Chapter 5

That night, Dad stayed up half the night in the living room, constantly glancing towards the bathroom, hoping I would come out.

Mom tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep all night. By dawn, the dark circles under her eyes were even heavier.

I floated beside them, watching over them all night, my heart a mix of sorrow and bitterness, filled with unspeakable guilt.

As dawn just broke, a faint clatter of dishes and forks came from the kitchen.

Mom, with bloodshot eyes, stood in front of the stove, making breakfast.

It was my favorite bacon and eggs. When I was little and sick, Mom always made this to cheer me up.

But since I got sick, Mom hadn't made it for me in a long time.

She made it with extra care.

Two strips of bacon, one egg.

Just the way I'd mentioned wanting it so many times.

It smelled so good. I wished I could eat Mom's cooking, but I never would again.

Carrying a plate of bacon and eggs to the bathroom door, Mom's voice was hoarse, tinged with compromise.

"Lily, stop acting up."

"Mom made you bacon and eggs, it's hot. Come out and eat before you take your medicine."

"Yesterday, Mom was wrong. I shouldn't have hit you, shouldn't have said harsh words."

"Chloe is waiting to play with you. Come out, let's be good."

Inside the door, there was dead silence, not even a breath.

Mom's patience ran out. Her brows furrowed, and her tone hardened.

"Lily, don't be ungrateful!"

"Do you think pretending to be dead will get you sympathy? Haven't we suffered enough for you?"

"Come out now, or I'll dump this food out and starve you for a day!"

She waited for a moment, only the faint sound of wind through the door crack.

"This child is really disobedient. After making her food, I still have to take Chloe to kindergarten and go to the hospital to take care of Grandma."

Mom muttered to herself. Just as she was about to turn around, a dull thud came from the living room.

Immediately followed by Dad's muffled groan: "Sarah... my chest... hurts..."

Mom's face changed drastically. She dropped the plate with a clatter at the door and rushed out.

I floated over to see Dad clutching his chest, squatting on the floor. His face was pale, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

I was frantic, but I couldn't help at all.

"David! What's wrong!" Mom's voice trembled with panic as she rushed to help him.

Dad swayed, almost falling. His fingers dug desperately into his chest.

"Pain... can't breathe..."

Mom screamed for Chloe like crazy.

"Chloe, quickly call the neighbors! Call 911! Hurry!"

Chloe, terrified, cried and stumbled out to knock on the neighbors' door.

The neighbors quickly arrived, helping Dad and frantically dialing 911.

Mom stayed by Dad's side, tears streaming down her face, but she forced herself to remain calm.

She pulled out her phone, wanting to call a contact at the hospital first, but her hand was shaking too much to dial accurately.

She kept muttering, "Don't let anything happen, please don't let anything happen. We still have to raise Lily and Chloe, you can't be gone..."

Within minutes, the ambulance sirens wailed closer.

Paramedics rushed in with a stretcher, quickly checking Dad's blood pressure and attaching electrodes.

"Preliminary diagnosis is acute arrhythmia, caused by long-term overwork. He needs to be taken to the hospital immediately!"

Hearing that, my heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by a hand.

It's all my fault! If it weren't for earning money for my treatment, Dad wouldn't be working two jobs every day, he wouldn't be sick.

Even in death, I'm still causing them trouble. I'm such a useless child!

The paramedics quickly loaded Dad onto the stretcher and pushed him out.

Mom stumbled, wanting to follow, but then looked back towards the bathroom.

She paused, her mind a mix of urgency and confusion.

On one side was her critically ill husband, on the other, her sulking daughter.

She gritted her teeth, asked the neighbors to help look after Dad, and turned to run back home.

She still couldn't stop worrying about me, afraid I was hungry, afraid something really happened. Even though she was angry with me just moments ago, what she worried about most was still me.

When she got home, it was already bright.

Chloe was squatting by the bathroom door. Seeing Mom return, she immediately rushed over.

Her small hands tightly clutched Mom's clothes, her voice choked with tears.

"Mom, Lily fell asleep in the bathtub."

"I called her so many times, but she won't wake up, no matter how much I call."

"She listens to you the most, Mom. Please make her wake up and eat birthday cake with me."