“Mom, can you now tell me the truth, please?” Still in disbelief, Vivian was in tears as she begged her mom for an explanation.
All her life, the notion that Harvey might not be her father had never crossed Vivian’s mind. Even though Harvey might not have been a good father, and she might even hate him for being a jerk sometimes, she had never entertained the idea of being better off without him in her life.
She could not comprehend the situation she was landed in. If Harvey is not my father, then who is?
“Rachel William, how long are you planning on keeping this from me?” Harvey was now screaming at Rachel for an answer.
“I-I’m sorry, I…” Rachel only managed to utter a few words before finally overcome by the pressure and passed out on the spot.
Vivian was shocked by her mother’s sudden black-out and rushed to her side. “Mom, are you okay? Mom, wake up!”
A nurse saw what happened and summoned a few other medical staff to rush Rachel into the emergency room.
“Doctor, how’s my mom?” Seeing as Rachel was still unconscious, Vivian frantically asked the doctor.
“Your mom’s health has always been a perilous juggling between medical treatments and therapies. She was actually getting better until recently when the emotional upheaval has worsened her condition again. It’s important that she refrain from having further mood swings,” the doctor reminded carefully.
“I understand. Thanks, doctor. When will she wake up?” Vivian asked.
“Don’t worry. She should awake in the next three to four hours.”
“Okay. Thanks again,” Vivian said while sending off the doctor.
As for Harvey, after learning that Rachel had kept such a big secret from him for so many years, he harbored no more hopes or feelings for her and left right away.
“Are you sure you are okay by yourself? I can stay and keep you company.” Considering Vivian also just went through a traumatic experience herself, Fabian was worried for her wellbeing.
“I’m fine, really. My mind is in such a mess I feel like I need to be alone right now. Why don’t you go get some rest at home, and I’ll give you a call if something comes up?”
“Alright. But promise me you’ll give me a call if you need any help?” Since Vivian insisted she wanted to be alone, Fabian thought he should give her some space.
“Hmm.” Vivian nodded while giving him a grateful smile.
After sending Fabian away, Vivian sat down by Rachel’s bedside and stared out in a daze.
Rachel finally came to at dusk.
When she saw Vivian by her bedside, tears started trickling down her cheeks once more. “Vivian, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for hiding this from you for so many years. Please forgive me. I’m so sorry…”
“Mom, then can you—” Vivian really wanted her burning questions answered, but she stopped short of completing her sentence when she thought about what the doctor had advised her not long ago.
With great restraint, she swallowed her question and handed the tissue to her mother. “Mom, it’s okay. It doesn’t matter who my father is, as long as I have you as my mother.”
Vivian’s thoughtfulness only made Rachel’s heart grow heavier as tears welled up in her eyes again. “Vivian, I’m to blame for what’s happening to you. I’m so sorry…”
“It really is okay, Mom. Please, I’m okay.” Vivian could not stop herself from tearing up and before long, the pair locked in an embrace and cried their hearts out.
After a long while, Vivian finally gathered herself as she wiped away the tears from the corner of her mother’s eyes. “It’s alright, Mom. You’ve got to stop crying now. Doctor said that you can’t afford to get too emotional.”
