Chapter 06
My vision gradually sharpened, and I realized it was my junior from university–Boyce.
“Boyce! What are you doing here?” I managed a faint smile.
Boyce furrowed his brows, his eyes full of concern, as he pulled me aside. “We can catch up later! Now, tell me, what happened? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to be out on the streets at this hour?”
His words, seemingly scolding but truly filled with care, caused a wave of emotions to crash over me.
I began to sob uncontrollably, large tears streaming down my face.
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Suddenly, a loud crash sounded, followed by the sharp snap of breaking branches.
“Ahhh!” People screamed.
I turned around, and saw a lonely yellow duck–shaped slipper lying in the middle of the street.
A little further, I saw a car had crashed into a tree, with broken branches trapping a small child beneath them.
Noah?
I turned and ran toward the scene, silently praying it wouldn’t be Noah.
But the yellow duck–shaped slipper on the ground… It was the one I had bought specially for him!
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It was Noah!
I screamed uncontrollably, my body collapsing to the ground.
I crawled toward Noah, calling his name desperately, trying to get him to open his
eyes.
I dug my nails into my arm, willing myself to stay calm.
I
turned and shouted toward Boyce, who was
running toward me, “Please, help me call 911!”
begged the people around us to help move the branches off.
Though I tried to remain calm, my hoarse voice and frantic expression spoke volumes about the panic and despair consuming me.
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Once the branches were moved, we found a smaller branch had impaled Noah’s side, blood oozing from the wound.
I knelt beside him, gently patting his little face. “Noah, wake up, please! Look at Mommy.”
Noah slowly opened his eyes.
“Mommy, I’m sorry.” His voice was filled with
tears.
“I didn’t forget anything. Daddy said if I pretended to forget, Mommy would spend more time with me at home.” Tears spilled from Noah’s eyes.
I wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. “Mommy forgives you, Noah. It’s Mommy’s fault. I should have spent more time with
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you.”
Noah continued to cry, “I didn’t mean to kick you that day. Auntie Aaliyah said you haven’t come to find me because you don’t love me anymore. I was so angry that day, I’m sorry!”
“I wanted to apologize to you sooner, but when I saw you, you were sleeping.”
“I thought you looked so strange just now, so I secretly followed you out. I’m sorry, I’m a bad kid.”
Noah kept sobbing, the blood from his abdomen flowing more heavily.
His gaze grew distant.
I panicked, calling out to him desperately, “Noah, don’t sleep! If you sleep, Mommy won’t forgive you!”
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“You are not a bad kid. When I was sleeping, you always came to see me and helped wipe my tears.”
“Noah, you’re a good kid, so good kids listen to their mommy. Don’t sleep, okay?”
Noah’s voice grew weaker, “I’ll listen to Mommy, I won’t sleep, I… won’t…”
“Noah!!”
After Noah was taken into the operating room, I borrowed a phone to dial a number knew by heart.
The call connected.
“Gavin! Noah’s had an accident, come to the hospital quickly.”
