Way Back Into Love

Chapter 6

When Luke finished his operation, he immediately went into Estelle's room to check up on her even though the nurse told him to inform the patient's family about how the operation went, instead of going to the family, he just told the nurse that he something to do that is more important than what the nurse told him. He opened the door slowly, afraid that maybe he'll disturb Estelle doing something but to his relief, he saw Estelle sleeping, her back facing him.

He walked towards Estelle's sleeping figure and sat down facing her face. He stared at her face and noticed that there were tear stains evident on her face. "You cried..." he mumbled as he caressed Estelle's cheeks gently, afraid that he'll wake her up.

Luke sighed before standing from his seat and was about to leave when Estelle mumbled something in her sleep, "don-don't leave me," were the words she mumbled while stirring in her sleep. Luke turned around and sat down again just to study Estelle. "Don't leave me...Calyx," tears were now starting to stream in her eyes. Luke wanted to do something but he urged himself not to since he doesn't want to wake Estelle up.

"What's the point of not waking her up when she's suffering in her dream?" he asked himself and finally decided to wake Estelle up but the girl didn't even open an eye and just continued to stir. "Wake up Estelle," he rocked her so that she'll wake up but instead, she just grabbed Luke's hand and placed it on her cheeks. Luke was clearly stunned by the girl's sudden actions. He tried pulling it back but Estelle had a grip tight on it making it difficult for Luke to pull his hand back.

"You are a girl but your grip is no joke," he quoted when he felt his hand ache because of the tight grip that Estelle had on it. He really wanted to pull it out but the more he pulls his hand out makes Estelle's grip on it tighter. In the end, Luke gave up, it seems that this girl will not let go of his hands anytime soon so he just laid his head on the bed thinking about some things and didn't even catch himself falling asleep.

Estelle woke up in the middle of the night when she felt her throat dry. She was about to rub her eye when she felt a grip on her hand, she looked to who it was and saw that it was Luke. "Dr Garcia?" she asked herself as she titled herself to get a good view of the doctor's appearance. His glasses were now on his mouth so Estelle took them gently and put them on the table beside her bed before observing his face again. Hair black as the night accompanied with thick lashes and thick brows, high nose bridge and thin lips. This face of his would be enough for him to par with a God's look.

Estelle took her time looking at Luke's face, forgetting the fact that she was thirsty. Luke slightly stirred in his sleep which made Estelle in a state of panic and in her response she just closed her eyes because she was unable to lay back down because of Luke holding her hand and if she would lay down, it might twist her wrist. She continued to act asleep until she felt Luke's grip on her loosen, she opened one eye and saw that Luke is now looking at her with his other arm supporting his face while the other, holding Estelle's hands.

"Awake?" Luke asked as he yawned while Estelle nodded as an answer while looking at Luke who's looking at his wristwatch, "12:06," he stated and looked at Estelle who was now looking at their intertwined fingers. Upon realizing this he immediately let go of Estelle's fingers.

"Ehem," Luke let out a cough to hide his embarrassment and bid Estelle goodbye but before he could even step out the door, Estelle called him with her hoarse voice, "excuse me...doctor, can you please give me...water?" Estelle asked Luke nodded and went on his way to get Estelle some water. Estelle was left alone once again, she didn't want to ask a favour from the doctor but given her situation, she really need to do it so that she can't die due to dehydration.

"Here's your water," Luke came back with two glasses of water. Estelle was confused as to why the doctor brought two glasses of water filled to the top, Luke who notice Estelle's confusion decided to answer, "I got two in case you need more water, because of your situation it makes you hard to move around," explained Luke and Estelle who finally understood just nodded and gently grabbed the glass from Luke and drank it.

"Good," said Luke and grabbed the empty glass from Estelle. Having no conversation left to talk about, Luke asked Estelle one final question, "you don't need anything else?" Estelle just shook her head. Seeing that Estelle nodded satisfied Luke and decided to leave her since he has some rounds to do.

"I'll go now, I'll come back in the morning to take you..." Luke said as he walked towards the door, "...and thanks for the company, it gave me a good sleep," with that, Luke finally left.

Estelle who seemed to just hear everything asked herself, "what does he mean when he said that?" having no one to answer her, she laid back down to her bed and tried her best to sleep.

Morning came and the sun greeted Estelle by its brightness, "ugh," she complained because of the sudden brightness. "Good morning!" Luke greeted her as he arranged the curtains in a neat way. "Morning," Estelle greeted Luke in her morning voice and Luke just smiled at this, "seems someone had a good night sleep," said Luke while Estelle just kept quiet and let the doctor do the talking since she's not in the mood to talk, especially if she just woke up.

