside the bed. "Mom, come over this side."

I gestured toward the other side of the bed.

Mom looked at where I was pointing. Then she looked down at my hand, still wrapped around Sylvia’s.

A small smile appeared on her face. She didn’t say anything and simply nodded.

"Okay, sweetheart."

She walked around the bed. Her shoes made a faint sound against the polished floor as she moved to the other side.

She carefully lowered herself into the chair beside me. Once she settled down, she reached toward the blanket and gently adjusted it around my legs.

The simple action felt strangely comforting.

I watched her hands. They moved carefully, like she had done it many times before.

Maybe she had.

The thought made something twist inside my chest.

Mom noticed me watching her. "What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

She smiled. "Are you comfortable?"

I nodded. "Yes."

She glanced at the monitor. Then at the IV line attached to my hand.

"Does anything hurt?"

"My head feels a little heavy."

Her expression immediately changed. "Do you need the doctor?"

"No." I shook my head. "It’s not bad."

Mom looked at me for another second before nodding. "All right."

She reached up and brushed a few strands of hair away from my forehead.

I closed my eyes at the touch.

Mom’s hand remained against my hair. Sylvia’s hand remained around mine.

I opened my eyes, and both women were looking at me. Their expressions were different.

Mom looked emotional, and Sylvia looked worried.

I looked from one to the other.

"Why do you both look like that?"

Mom gave a small laugh. "Like what?"

"Like something happened."

Neither of them answered immediately.

Dad moved closer. He stood near the foot of the bed, his hands resting loosely at his sides.

"You had an accident," he said gently. "You were brought here after it." His voice was careful, as if he were choosing his words slowly.

"You were unconscious for some time."

I lowered my gaze. My fingers tightened slightly around Sylvia’s.

The memory of waking in the hospital came back.

The confusion, the headache, the fear, and the feeling that everything around me had changed.

I swallowed. "Was it serious?"

Mom’s eyes became wet again. Dad looked at her before answering.

"It was serious enough to frighten us." His voice was calm. "But you’re here now."

I nodded slowly.

Mom reached for my hand. She touched the back of it gently. "That’s what matters."

I looked at her, and she smiled.

It wasn’t a big smile.

It was the kind of smile someone gave when they were trying very hard not to cry again.

I suddenly wanted to make her happy.

I didn’t know why.

But I did... so I smiled back.

"I’m okay."

Mom nodded.

"I know." She said and squeezed my hand.

I looked toward Sylvia again. She was still watching me. I looked down at our hands.

"Why don’t you want to leave me?"

Sylvia’s expression softened. "Because I care about you."

I looked at her. Something warm spread through my chest.

Mom looked at Sylvia and back at me. "You have people who care about you."

I leaned back against the pillow.

Sylvia adjusted the blanket around my shoulder with her other hand. Her fingers moved gently over the fabric.

"You should rest."

I looked at her. "I’m not tired."

She raised an eyebrow. "You’ve said that before."

I frowned. "When?"

She smiled. "Just trust me."

I almost laughed. "You’re bossy."

Sylvia’s lips curved upward. "You’ve always said that."

I looked at her.

She froze for half a second, and then she smiled again.

I looked toward Mom. She was watching Sylvia with a strange expression.

Mom noticed me looking at her and quickly smiled. "Get some rest, sweetheart."

I nodded.

Dad stepped closer and gently touched Mom’s shoulder. "We should let her rest."

Mom nodded and looked at me one more time before looking at Sylvia.

"You have to go shower and change. We brought clothes for you."

Sylvia smiled and nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Mo... ma."

I just stared at them without saying anything. Since none of them wanted to tell me anything, I might as well try not to pressure them then.

Sylvia stood up and looked down at our joined hands. A small smile appeared on her lips before she leaned down toward my ear.

"Do you want to shower with me, babe?" she whispered, making sure only I could hear her. "You usually love seeing my sexy body."

My fingers immediately loosened around hers. I quickly looked away, feeling heat rush across my face.

"Who wants to see your body?" I whispered under my breath.

My body reacted before my mind could catch up. My face and ears burned, and I suddenly became very interested in the blanket covering my legs.

Sylvia covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Still so sensitive, huh?"