When We Met Again Our Son Was Five Chapter 08
“Vanessa, I’m begging you. Please go to the hospital and see her.”
Clarissa reached out as if she wanted to take my hand, but I stepped back.
Her hand froze in midair.
“She caused a scene all night and smashed everything in the hospital room. She kept shouting your name, saying she wanted to see you.”
I sighed and nodded.
When I got to the hospital, the hallway was filled with the sharp smell of disinfectant.
Josephine’s room was at the very end of the hall, and two security guards stood outside the door.
When I pushed the door open, I almost didn’t recognize her.
Her hair was spread across the pillow, and her eyes were swollen.
The second she saw me come in, tears rushed into her eyes.
Josephine struggled for breath, and her tears fell even harder.
“Nessa, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have used your drawings to threaten you, I shouldn’t have framed your son, and I shouldn’t have locked you in the kitchen. I know I messed up…”
She paused, her voice shaking badly.
“Please, though. I’m begging you. Give Tris back to me, okay?”
I looked at her without saying anything.
Her voice got smaller and smaller, like she had used up all her strength. “I don’t have anyone left. Mom and Dad think I’m humiliating. Tris doesn’t want me anymore. Everyone out there is laughing at me.
“Nessa, just let me have Tris, okay? You used to let me have everything…”
Clarissa suddenly came over, grabbed my hand, and cried as tears dropped one after another.
“Nessa, I know we’ve wronged you. I know that. But Josie can’t handle any more stress right now. The doctor said so. Could you just… agree for now and wait until she gets better to talk about it?”
My adoptive father, Lawrence Keller, also walked over and finally spoke.
“Vanessa, I know these past few years haven’t been easy for you. But Josie… almost didn’t make it. Just think of it as doing your parents a favor, alright?”
I didn’t say anything.
Clarissa suddenly collapsed to the floor.
“Vanessa, I’m begging you!
“I raised you for 18 years, and I’ve never asked you for anything. Today, I’m only asking for this one thing. Give Tris to Josie. She can’t be without him…”
Lawrence stood beside her, his voice so hoarse it was almost hard to hear.
“I know we shouldn’t be saying this, but Josie is our biological daughter. This is the least we can do for her…”
I took a deep breath.
“Fine. I’ll cut things off with him as soon as I can.”
The second those words left my mouth, a loud crash came from the end of the hallway. Someone had kicked over a trash can.
Tristan stood at the far end of the hall, his hair blown into a mess by the wind.
He looked at me.
“Give me to her?
“What exactly are you asking her to give up?”
Clarissa lifted her head, and when she saw him, her expression changed instantly.
“Tris, let me explain.”
“Give up what?” He ignored Clarissa, took a step forward, and looked at Josephine. “Say it again. What are you asking her to give up?”
Josephine’s lips trembled, and her tears started falling again.
“Tris, I just want you to come back to me…”
“Come back to you?” Tristan laughed. “When was I ever yours?”
Josephine’s face went pale.
He seemed to turn right back into that reckless, untouchable version of himself from before.
“What am I, some object you can pass back and forth?”
He looked at me, and his voice turned hoarse.
“Vanessa, tell them you’re not giving me up. Tell them you changed your mind. Say it, and I’ll deal with the rest.”
