Wendy sat on the bed, all curled up. She buried her head on her knees.
In the darkness surrounding her, she could not hold back her tears anymore. She bit her lips hard so as not to make any sounds. No matter how much she tried to fight back, her tears did not stop flowing. Her patient gown was wet on the knees.
Michael had been peeping in between the door crack. He was worried sick. He looked anxiously at Wendy. He wanted to go back into the ward to be by her side, but he held back after her hysterical behavior earlier, forcing him to leave.
Mr. York stood behind Michael. He raised his hand, wanting to give a pat on his shoulder, but his hand stopped mid-air and he let out a quiet sigh.
Ti passed. Wendy had been alone in the ward for over an hour. She had not moved at all from her curled-up position.
Michael could not stand just looking in from outside and not being able to do anything for Wendy. He called out gently and softly, "Wendy? Wendy, are you okay?"
Wendy did not reply. Concerned about Wendy’s wellbeing, he stepped into the room.
Wendy still remained motionless though she heard footsteps. She did not raise her head, but with a tone much calr than before, she said, "Get out." The calmness in her tone startled Michael. He stopped in his tracks and did not dare to proceed further.
"I asked you to leave. Don’t you understand?" Wendy did not raise her head still and continued, "Michael, I am begging you. Give so ti and space to think through this alone. Okay?"
Wendy’s tone sounded desperate and imploring. Michael could not reject her request. Thus, he turned around and stepped out of the ward once more. Looking at Wendy from a distance, he was worried, but he could not do anything. The feeling of helplessness overwheld his mind and body. What could he do to make Wendy forget about the incident with Clent?
Wendy’s phone started ringing. Michael kept a close watch, but Wendy did not move nor did she pick up the call. The phone continued to ring for a while before it went silent.
Then, in turn, Michael’s phone started to ring. He checked his phone and saw that it was Todd. Michael was not in the mood to talk to Todd, so he rejected the call without hesitation. But Todd called back once more. He was likely the person who called Wendy earlier too. When Wendy did not answer his call, he called Michael instead.
Michael thought, ’Wendy’s current state is very worrying. She sent away.... Maybe Todd can go in and talk to her? It will definitely be more helpful if she has soone to talk to, just to make sure that her thoughts will not run wild. Also, since she did not believe that I was in ti to save her that night, maybe if Todd said the sa thing, it would be easier for her to believe that I was telling the truth?’ No matter what, Todd was Wendy’s friend. She would probably listen to what Todd had to say and open up to him. While Michael detested Todd, for Wendy’s sake, he was willing to let go of his own hatred temporarily. If it would help Wendy get over the matter, Michael could even beg Todd to talk Wendy around. With that, he swiped across the phone screen and accepted the call.
...
Once the call got connected, Todd’s voice ca through, "Mr. Lucas, where are you both now? I tried calling Corrine earlier, but she did not pick up. Have you both gone back to Lake City already? You won’t even give a chance to send you guys off?"
Michael said as he tried to sound as neutral as possible, "We are at the hospital now.
Sothing happened."
"Hospital? What happened?" Todd got a little worried. "Did sothing happen to Corrine? No wonder she did not answer my call earlier. What happened to her?"
"If it is convenient for you, can I trouble you to make a trip to the hospital? I would like to ask for a favor." Michael sounded earnest and humble.
Hearing his tone, Todd agreed imdiately. "Okay. Which hospital is it? I’ll be there shortly."
"It’s the sa hospital as the previous one. Wendy’s at Room 235," Michael said.
After the call ended, Michael’s glaze fell onto Wendy who was in the ward. He hoped that Todd could talk Wendy out of her current state.
Soon enough, Todd reached the hospital and made his way to the ward. He looked at Michael who was at the door. He asked cautiously, "Mr. Lucas, why are you standing outside? Is Corrine inside?"
Being pulled aside, Todd asked again, "What happened exactly? Is Corrine alright?"
