Chapter 109: Are These All Yours?
Late that night, Kate’s head was splitting because of her crying. Her eyes were swollen like those of a goldfish. Tristan put ice on her eyes to help soothe them.Content © copyrighted by NôvelDrama.Org.
When he went to take a shower, he took off his shirt and saw there were some bruises on his chest. He pressed them and felt some pain. He smiled bitterly. She didn’t have much strength, but she had beaten him for a long time.
Constant dripping wears a stone. That was it.
And as he looked closely in the mirror, at the familiar face, he saw there was something different in his eyes.
For so many years, he had made decisions with his own senses. However, after knowing Kate, his degenerated emotional functions seemed to have been revived. He started to have moments where his actions were influenced by his emotions.
After he left the bathroom, Kate was still sobbing in her sleep. She might still be accusing him of crimes in her dreams. He bent down to kiss her face and hair. And then he lay down beside her and hugged her.
He said, ignoring whether she could hear him or not, “I will take you to see someone in a couple of days.”
Kate didn’t expect the place Tristan took her to be a sanatorium. It was located at the other end of the city, close to the sea, with wonderful views. The warm and moist air by the seaside was very good for the sick and elderly.
She saw a plaque with Chasin near the door. She asked, “Was this built by your company?”
“Yes.” He had been quiet all the way here. And after he got out of the car, he was grave. He held her hand in his palm tightly.
Kate was speechless at his action. It made her feel like she was a naughty kid and would get lost or be kidnapped at his oversight.
The facilities in the sanatorium were completed and orderly. There were green lawns between the buildings. Some elderly people were walking along the paths or sunbathing on the grass. Flowers bloomed in the gardens, and the trees flourished with lush leaves.
They walked past the office building and went to a small house in a relatively secluded area. It was quiet here, and few people would pass by.
Walking through the door of the fence, they saw an old woman sitting on a chair in the yard. She was sitting with her back to them. Her curly hair was half silver. She wore brightly colored clothes that nearly matched the flowers around her.
The nurse saw them and reminded her, “See who is coming?”
She turned back slowly. She had aged very well, and one could see what she looked like when she was young. Her eyes moved from Tristan to Kate, and then she grinned. It was the kind of smile that was as innocent as a child, but…something was missing.
“Alzheimer’s disease,” Tristan explained.
Kate’s heart was shocked.
He let go of her hand and walked to the old woman. He knelt down in front of her and held her hand. “Hey, Mom. I came to see you.”
His mother said, “oh!” pointing to the person behind him and said slowly, “The lady is pretty.”
Tristan rose and turned back. His eyes had some kind of expectation.
Kate walked close and didn’t know how to address her. She said, “Hi.”
Tristan’s mother turned to the small round table beside her, on which there was a plate of cupcakes. She picked one and gave it to Kate. “Try this.”
Kate took it and said thanks. Seeing Tristan’s mother looking at her with expectation, she put it to her mouth. It was soft and yummy but a little dry. Tristan asked the nurse, “Could you please give her a cup of water?”
The nurse went back to the house and brought a bottle of water. When Tristan twisted the cap open, Kate had finished the cupcake and was a little choked. Tristan’s mother clapped her hands happily.
When she gulped the water, she felt relieved. Tristan looked at her with half disapproval and half pity, “Why did you eat in a rush?”
His mother’s eyes, resting on Kate’s face, shone with curiosity and joy.
Tristan asked her, “Do you like this lady?”
She nodded hard and said, “She has that…” She stretched her hand and pointed to her cheek.
Kate stiffened at the place she pointed.
It was the dimples again. Why was the whole family obsessed with this?
Tristan read her mind and explained, “My mom doesn’t remember anything. She just likes dimples.”
This explanation did not help much.
Tristan’s mother didn’t know what they were thinking. She turned aside and picked an azalea and gave it to Kate pleasingly, “This is for you.”
Kate took it and thanked her again.
Tristan’s mother seemed happy to see Kate, and she laughed. She took Kate’s hand and led her to the house.
When they walked in, Kate was surprised. The vast room was decorated in bright colors like a child’s room.
The nurse smiled and explained that she loved bright colors.
Kate turned back and found Tristan didn’t follow her. He was sitting on the chair his mother had vacated just now and was observing the flowerbed while thinking.
Tristan’s mother brought Kate to a big shelf that covered almost one entire side of the room. There were a variety of items there, all with the same characteristic of extremely high color saturation. Kate asked her cooperatively, “Are these all yours?”
Tristan’s mother nodded with satisfaction.
Kate said softly, “You are so blessed.” And she picked up a plush yellow duck and commented, “How cute!”
Tristan’s mother asked immediately, “Do you want it?”
Kate smiled and put it back, shaking her head.
The nurse there smiled too. “You two really hit it off. Aunty never gives her things to anybody. She fought a guy for these things.”
Being told this, Tristan’s mother turned and punched the nurse on the hand. The nurse was used to her actions and laughed them off.
There was a bookshelf, too, with rows of storybooks. Tristan’s mother took out one and asked Kate to read to her. Kate followed. They sat on the colorfully cushioned chair, and Tristan’s mother listened attentively, though it was unclear if she understood or not.
As Kate read, she felt somebody was looking at her.
She raised her head and saw that Tristan had been watching them, sitting on the couch near the window. He averted his eyes and pressed his lips together. His eyebrows stretched out. It was difficult to determine his mood.
Still, water runs deep. Under the tranquil surface, the water was surging, Kate thought.