Leave Me If You Dare

Night fell, Arabella cooked dinner for Adam and Farrah when the doorbell chimed.

“Okay, I will get it.” Farrah quickly stood up and ran towards the door.

“Do you expect visitors?” Farrah asked them.

“None.” Arabella and Adam chorused their answers.

Farrah frowned and quickly sneaked to the peephole. It was not so clear but she was sure it was Damien. A man was standing outside with a piece of luggage so maybe he wanted to surprise the mother and son.

How sweet!

With a smile, Farrah quickly opened the door.

“Hi! Are you Damien?” Farrah greeted him with full of energy. Of course, he’s her best friend’s new boyfriend. They should be also on best terms as Arabella’s best friend.

“Hi. Damien.” Damien looked at Farrah, smiled, and offered his hand to shake.

Farrah's smile widened and accepted his hand. She looked at Damien and their eyes met.

“Who’s there?” Arabella suddenly sounded from behind.

“Oh!” Farrah quickly took her hand away and opened the door wide to let Damien in.

“Surprise!” Damien walked inside and shouted happily.

“Uncle Damien?” Adam was surprised, ran towards and hugged him.

Arabella greeted him with a smile and hugged him too.

“Are you happy to see me?” Damien asked Arabella.

“Of course.” Arabella replied with a smile and hugged him again.

Finally, Damien, her protector, and supporter, is here.

“By the way, meet Farrah my best friend. She’s the one who provided us this apartment.” Arabella introduce Farrah who was long unmoved in her place.

“Oh. Hi again.” Damien waved at Farrah.

With a stiff hand, Farrah waved back at him.

“So, you just arrived on time, the table is ready. Everyone, let’s eat now.” Arabella announced and strode towards the table and the rest followed.

In the table, Farrah observed Damien. He was good-looking and sweet to Arabella and Adam. He filled up their plates before he eats but she felt something strange, looking in his eyes earlier but she didn’t know why.

“Mom, when can I visit grandma?” Adam suddenly asked. He was back to his normal self after meeting his friend.

“Wake up early tomorrow and I will bring you to her. Deal?” Arabella had already told Jaime about Adam and Jaime wanted to see him even without knowing that Adam is her grandson.

“Yes! I will, mom.” Adam was so excited. Finally, he can see his grandma.

Before they went to sleep, Arabella briefed Adam about his grandmother’s mental and physical health. The apartment had only two rooms so Damien occupied the first room and the mother and son shared the master bedroom.

“So, what made grandma traumatized like that, mom?” Adam asked with full of curiosity in his big round eyes.

Arabella had run out of words. She could not tell him everything.

“Because of the death of your grandpa. She got sad and that’s what happened.” Arabella replied plainly.

“Is my father had anything to do with this?” Adam asked directly that made her heart skip a bit. The air in the room suddenly became so cold and her nerves contracted.

‘Why Adam asked about his father?’ Arabella was lost in her messy thoughts. ‘Did he know anything?’

“No Adam. Your father had nothing to do with grandma’s sickness.” Arabella answered with clenched fists. She didn’t have the heart to break her little boy’s heart. Whatever the worst things his father had done to her, Adam should be free from any hatred of his father so he can live happily.

The next morning, Arabella with her two boys went to visit Jaime. Arabella came in first to see if her mother is in the good mood.

“Oh, you are here again.” Jaime sounded weakly while eating her breakfast.

“Good morning. Please let me do it.” Arabella quickly took the bowl of porridge from the attending nurse to feed her mom by herself.

After getting it, she nodded to signal the nurse to leave them.

“Mrs. Foster, since your friend is here, I will take my leave first.” The nurse nodded politely before she strode out.

“Why do you keep on coming here?” Jaime asked her with a puzzled look but with a weak tone.

“I… I worked here now. So, you have to get used to seeing me every day.” Arabella replied with a light tone and with a bright smile. She had to make an alibi to visit her mom every day or she would be suspicious of her.