"Oh, and you'll be discharged today...I've checked your stats and they're now back to normal, I'll just prescribe you some medications and vitamins," Luke said while writing something down in his clipboard. "No vitamins, just prescribe those medications that are important to me doctor since I can't afford the rest..." Estelle said as she took off her bandage, Luke who saw this decided to assist Estelle in doing so. "Thanks," Estelle thanked the doctor and Luke just nodded and proceeded to take off her IV.

"...and done," Luke cheered when he successfully took the IV off Estelle. "Isn't this the nurse's job?" Estelle finally asked the question that was on her mind for a while. She was confused as to why the doctor was doing this to her personally when there are nurses around. Even when checking her stats and giving her food was the nurse's job and was definitely not a doctor's. Luke was stopped for a good 20 seconds the second when Estelle asked him the question, well he was occupied thinking about answers to give to Estelle and when he came up with it, he smiled and looked at Estelle with pure, innocent eyes, "it's because you're an exception," confessed Luke and thought the Estelle will blush but boy was he wrong, Estelle's face remained emotionless while looking at him in the eye.

"I'm an exception because I'm abnormal and that I need someone to specially take care of me because of my current condition, right?" Estelle asked and Luke found Estelle's point in her question. He wanted to admit that Estelle was half-right but he restrained himself from doing so because he doesn't want Estelle's emotional damage to reach below that negative 10. That would be hard for Estelle to go back into her normal life.

"Uh..." Luke can't find the right words to reply since he really wanted to say yes to Estelle's question. "So I was right," said Estelle, unaffected and just stared outside. Luke celebrated in his mind when he finally found the right words to reply to Estelle, "no you are not! I gave you permission to discharge because I know that you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

Estelle gently massaged her hand and then stood up and looked at the room she stayed in before bidding goodbye to the doctor, "where will I pay the billing doctor?" Estelle asked Luke who was still stuck at the bed, sitting. "Oh, you don't need to pay for the billing since I already paid for it," said the doctor and so Estelle bowed down to show her gratitude towards the doctor, "thank you very much doctor, I appreciate your kindness and I'll surely repay you when the time comes," she stated before leaving the room.

"You thanked me but your voice sounds so dry as if there was no gratitude at all," Luke smirked while reminiscing the face that Estelle made earlier.

When Estelle exited the hospital, she breathed in the fresh air the trees in front of her provided. She then took a walk around the park just across from the hospital. She took a moment of silence, just stared at the people doing their respected activities, kids running, teenagers skating, couples dating, families having picnics. Just watching this made Estelle envious. Why? It's because she hasn't had the chance to enjoy these in her childhood until now. The liberation she now possessed to finally do it all had no longer served its purpose since the person she wanted to do it all had just died. But because of the scene she just witnessed made her suicidal thoughts were pushed aside.

Estelle walked to the nearby bench and continued staring at the wonders present in front of her and thought of visiting Calyx, even just for once. She was in doubt if she would visit Calyx or not. She made an argument inside her head and she found that each side has its own pros and cons but in the end, she decided that she would visit Calyx as the first and the last. "All right, I'll do it," she declared and started walking.

Hours later, she found herself in front of Garcia's Residence looking at it for a good minute, Estelle heaved a deep breath before pushing the doorbell. She tried to practice her smile and tidied herself, she straightened her now crumpled t-shirt the doctor had given him. Just before she left the hospital, a nurse ran after her and gave her simple clothes and told her that it was from Dr. Echavez. Estelle accepted the clothes happily even though it doesn't show on her face but she was truly happy, in return, she told the nurse to thank Dr. Echavez once again in her stead and thankfully, the nurse agreed and left immediately.

Noticing that no one came to open the gate made Estelle confused. "Where could they be?" Estelle asked before pushing the doorbell once again. Seconds later, the gate was opened by their maid and thankfully, she recognized Estelle. "Ma'am Estelle? What are you doing here?" the maid asked with confusion written on her face and Estelle just gave her a smile and told her the reason, "I wanted to ask madam where Calyx is buried."

When Estelle first met Calyx's mother she gave the girl a judging look before telling Estelle to call her madam and not mother or mom or whatsoever, it must be madam and nothing else. Since Estelle doesn't want to anger Calyx's mother, she just obliged her wishes and called her madam ever since.

"Can you call madam for me, auntie?" Estelle pleaded to the maid and the maid had a look on her face that says 'I'll try my everything,' before leaving Estelle outside without even letting her inside the residence.

"WHO?!" Estelle heard the voice even if she's outside and by the tone and the pitch of the voice, she could tell that it was Calyx's mother. Moments later, an old fat lady stepped out of the residence, cheeks fat as tomatoes, lips red as if it had blood painted on it and a fat body with a short height...this was Calyx's mother.

The old lady then stared at Estelle from head to toe before grabbing a handful of Estelle's hair making Estelle shout from pain, "YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SHOW YOUR FACE IN FRONT OF THIS RESIDENCE!!"