Helen's POV:
Early in the morning on the weekend, George drove me to the hospital to pick up my mother.I spoke
with the doctor to see if I could take her home for recuperation.
The doctor thought it wasn't a good idea to discharge my mother from the hospital at this time.
Although my mother had almost recovered, I still couldn't take her care lightly..
With the kind of mental disease that she had, she could relapse at any moment.So I decided to just
pick her up and take her home on weekends as we had planned before.
On the way home, my mother and I sat in the backseat while George drove.My mom kept looking at
George and then at me, seemingly lost in thought.I hadn't figured out how to define the relationship that
existed between me and George.I had once made my mind to break up with him, but because of my
mental condition, he appeared again in my life, and I grew dependent on him.
It was hard for me to say what George and I were to each other.
We were clearly way past being just friends, but at the same time, we were not lovers.
In my opinion, we were not quite there yet.My mother was being much calmer than I had
anticipated.She was very quiet the entire trip.She didn’t ask any questions or make any comments.
When we were about to reach our destination, my mother suddenly whispered in my ear, “Are Libby
and Jane causing trouble for you?"
"No.”
Jane went abroad.
Libby went to Philly to visit her family." I knew my mother was worried, so Ianswered honestly.
“Okay,” my mother said.
After that, she didn’t ask anything more.
Soon, George pulled over in front of the apartment building.I didn't invite him in because my mother
was with me.
"Thank you so much for today."
After saying that, I took my mother’s hand and led her to my place.
George didn't follow me, but my mother repeatedly looked back at him.
When we entered the elevator, George was still standing there.My mother smiled at him.
George returned her smile and nodded politely to her.
After the elevator doors whirred shut, my mother turned to me and asked curiously, “Are you and that
man in a relationship?”
“No.He was my friend from high school.We met again at work last year.Now he's one of my clients," I
denied without hesitation.
As we entered my place, my mother asked, "Client? Is he the one Jane likes? Jane and Libby came to
the hospital last time and they told me that you worked in Jane's company.So Jane likes George, but
George likes you.Am I right?”
I couldn’t help heaving a sigh.
As it turned out, my mother hadn't lost her power of observation to her mental illness.It was like she
wasn’t even a psychiatric patient.
"How did you piece all that together, Mom?"
"Well, for one, I’m not stupid, and for another, isn’t it obvious? Last time, he accompanied you to the
hospital when you went to see me.Today, he gave you a ride and then took us home.A guy who doesn't
like you won't do any of those things.Will an ordinary high school friend accompany you to a psychiatric
hospital? Can he take good care of me without losing his patience?" My mother and I sat on the sofa.I
rested my head on her lap and asked curiously, “Okay.
But how did you know that Jane liked him?" My mother gently stroked my hair and explained in a soft
voice, “I have been wondering why Libbyand Jane suddenly came to me that day.
At that time, we hadn't seen each other for years.
The last time I saw them was when they took your father’s money and ran away.
Since then, I'd been expecting them to never show their faces to me again.
But not only did they come back, they also pestered me at the hospital for an entire week.” I listened
carefully and frowned.
My mother continued, "If they just intended to see how miserable I am now, they wouldn’t have to go to
the hospital for a whole week straight just to say nonsense in my face.At that time, I couldn't figure out
their real purpose.The more I couldn't discern their objectives, the more scared I got.So I began to
worry about you.What if you run into them and they bully you? The more I thought about it, the worse
my headaches got.I was anxious, irritable, and couldn't get a good night's sleep, so I wanted to leave
the hospital.But no matter what I did or how much I begged, they wouldn’t let me leave.It's all Bob's
fault for dying and leaving us with nothing but suffering.If he only made things clear before he passed,
we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”
When my mom finished her last sentence, I felt a lump in my throat.
“It’s all over, Mom.Don’t think about it anymore.Besides, I’m a grown-up now.I'm no longer that girl that
others used to bully." My mother rubbed her slightly tearful eyes and came to her senses.
Then, she continued, “Very well.Let’s not talk about those things anymore.Let’s talk about Jane.I didn't
understand why she and Libby came to me before, but now I have an idea.It’s because Jane likes
George, and George likes you.Jane can't deal with that fact."
There was a hint of joy in my mother’s tone.Her hatred for Libby and Jane had been buried in her heart
for more than a decade, and during all that time, she had no way to vent it.
