Chapter 73
Hazel smiled at Ethan, grateful for his unexpected involvement, which turned out to be one of the best things that had happened to them so far. His intervention had brought them Dr. Gomez and this spacious hospital ward, resembling more of a hotel than a medical facility. The doctors and nurses provided special attention, creating an environment where she felt
at ease.
The hospital had become a second home, and Hazel had grown accustomed to the rhythmic sounds of the machines. Yet, the most comforting aspect of it all was that they could be together, navigating through the challenges and being able to be with and support
Daisy.
The room, in particular, had cast a positive light on Daisy’s spirits.
“Daisy enjoys being here. Not that she enjoys staying in the hospital, but this place makes her happier compared to other hospitals. She has me and her brother to keep her company,” Hazel explained, emphasizing the difference.
“At the other hospitals, we couldn’t stay with her she concluded, offering a warm Ethan’s direction.
smile in
“And we get to stay in such a comfortable room thanks to you,” Hazel added, appreciating the tranquility the environment provided. Ethan, though was quiet, his gaze serious and contemplative.
“She had to stay at hospitals a lot?” he asked, the concern evident in his voice. Hazel nodded, then gave a small shrug. Ethan’s features softened, reacting as if the revelation affected him deeply. The mention of Daisy health seemed to stir a genuine sympathy within him. “She’s so small. She has to go through all of that. I wish there was something I could do,” Ethan said, hi
face buried in his palm, revealing a sense of helplessness and sorrow. The realization of Daisy’s challenges weighed on him, and it was clear he wished he could spare her from any pain.
“You know, I was worried when I got the call,” he admitted, releasing a sigh that carried the weight of concern and relief.
“I know I don’t have a place nor the right, but I just…” he began, his words trailing with a hint of vulnerability.
“Hey, she called lightly, reaching out and placing a comforting palm on his arm.
“It’s okay,” she interjected, her words cutting through the heavy atmosphere. She couldn’t bear to hear him deny his place in her kids lives, a place that, in reality, if she was to be honest with herself, he rightfully occupied.
“I understand, Hazel expressed with a sigh. The atmosphere hung heavy with unvoiced emotions as their eyes locked and time seemed to stop for a moment. They sat there in silence lost in each other’s eyes.
Hazel Ethan called touching her palm placed on his arm.
“After the divorce. Where did you go?” he asked, his question cutting through the air with unexpected weight.
Hazel froze, her pan which was resting on his arm now when between his. The unexpected inquiry hung in the room, casting a sudden shadow over their conversation. Her features, once relaxed, now tightened, a subtle shift in her demeanor:
“You basically disappeared. Then you return years later, all different,” he continued, offering a small, almost nostalgic smile.
“I didn’t disappear,” she denied, her response carrying a note of defensiveness, a shield against a past she was not ready to revisit. She sat up slowly, retracting her palm from Ethan’s hold. The tension in the room was palpable
“Yes, you
did. You vanished, Hazel,” he asserted, glancing at her with a mixture of acknowledgment and a subtle look of sadness. His eyes locked onto hers, holding her in a
daze.
His eyes at that moment carried so much emotion, It looked like he was revisiting moments he preferred to forget, like that was a time of his life things turned bad for him. Hazel couldn’t help but question the emotions reflected in his eyes.
Why did he sound like he had looked for her. Was it possible that her absence had affected him? Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts as she continued to hold his gaze, her eyes searching his for answers.
No, it couldn’t be, Hazel reminded herself sternly. He had rejected her, insisted she leave, and made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her. She strengthened her resolve.; she wouldn’t succumb to any remorseful or sorrowful look he might cast her way.
She never meant anything to him. Whatever he felt right now was because of the children they shared. He was sitting in the room right now not because of her, but because of the children he had an unexplainable affection for, nothing else.
“Why do you sound like you care?” She asked, a mixture of pain and disbelief in her eyes. “Like I ever mattered?” She probed, her voice breaking, each word carrying the weight of past hurts.
“Hazel… Ethan called, a hint of regret in his eyes as he tried to reach for her hand. She withdrew immediately, creating a visible distance between them.
“I needed some space. So I left the country,‘ she stated, her voice taking on a detached and void quality. The memories of her abandonment became palpable, and ending the discussion quickly became her goal, a desperate attempt to shield herself from the emotional turmoil.
“Hazel, you…” He began saying, concern etched on his face.
“I was fine. I and my kids have been fine!” she declared, her voice becoming even more. tensed, a defensive wall rising around her. She was determined to close off the topic, shutting the door on a painful chapter she’d rather forget.
“You and your kids?” Ethan probed, his questions penetrating the carefully constructed defenses
“And the father?” He asked.
She sounded like she had gone through everything all alone. Her mention of her and her kids made him suspicious that there wasn’t a man present. He had checked as well, the man he saw her with at the airport wasn’t her husband neither did he seem like the father of her children, so who then was the father of her kids
The question lingered in the air between them.
Who is the father of Liam and Daisy, Hazel?” He probed.
