Helen’s POV:
As soon as I got home, I set my hunger aside and started cleaning up my apartment, especially the
bedroom I had prepared for my mother.
Within a couple of hours I had a perfectly neat, presentable room.I was surprised at how much of waste
I had hoarded in my apartment.
This was the third time that I dragged a trash bag downstairs to the trash can.
When I dusted my clothes and turned around, I saw George.He was leisurely leaning against his car.
The shadow of his tall figure was lengthened by the dim street light.His handsome face was slightly
obscured by the darkness of the night.It was somewhat difficult to glean the expression on his
visage.He slowly straightened up and walked up to me.
After stopping just one step away from me, he teased, "Are you enjoying the stench of the trash can?"
I quickly jolted back to my senses and moved away from the trash can.
His unexpected presence had ruffled me so much that I had even lost my sense of smell!
"Are you here to see me?" I looked up at him with knitted eyebrows.
Our relationship had been under severe strain recently.
When we did meet occasionally in the company, he treated me like a total stranger.
Sometimes when we passed each other, he wouldn’t even spare a look at me.I couldn’t figure out what
he was thinking.
Since he’d decided to treat me as a total stranger, he had no business getting involved in my private
life.
That being said, why did he still come here from time to time? I just couldn’t fathom out this man.
"What are you doing?" George asked, ignoring my question.
He pointed at the waste I had deposited beside the trash can.
"Cleaning up the room."
I didn’t want to answer him, but George just stood there and had no intention of leaving.I would have
given him the silent treatment had he not been so clingy.I decided to behave with him as if I had simply
met a colleague.It was no big deal.
"I saw you near the subway station after work today.Do you think you can survive on all those frozen
food products and be healthy?"
He cleverly changed the topic.I was a little irritated with his question and didn’t feel like replying.
What I ate was my business and didn’t concern him.
This man really was unbelievable! George didn’t seem to bother about my indifference as usual and
continued with a smile, "if you need help with the cooking, just tell me.I’ll be glad to help out."
I looked at him in disbelief, still puzzled about his motives.
What was that supposed to mean? Why did he sound conciliatory? Why did it even seem like he was
trying to make a concession after our quarrel? But I dismissed that ridiculous idea as soon as it
surfaced.
George was such a proud man.
How could he offer a concession? Besides, I had made myself clear the other day that he would have
to choose between Jane and me.He couldn’t have his cake and eat it too.If he still refused to make a
choice and we reconciled, then this problem would still crop up its ugly head in the future.
It was better to end our relationship while I was still in love with him and remembered him as a good
man than to quarrel time and again and grow to hate each other in the future.
In this way, we would still have the sweet and beautiful memories that had filled our lives earlier.I turned
around and tried to leave.I didn’t want to entwine my life with his anymore.
But he suddenly grabbed my wrist and trapped me between himself and the car.
His tall figure pressed down against my limp body, and his deep eyes were glaring at me.I read
confusion and unwillingness in his eyes.
"Why?"
"I’ve told you a thousand times.I only have one request.You have to choose between Jane and me.If
you can’t make a choice, I will leave voluntarily." I elbowed him away and ran home without looking
back.
In fact, there were many things that could not be explained.
All our lives, Jane and I could not get along.
If George, Jane and I continued interacting and were constantly at loggerheads, then we were destined
to end up like our parents.I had a strong sense of deja vu.I didn’t want to be a nameless woman like
Libby.I definitely didn’t want my children to be scorned as illegitimates.What’s more, I didn’t want to turn
into someone like my mother.
She thought my father loved her very much, but when he died, it was revealed that he had long
betrayed us.She didn’t even get a proper explanation for what had happened.And she’d never know
why he did this to her.
That kind of experience was too unbearable.I know how much my mother had suffered and I was not
prepared to go down that road.
As Saturday morning dawned, bright and cheerful, I prepared to pick up my mother from the hospital
for her weekend visit.
Lucy seemed more excited than me.She drove early to my apartment to pick me up.
When I got into the car, Lucy suddenly said, "If I’m not mistaken, I saw George’s car here just now.Did
he stay at your place last night? Have you two reconciled?"
"No! I have nothing to do with him now." I looked out of the window because I was kind of lying. Did
Lucy say he had just left? Did that mean that he spent the whole night here? That was hardly likely.
Lucy must be mistaken. I changed the topic and Lucy didn’t pursue her questioning.It was my first time
to pick up my mother and bring her home.I was very excited.
My mother had been recovering in the hospital for so long so I was looking forward to having her home
today.
"Mrs.Dewar, do you remember me? I’m Lucy; Helen’s friend," Lucy said happily.
"Yes, of course I remember you!" my mother replied with a beautiful smile.
In the first two years of my college life, my mother’s condition wasn’t that severe.She often visited me
at the college and invited Lucy over for dinner.
Lucy was a flamboyant and bold woman.
My mother didn’t generally like such extroverts, but Lucy was an exception.She often spoke about Lucy
even we were alone.
"Helen, you are too quiet and introverted.People can easily take advantage of your kindness.You need
to toughen up like Lucy."
"Lucy, I’m pleased that Helen has a friend like you."
She also told Lucy this all the time.Then my mother began to suffer relapses more often and had to be
hospitalized for treatment.I was so panicky, I didn’t know what to do.
It was then that Lucy unselfishly stepped forward and arranged a hospital for my mother to be admitted
to.She paid more attention to my mother than I did.
"Mom, Lucy and I are here to pick you up.You are coming home with us!"
When I held my mother’s arm, my eyes suddenly became moist and tears rolled down
uncontrollably.My mother had become so thin.
Although her eyes were focused on me and she smiled joyfully, she looked a little dull.
There was almost no flesh on her arm.She was all skin and bones.It seemed that with no effort, her
arm could be broken like a dry stick.I hugged her lovingly, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Don’t worry, my dear.I’m fine." My mother stoked me on the back and comforted me gently.
Because she would only stay for the weekend, she didn’t bring too much luggage.She just took with her
the medication and some clothes.
Lucy drove us home safely.She left shortly after dropping us off as she knew that we had a lot to talk
about a As soon as my mother arrived home, she took a slow walk around and had a good look at the
place.
I quickly brought a glass of warm water and placed it on the table.Then I hurried to the kitchen and
heated up the frozen meals I had purchased from the grocery store.Then I set the dishes out on the
table.
My mother looked at me with concern.
"Is this what you eat every day?"
"Only once in a while, Mom.I generally eat very well.Don’t worry.I’ll take good care of myself."
I didn’t want my mother to worry about me, so I held her hand and comforted her.My mother sighed and
said nothing more.
After lunch, she said to me, "Take me to the grocery store in the afternoon to buy some food."
"Okay! But you take a nap first.Let’s go after you wake up, okay?"
"Okay."
I took my mother back to her room and she lay down on the bed.I felt so happy to see her resting so
peacefully.I hadn’t felt so genuinely glad for a long time.
When Mom recovered fully and she was discharged from the hospital, she could stay here with me
forever!
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