Michael put his index finger on his lips, indicating to Todd to lower his voice. He then pulled Todd away from the ward and said in a low voice so that Wendy would not hear their conversation, "There aren’t any issues with her physical condition now."
Upon hearing this, Todd heaved a sigh of relief. "That’s good. You gave a scare. I thought sothing major happened."
"Indeed, sothing major happened." Michael pursed his lips and continued in a low voice, "Wendy knew about what happened that night."
"That night? What exactly?" Todd asked.
"That night...." Michael sounded sorrowful and helpless. "...with Clent."
Although Michael did not specify the matter, Todd knew what Michael intended to say.
Todd raised his hand over his mouth, shocked. "How did she find out?"
"Soone sent a letter over..." Halfway through, Michael decided it was not necessary to share the details with Todd. "I’ll spare the details as you don’t have to be concerned with that. Anyway, I need your help. I know you sincerely want the best for Wendy. So, I am hoping you can help to talk to Wendy."
"Talk to Wendy?" Todd said. "Don’t tell she sent you away?"
Michael nodded. "She doesn’t want near her, and she doesn’t trust anything I say now. Since you two go way back and she does value you as a friend, perhaps she would be able to believe what you tell her?"
"What do you want to say to her?" Todd asked.
"Tell her that that night, I did make it there before Clent could do anything to her and nothing happened between Clent and her. I just need her to believe this. As to how to convince her about it, I’ll leave it to you to decide how you go about doing it." Michael sighed. "Her ntal state of mind is not stable. This matter has been a tremor to Wendy. She values her pride. How could she bear with such humiliation? If she doesn’t get past this, I am afraid she would continue to spiral down and be trapped in her own whirlpool of thoughts for a long ti." Michael frowned, deeply worried for Wendy.
...
"You an, you want to lie to her?" Todd frowned as he asked.
"Todd, you did not actually witness anything that night either, right?" Michael looked at Todd. He took a deep breath and said, "When I got there, Clent already left.
And you, you said you were in the adjacent room and you heard the commotion.
Neither of us had actually seen what exactly happened. If that is the case, it isn’t a lie."
Todd’s reply suddenly got Michael more guarded. A few days ago, when Todd ca to the hospital to visit Wendy, he almost blurted out the truth. At that ti, Michael had warned Todd to be mindful of his words. He did not think much into it when he picked up Todd’s call earlier, as all he hoped for was that Todd could convince Wendy. But on second thought, was Todd soone he could trust?
Todd always had a thing for Wendy. It would be a good opportunity for him if the relationship between Wendy and Michael was on the rocks.
Todd noticed the suspicion in Michael’s eyes, and he said promptly, "Yes, I have not seen it with my own eyes. Don’t worry, Mr. Lucas. I will do my best to convince Corrine."
With that, Todd turned toward the ward. He was worried if he did not take action imdiately and Michael grew more suspicious of him, he would not have the chance to talk to Wendy.
In the next second, Michael grabbed Todd’s arm. Todd paused in his tracks. He turned back to Michael and asked, "Mr. Lucas, what’s wrong? Anything else to add?"
"Todd, I am sincerely asking for your help." Michael sounded sincere. "I hope Wendy can let go of this matter and be the proud and happy Wendy like before."
"Do you think that I don’t wish to see that happen, Mr. Lucas?" Todd scoffed. He shrugged off Michael’s grip and said harshly, "Mr. Lucas, if you don’t trust , then why did you ask for my help in the first place?"
It was not that Michael wanted to ask Todd for help. He had no choice. Wendy would not listen to him, let alone to have a proper chat. Every ti he got close to Wendy, she would be agitated. If it was in the past, Timothy or Rosa would help talk to Wendy. It was impossible now, with their relationship with Wendy strained. Wendy’s only friend in Rheinsville City was Todd. Other than him, Michael did not know who to turn to for help. The only issue was Michael was not sure if Todd would really help in his case.