“Why do you have to work here? Where’s your husband?” Jaime asked again.

Hearing her mom’s unexpected question, Arabella’s throat suddenly had become dry. She felt having sudden karma for lying while she tried her best to compose herself.

“I... I am a single mother.” Arabella answered honestly.

“Oh! I’m sorry. If you’re working here, who is taking care of your son?” Jaime asked again after taking the last mouthful scoop of the porridge given by her daughter.

“He is with me.” Arabella gladly answered with a smile while putting the finished bowl on the tray and pushing it to the side.

“Here! Drink your medicine.” Arabella then added with one glass of water in her hand and a load of medicines to the other.

“Your son is here? Come on! Take him inside. I want to see him.” Jaime said after drinking all her medicines.

Jaime’s words were like music to her ears. Finally, she can introduce the two of them. Adam can finally see his grandma and her mother can finally see her grandson.

Arabella quickly went outside for Adam and Damien.

Arabella held Adam’s hand as they went back inside while Damien followed them.

“Meet my son, Adam.” Arabella said with full of positivity.

“Hi, grandma!” Adam greeted cheerfully. He was so happy seeing another member of his family.

Jaime froze and just stared at Adam with a serious expression. It seemed the time had stopped for a moment but in just a split second, a drinking glass was smashed to the ground by Jaime. The sound of the broken glass shattered on the floor and loudly resonated in the room. Everyone was petrified. Arabella suddenly had felt the sudden urge to protect her son.

“You! You are a murderer! Your murder my husband!” The weak Jaime became hysterical out of the sudden seeing Adam.

Adam was shocked by her grandma’s words. He was very excited to see her that he even suggested bringing her a flower. Adam dropped the sunflower on the floor absent-mindedly.

“Why are you here? Do you want to murder me too? Come on! Kill me! Kill me!” Jaime sounded with all her veins bulging on her neck due to excessive yelling.

Damien quickly dragged Adam to leave but Adam froze to his position. He didn't want to leave.

He was absorbing every word of his grandma and he wanted to listen and know more about why did she be so angry with him?

Why he was accused by his grandma?

Why did his mother’s words were not matched his grandma’s?

Is his mother deceiving him?

Adam was not afraid of his grandma but he pitied her so much.

“Adam please go with uncle Damien.” Arabella ordered Adam to protect her son from being hurt emotionally. She didn’t anticipate the result of her mother seeing Adam. She thought the introduction would just go smoothly well.

“No mom. I will stay.” Adam replied with stubbornness in his tone.

“Adam. Please.” She was pleading at her son.

“Adam, let’s go.” Damien ordered too.

“You! Don’t turn your back on me you murderer!” Jaime was already standing and with big strides, she dashed to Adam but Arabella was quick to shield her son by herself.

“You! Get out my way!” Jaime shouted very angrily ordering her to step aside.

“Please don’t hurt my son.” Arabella’s tears rolled down with a pleading tone. It’s very hurtful for her to see her mother hating Adam so much.

“You!”

“Paakkk!” Jaime slapped Arabella. She suddenly felt a burning pain on her cheek.

Damien and Adam were stunned but they could not move and do anything.

“Pakkk!”

Another loud slap sound echoed in the room but Arabella didn’t move or even defend herself. She seemed to bear the pain and satisfy her mother until she will release all her anger.

Arabella’s eyes released more tears but it’s not because of the burning pain she felt on her cheek but because she felt the intense pain in her mom’s heart. If slapping her would ease all her mom’s pain, she won’t mind her slapping her the whole day and night.

When Jaime acted to slap Arabella again for the third time,

“Please do not hurt my mom anymore.” Adam hugged Jaime’s legs tightly crying and pleading with his grandma.

“How dare you plead at me? You murdered my husband and had caused my daughter’s suffering. You don’t deserve any pity!” Jaime screamed at Adam who had no plan on breaking his hug even his grandma would hurt him. It doesn’t matter as long as she would not hurt his mom again.

