Madeleine became irritable. Ophelia was uncharacteristically reticent and it wasn’t like her. Madeleine
could barely recognize the girl she had known.
She understood how it felt but she disapproved of Ophelia’s repressing.
“Say something, darling. I don’t like the way you are because it makes me worried. Why don’t you tell
Zachariah? I don’t think there is anything worth hiding about your eyes. What on earth are you afraid
of? ”Madeleine got a bit angry.
“It is not that I don’t want to tell him! I just don’t know how!”
Ophelia suddenly burst out.
It took Madeleine by surprise.
Ophelia continued yelling, “I don’t need all of you to remind me all the time that I am going to be blind!
You think you’re doing good for me but each time you say about it, my heart sinks. I have my own
dignity and my pride, and I really can’t accept it!”
“You can call me coward, but could you please just leave me alone? Are you happy to hurt me over
and over again?”
The she cried with hands covering her face.
Madeleine was mortified and she took her hands from the wheel. Both hands shaking, fumbled in the
air.
“Darling, please, that’s not what I meant.”Madeleine licked her lips and said.
Ophelia slowly calmed down after expressing. She wiped away tears with hands and looked up at
Madeleine apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Madeleine. I freaked out. I didn’t mean to shout at you. Please do not take it personally,” she
said.
Madeleine apologized as well, “No, I am sorry. I don’t know it can hurt you so much. I thought you
might get over it more easily after the car accident. I truly don’t know that you would... ”
Ophelia shook her head with a bitter smile.
She did have gone through pain and suffering from life and death. But no sane person could stay calm
when facing the cruel fact of his being blind.
“Darling, you and Zachariah are married, and I still believe it would be better if you tell him the matter.
He may not appreciate your courage when he knows you keep all inside alone. Instead, he will be
happy if you can lean on him a bit,” Madeleine elaborated her idea after consideration.
Ophelia sat on the passenger seat, saying nothing. After a time, she tried to change the subject, “Let’s
go to the hospital first.”
Madeleine considerately stopped asking and started the engine.
They soon arrived at Saint Maria Hospital. Ophelia was transferred to another doctor as Dr. Gibson had
asked a day off for personal reason.
“Have a seat, please. I am Charles Watson, and I’ll help Miss Ophelia in today’s consultation.” Mr.
Watson motioned Ophelia to a chair and said, “Dr. Gibson has told me about your condition. Do you
mind if I take a look at your medical records?”
Ophelia took out her chart which mainly recorded the results of a brain scan and she had read them
before.
Mr. Watson pored over her records and stated, “Well, I’ve got a general apprehension of your condition.
To be frank, it’s not looking good. The blood clot spreads fast and it has practically covered your optic
nerve. The risk of operation is over 70 percent as many nerves in your brain are compressed.”
He conservatively estimated, “There will be a chance when the blood clot dissipates, otherwise you are
likely to go blind. And if the clot isn’t eliminated, your life will be in danger as well.”
Ophelia was gripped by desperation and felt her blood turn cold.
Madeleine asked anxiously, “Mr. Watson , could you tell us honestly whether Ophelia requires
surgery?”
Mr. Watson shook his head and explained, “Whether she needs or not is not the problem. The position
of the blood clot in her brain is too sensitive, and I need to ask for a seminar in our hospital to make
sure every possible hazard is taken into consideration in case that one day she has to undergo brain
surgery.”
Madeleine gulped. She asked bitterly, “ And what do you think of her chances?”
“50-50 shot,” Mr. Watson speculated with reserve.
That meant it was a toss-up.
Madeleine’s heart began to sink.
Ophelia was overwhelmed with despair so much as that she turned apathetic instead.
“Thank you, Mr. Watson .” Madeleine forced a smile.
Mr. Watson tried to give them some comfort, “Don’t be upset. It’s the least situation that we would like
to confront. But if Miss Ophelia keeps her spirits up, maybe the blood clot will dissipate gradually.”
Ophelia and Madeleine just listened. They knew it was one in a million.
They left the hospital distractedly and both were distrait when getting back in the car.
Madeleine dazed for a moment, passing her tongue over her lips, and soothed Ophelia, “As Mr.
Watson said, as long as you stay in a good mood, the blood clot can be eliminated.”
Nevertheless, even she herself wouldn’t believe what she said, let alone Ophelia.
Ophelia leaned on the back of the seat. Perhaps it was because she had been prepared for the bad
news that she recovered from depression before long.
“I’m fine, Madeleine. Don’t worry about me. I still want to watch Tommy grow, to meet his girlfriend, and
to wait for the day when he becomes a husband and father. Therefore, even if someone perceives my
life as worthless, I will not give up easily.”
It sounded heartbreaking. And in these words, Madeleine could neither discern Ophelia’s conceding to
misfortune nor feel her desire for moving on.
Ophelia looked at Madeleine and grinned, “Madeleine, don’t pull such a long face. Just smile. If a
bullet’s got my name on it, there is nothing we can do. I’ve been given so much and been so happy that
God may envy me. Even if he decides to take something back from me in the end, I still have you and
Tommy.”
Ophelia didn’t mention Zachariah because she felt their relationship was too weak to bear any load in
frustration.
Perhaps because of her deep love of Zachariah, she was always afraid that one day she might lose all
the happiness.
Therefore, when knowing she could turn blind some day, Ophelia flinched due to fear. She feared that
when finding she was not perfect any more, Zachariah would despise her.
She never wanted to regard Zachariah as a despicable person but couldn’t help thinking the worst. It
was probably due to her loss of confidence. After all, whoever utterly changing from a gorgeous beauty
into a helplessly blind person would be diffident. Not everyone could endure the depression of
psychological gap.
Even if it took a long time, it was still unlikely to get used to it.
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