Todd looked at Michael’s sunken eyes, and it seed like Michael was pondering over sothing. Todd sighed, and in a lighter tone, he said, "Michael, we have known each other long enough. You can be suspicious of anything else, but you cannot doubt my feelings for Corrine. I love Corrine. Everyone knows about this, and that my love for her is no less than yours. I want her to be happy as well. I am okay if you are guarded against because of jealousy. But on this matter, we both know the severity of this. I have known Corrine for so many years. I can even say I understand her as well as you do. If Corrine doesn’t get over this matter, she will not find peace in anything she does. If you have the ti to second-guess , why not take the ti to think of a way to better convince her that nothing happened that night?"
While Todd sounded sincere, Michael was still not sure if he should trust Todd. But Michael didn’t have a choice. Todd was the best, and only, candidate who could likely convince Wendy... because Todd was present that night. If Todd was affirmative that nothing happened that night, Wendy would likely believe Michael.
....
Seeing Michael remained silent, Todd raised his hand and patted Michael’s shoulder.
He sighed and said, "Don’t worry. I will try to convince her."
With that, Todd turned and walked into the ward. Looking at Todd’s back, Michael’s hands twitched by his side. Michael detested the feeling of helplessness and not in control, but there was nothing he could do. He could not even have a chance to have a heart-to-heart talk with his wife and he needed to engage soone else for help.
Todd went into the ward and closed the door behind him. Wendy heard footsteps. As before, without raising her head, she said coldly, "I want so ti alone. Why do you always have to co in?"
"Corrine, it’s ..." Todd walked over and sat by Wendy’s bedside.
Wendy could tell from the voice that it was Todd. After a few monts, she said, "I don’t want to see anyone. Please go out."
"I’m here to visit you." Todd’s heart ached as he watched Wendy curled up into a ball. Concerned, he asked, "Why are you in the hospital again? I have been waiting for your ssage so that I can send you guys off. But after waiting for a long ti, nothing ca. So, I called you and you didn’t answer. I called Michael after, and when he ntioned that you are in the hospital, I ca imdiately. How are you feeling? Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?"
"No, I am good." Wendy’s voice sounded coarse as she said, "I am really okay. You can go now. I don’t need you to send off, and you don’t need to co here to visit anymore."
Todd sighed when he heard Wendy’s reply. "Wendy, we’re friends. I know you love Michael and cannot reciprocate my love for you. You both have my blessing. But even if so, it should not stop us from being friends. You don’t want to send you off or visit you. I’m disheartened by your words. We have known each other for six years now... six freakin’ years, Corrine."
Wendy remained silent. Todd was afraid Wendy would chase him out again, so he decided to approach the topic directly. "Corrine, actually, I already know that you found out about the incident that night. Let’s talk. So things are not what you think they are."
"I don’t want to talk about it." After a long pause, Wendy finally broke her silence.
Her mind was full of horrifying scenes from that night. She did not wish to talk about it.
"Co on, Corrine..." Todd sighed and reached over for Wendy’s hands. He pulled them gently to get Wendy to sit upright. "I know there are things that are not convenient for you to talk to Michael about. You can confide in . Don’t worry, I won’t tell him what we talk about. You can safely tell anything... things that you are worried about, things that terrified you... anything would do, okay?"
Todd sounded gentle. Though Todd pulled her out of her curled-up position, Wendy’s head hung low. Her eyes were swollen. Todd pulled a tissue from the tissue box nearby and wiped her tears. Both of them remained silent. The ward was quiet, except for the sound of Wendy sobbing.
Michael was on the other side of the door outside the ward. He had been pacing back and forth in the corridor, anxious about the situation inside. He tried to eavesdrop a few tis but couldn’t hear a single thing. For the first ti, Michael disapproved of good soundproof chanics in place. Nothing could be heard once the door was shut.
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