Though Arabella had quickly covered Adam’s ears, he still heard it clearly and it was clear to him that his grandma was seeing him as his father.

His father again!

He is very cruel!

Adam felt an intense burning sensation inside him.

“Take out your filthy hands of me!” Jaime shouted with full of irritation in her tone while pushing Adam away but Adam tightened his hug.

“Adam, please let go, my son. You will get hurt.” Arabella hugged his brave son behind worriedly.

“It’s okay mom, as long as you will not get hurt again.” Adam replied with closed eyes with tears rolling down his chubby cheeks.

“Adam… please listen to mom.” Arabella felt overwhelmed with his son’s words but she just couldn’t let him get hurt.

Alarmed, Damien held Adam’s arm on the side to block Jaime if in case she would hurt Adam.

Hearing his mom’s tearful voice, Adam let go of her grandma. Helpless little boy, Adam lowered his head and shoulder then Damien was quick to grab Adam and they went outside leaving Arabella and Jaime inside.

“Where are you going?!” Jaime screamed indignantly seeing Adam’s leaving the room.

“Mom. Please. That’s enough.” Arabella hugged her mom.

“Don’t call me mom! I am not your mom!” Jaime’s eyeballs were bulging in anger. She was very uncomfortable and seeing Adam faded her sight slowly. She struggled from Arabella’s hug wanting to chase the murderer of her husband.

“Mom…He is not a murderer. He is my son and your grandson.” Arabella felt her eyes and cheeks were swollen but she could not just give up on her mother.

“You are not my daughter! Get away from me!” With all her strength left, Jaime screamed out her last voice while pushing away Arabella.

“Mom?... Mom?... Mom!” Jaime suddenly collapsed in Arabella’s embrace after putting all her strength into her anger.

Arabella quickly put her to bed and press the emergency button on the wall.

In a quick second, the Doctor and nurses rushed in to check her mother.

Worried and nervous, Arabella together with Adam and Damien waited outside Jaime’s room.

Damien put Arabella’s head on his shoulder while Adam held his mother’s hand.

“It’s okay. Everything will be okay.” Damien stroked Arabella’s hair while trying to pacify her worries.

“Adam are you okay now?” Arabella asked her son who was very silent.

“Will grandma be okay mom?” Adam finally said something.

Arabella was not able to reply to Adam quickly. She didn’t know what to answer him but she tried to lighten up the mood even though her tears couldn’t stop flowing.

“Yes. She will.” Arabella replied to her little boy. While she was uttering the words, the more she felt she was losing her mom slowly. She sobbed while thinking about losing her mom.

Adam hugged her mom quickly and tenderly. “Mom. Grandma will be okay.” Adam whispered.

Though her heart was in pain, there was still a little joy in it. The joy knowing that she had now Adam and Damien by her side.

“Adam, those words from your grandma, please do not take it to heart as I told you, her memory isn’t good, and tend to mix things up. Okay?” Arabella's eyes were talking tearfully to Adam’s eyes.

“Hmmm… Don’t worry about that mom.” Adam answered just to pacify his mother but, in his heart, the hatred for his father had gone deeper.

Their conversation was stopped when Jaime’s nurse came out.

“Ms. Jones, the doctor wants to talk to you privately in your mom’s room.” The nurse announced.

Arabella gently wiped her tears and looked at Damien to take care of Adam then she followed the nurse inside.

“Arabella, your mom’s health declined every day.” The doctor said directly.

“What can we possibly do to still prolong her life?” Arabella tried to stand up with softened knees.

“Can I bring my mom abroad?” She added hoping to get positive feedback.

“No. She’s too weak to travel.” The doctor answered.

“But, there’s one thing I can recommend. If you have some connections with Sky Medical Group, we can transfer your mom there. They have the best modern medical technologies to operate her nor to prolong her life even for a bit.”

Sky Medical Group

The most expensive hospital in Capital Z is owned by Bill Sky.