Recap: Brittney finds Michael in the hospital, after another failed attempt of suicide. However, he is reluctant to meet her, and asks her to leave.

IMPORTANT: Thanks to LubDubs I just got to know about The Fiction Awards 2016. She nominated me for multiple categories, and I am so so grateful to her for that.

If you guys think this book is deserving, please nominate it under proper categories. There are many categories, like, best short story, teen fiction, romance, etc, also nominations are available for best book, best profile, and many others!

You can nominate as many books you like even in an individual category.

I'm thankful to everyone for having read the book, and I'm not forcing anyone to do anything. Just saying, if interested, check out the book in the profile thefictionawards.

Thank you, now you may continue. Nominations are open from July 8 to July 29th. Contest only open for wattpad app users.

*****

That night she did not wait for another second in the hospital. The moment she came out after seeing him, she went straight to the parking lot and ignited her car engine. Then unlike ever before, she drove her car fast as hell through the nearly deserted roads.

Coming home or even through all of the next day, however, when she thought of her actions, they sounded pretty unreasonable.

She was not angry at him. There was no reason to be, really. He had a troubled life; she tried to help, he refused. It is not like depression is a very soft matter that can be solved by mere convincing or soothing anyway.

But she felt embarrassed, frustrated, angry at herself. Somehow his behavior had hurt her ego. Or maybe it had something to do with how boys—though never been many in numbers in her life—had treated her.

The next day in the afternoon when Brittney left her apartment to bid goodbye to Katherine finally, her bags were all packed to set off with her early the next morning.

However when she reached the hospital along with her parents, who had only returned from there in the morning, she was astonished to find Katherine's room full of visitors.

"Any idea who they might be?" She asked her parents.

"Her family, Brittney. They arrived this morning," her father explained.

"What? But her family —"

"Your mother and I had called her sons. They live in Australia, you know. It takes time to travel all this distance."

"And to get the tickets, too." Her mother added. Then looking at her still gaping face, she smilingly said, "Yes, Katherine gave us their contact details."

"But why?" She protested.

"Why not?"

"Mom, they never really cared about her. Like ever!"

"I know, but does that mean she should abandon them too?"

After several minutes Katherine's visitors came out of the room one by one. To her, they looked like a colorful ralley— chattering, joking away merrily, looking happy and together.

Her nose scrunched up in somewhat disgust, and she pushed one of them with her shoulder intentionally while crossing.

"Brittney!" Katherine looked jolly.

"Who were they, Katherine?" She asked, though she knew the answer very well.

"My family," the old lady replied proudly. Her face formed more lines and wrinkles as she smiled. "Matt and Peter, their wives, Matt's two sons, Peter's daughter." Her eyes moved across the room as she named them, as if she could still picture them all standing in a circle around her.

Brittney managed to press a smile.

"Joseph would be just your age. I was looking at him and thinking just how good you two might look together."

She simply nodded; in other times she would have retorted back something at her, or at least cracked a smile.

"What's the matter, Brittney?" Katherine had noticed the change in behavior.

"How could you let them in, Katherine? I cannot understand. You always told me how they never asked about your whereabouts much, never wanted to see you in years! Why let them in now? What for?" She half yelled.

"Have I never taught you about forgiveness, honey?"

"So that's why you always talked of settling back at Australia? But don't you see, they never ever cared for you!"

"They are my sons, Brittney. I have raised them. They are my only family. I love them. And not letting them in, that's not who or how I am." She took a pause to catch her breath. "You are also leaving in a few days, so does that mean I should not talk to you too when you come back?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow." Brittney replied. Katherine's eyes widened at her words. "Plus, I'm not like them, Katherine. I'll call you regularly."

"So is this our last visit, Brittney?" Her pale grey eyes looked even paler and lost.

"No, we will meet again, of course! I'll be back on vacations."

"There will be no one to save me from my heart attacks anymore." Katherine's voice trembled as she spoke. Sadness crystal clearly written all over her wizen eyes, withered face, in the smile creeping out of her dry, chapped lips.

Katherine was looking older than her age.

"Please, don't break my heart as I go," Brittney pleaded. "You'll be just fine. I want my candies when I come back, okay?"

The lady nodded like an obedient kid.

"I'll have to go now. Take care." She was about to go when Katherine called her back.

"Are you worried about something, Brittney? You look so sad."

This time Brittney's eyes widened. "No."

Katherine attempted to raise a brow, but raised both in the process.

Brittney sighed. "There's this boy.. I am so confused. I try helping him, but God, he's so adamant." She shrugged. "I don't know Katherine, I think I like him. But I feel like I tried for nothing. I feel so embarrassed. I'm leaving but I don't even wanna say him goodbye."

Katherine observed her intensely, then only spoke two sentences. "I know forgiving isn't easy. But I also know you are stronger than that."

Brittney remembered how once Adams had said the same words to her. "But he literally asked me to get out."

"Then don't meet him. But forgive him anyway. What are you gonna get holding up grudges against people?"

"You may do that. But I have forgiven people enough."

Katherine looked hurt, but didn't say anything.

"Goodbye, Katherine."

*****

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Hi guys, I'm the culprit who had promised an 'early update', and then disappeared for a month. Hope there are at least a very few who still remember me.

I had a writer's block. I was busy, I was lazy. Then there were college admissions. My mother fell seriously ill, I had to take care of her and the household with father. Then I got sick. Very long story of excuses.

I cannot say just how sorry I am to not have updated, barely replied to messages, comments. I just want to say that even though I have not been able to reach out to everyone, I'm grateful to each and everyone for the votes, comments, follows, and messages. It's great to see the book still in #1 in short story.

Things are better now. I'm back from hiatus.