Trust Me, Lune
1051 Words
Through the window, I could only watch Dad sleeping. He had lost consciousness again, though he hadn't been classified as being in a coma yet.
As a precaution, he was placed in an isolation room, as there might be signs of meningitis.
At this point, I didn't even know what else they were going to say his weak body did.
The lab tests and MRI results showed that Dad didn't have dementia or any other known illness. However, due to his overlapping memories and the seizure, the doctors didn't want to take any chances.
He would most likely need to stay in the hospital longer, and I wouldn't be allowed to visit him until he had fully recovered.
If Dad's memory remained unstable after he recovered, he would have to be moved to a psychiatric hospital or care facility.
My heart hurt even more.
What if Dad never recognized me again?
I heard fast footsteps approaching. It was Cassiel, holding a brown envelope. He stood beside me, silently staring through the glass window.
"I can't just leave Dad like this," I said softly.
"Are you planning to sleep at the hospital? Even though the doctors said no one's allowed to visit him?"
I let out a long sigh. "I don't know what to do, Cassiel."
"Come live with me and focus on your duties. You won't need to worry about your father; I've already taken care of it."
He raised the brown envelope slightly.
"I've been appointed your father's medical guardian. That means his needs are now my responsibility. Not yours anymore."
"I've already given you my life. What else do I have left to offer in return, Cassiel?"
"True love, maybe?"
My brows furrowed. "What? Love isn't something you can trade."
"Then love me with your whole heart. That'll be enough."
I shook my head in disbelief. "You pity me, don't you? That's why you're saying all this."
"Why would I pity you?" he replied, confused.
"You're a famous racer, Cassiel. You could have love from your fans or any woman out there—someone without a pile of issues like me." I sighed.
"If it were just about that, sure, I could easily get it. But that's not why I'm helping you. This isn't about pity." He gently tapped my cheek twice. "You're mine, remember?"
Maybe Cassiel said all that to ease the burden on my chest. Perhaps he wanted me to feel like I had nothing to fear because he was right there with me.
"Come on, we've still got things to do," he said.
Before leaving, I blew a kiss to Dad through the window and followed Cassiel out of the hospital.
Without him, Dad might not have made it. Right now, I wouldn't even know where to find the money for any of this if not for Cassiel's help.
"Oh, by the way," Cassiel said as we walked, "the doctor told me your dad's memories overlapped. He called you by your mother's name? That's strange."
"Yeah, and he told me to run. I don't know what's really going on."
"Your mom passed away a long time ago?"
I shook. "Two years ago. On my 18th birthday. I don't really remember what happened. I think she died in an accident."
Right? It was an accident?
Why can't I remember? Dad said it was an accident, but I don't remember her funeral or where she was buried. That's strange.
"Well, don't push yourself too hard to remember. There's a part of the brain that intentionally forgets painful memories. It's a defense mechanism. Maybe that's what's happening to your dad. It could be some kind of PTSD," Cassiel explained.
"Wow, you're actually pretty smart."
"Actually, I looked it up online," he admitted. "I wanted to tell you so you wouldn't worry too much about your dad, Lune."
"Thank you for going through all this trouble for me, Cassiel." I turned to look at him. "I know you're a good person. Too good. You're someone who shouldn't be burdened by a stranger like me."
"You're not a stranger to me. I know your apartment—well, your old apartment. I know your garage. I know your dad. I even say his 'your dad', not 'your father' anymore."
He chuckled and gently tapped the envelope on the top of my head.
"Don't get all sentimental now. You need to fight for your own happiness."
I turned back one last time to look at the hospital building.
Cassiel was right.
My happiness depended on seeing Dad well again. To make that happen, I had to do something, too. After twenty years of Dad fighting for me, it was my turn to fight now.
"All right. Tell me what I need to do. From today on, I give you my life and my soul." I reached out my hand to Cassiel. "But I can't give you my love. My heart still belongs to the first man I ever loved."
Cassiel shook my hand. "Then let's make sure your first love gets better."
"Thank you, Alpha Cassiel."
His brows raised. "Why'd you call me that?"
"Well, people at your house call you Alpha. Isn't that like a captain or a leader?"
"Well, yeah..." He shrugged. "Sort of."
"And Mr. Daniel? Is he your superior?"
"He's my beta, actually."
Wait, I'm confused again. Could Cassiel and Daniel be college students in a sorority or something?
I nodded. "So, what's the name of your sorority? Alpha Beta Kappa? Or Gamma?"
"Oh, the name?" Cassiel smirked. "... Evening Shadow Pack."
Cassiel smirked as if daring me to question him further, but I was too tired to argue. Evening Shadow Pack? The name sounded strange, almost otherworldly—like something out of a legend instead of real life. Yet when he said it, it didn't sound like a joke.
We stepped out into the cool night air, and for a moment, the light from the hospital reflected in his gold eyes, which looked sharp and alive. I wondered if I was imagining things. "You'll understand soon enough," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "But for now, just stay close to me, Lune. Whatever happens next, trust me."
For reasons I couldn't explain, I nodded because something in his voice made me believe him.
- Writer