Now that she could finally let it out slowly, she was very happy.
After thinking for a while, I explained to her the relationship between Jane and George.
“George really has a deep relationship with Jane.They studied abroad together, started their own
business, and trusted each other.” What I said was objective and fair.
But my mother saw through me at a glance.She looked into my eyes and asked, "And what about you?
Do you have feelings for that man? Do you like him?”
Did I like him? Of course I liked him.I had liked him for a long time.
Especially when he jumped off the subway platform to save my life without any regard at all for his own
safety.
That moment had been imprinted in my mind since it happened, and I still thought about it from time to
time.
And when I did, I still felt warm in my heart.
"You like him, don't you?" my mother pressed, as if taking my silence for acquiescence.
“Yes, I do,” I admitted, nodding.
“Helen, if you like him, go after him.
From now on, as long as I'm with you, if you like something, just go get it without worrying about those
who also like it.Don't worry about what I think because you have my full support.
Bob, that bastard, used to ask you to give in to Jane.
At that time, I was stupid and selfish.I only cared about my dignity and pretended to be generous in
front of him, which made you suffer a lot.
But you're also my treasure, and moving forward, I will treat you as such by letting you make your own
choices.” “I know, Mom.I won't give in to Jane again." I curled into a ball on the sofa while my mother
held me inher arms like when I was little.
We chatted for a while, and then without realizing it, I fell asleep.I felt relaxed because of my mother's
touch and presence.I didn’t know how long I had slept.
When I woke up, I was already starving.
The pleasant smell of food wafted in from the kitchen, and from where I was sitting, I could hear my
mother's voice.
To whom was she speaking? I quickly got up and went to the kitchen only to find George there,cooking
while having a seemingly enjoyable conversation with my mother.He was still wearing the white shirt
that he had on when we went to pick up my mother.
Even when he was cooking, he looked dignified and elegant.He was talking to my mother with a smile
on his face, looking like a warm ray of sunshine in my kitchen.
The cold and distant look that he usually sported was nowhere to be found, which tugged a bit on my
heartstrings.
I had no idea what he had been saying to my mother, but my mother seemed to be happy and at ease.
Seeing me standing at the door, Mom said, "Oh, there you are, sleepyhead.
You were still soundly asleep when George arrived, so I didn’t wake you.” I was a little confused.
Was I asleep for a long time? Why was my mother suddenly so close to George? George explained, “I
figured you and your mom would need some time to catch up, so I thought I'd come and cook for you."
I was still a little bit in a daze, so all I could say to that was, "Oh." George glanced at me and added, "I'll
leave after I finish cooking."
"Don't be silly.Let’s eat together.You have cooked so many dishes.Helen and I won't be able to finish
them all anyway,” my mother interjected.
She seemed to have warmed up to George.But George flashed me a questioning look.I ignored him,
reluctantly took out three sets of tableware, and started setting the table.
It would indeed be rude to drive him away after he exerted all that effort to make something to eat.
George smiled and started putting some dishes on the table.
My mother praised his cooking and looked at him with admiration and appreciation, as if she was
staring at her future son-in-law.
After the meal, I volunteered to wash the dishes but was refused by George.
“I’ll do the dishes.Go spend some more time with your mother."
Then, he gathered the leftovers, collected the used tableware, and went to the kitchen.
My mother and I sat in the living room and stared at each other.
She pointed at George who was busy cleaning up in the kitchen and teased, “Do you still think you two
have nothing to do with each other?"
I felt a little embarrassed under her probing gaze and said stubbornly, "He just offered to wash the
dishes, Mom.There's no need to make a big deal out of it.”
“He is much better than your father.He loves you."
"I have nothing to do with him.”
When I said this, I couldn’t help feeling a tad guilty.I didn’t dare to admit it.
On the one hand, I hadn't figured out how to deal with our relationship.
On the other hand, I was afraid that if we didn’t end up together, my mother would be disappointed.
"If you have nothing to do with each other, then how come he’s so familiar with your kitchen? WhenI
first came here, I didn't know where things were." I didn't know why I was still trying to hide things from
my mother.It was an exercise in futility since she could tell at a glance that I wasn’t telling the truth.
Looking into her eyes, I felt even guiltier..
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