Chapter 200
“Lydia, I’m out here. Where are you?” asked Zinnia.
It was Saturday that day. Zinnia and Lydia had agreed to visit Lydia’s mother, Bonnie Hollis, at the psychiatric hospital.
Zinnia stepped out of her apartment, where Lydia was waiting for her just outside.
Lydia was dressed in a white short jacket and jeans. Her long hair was tied into a low ponytail. With a casual and neat appearance, she held a bouquet of baby’s breath and sunflowers in her smooth hands.
“Lydia, I saw you,” Zinnia said cheerfully over the phone.
Lydia looked toward the entrance of the apartment and saw Zinnia running cheerfully toward her. A gentle smile bloomed on Lydia’s face.
Zinnia wore a yellow knit dress with a jacket draped over her shoulders, looking as bright and graceful as a butterfly in flight.
“Lydia, you should have come to my place. Yannis has gone to work.” Zinnia hurried toward Lydia.
Lydia smiled and handed her the sunflowers.
“Wow! You got me flowers,” Zinnia exclaimed with delight as she saw the beautiful sunflowers.
Lydia explained, “I went to the florist to get a bouquet for my mom. The sunflowers were so pretty that I brought one bouquet for you.”
“Thanks, Lydia. They’re so pretty,” Zinnia said as she took the flowers.
“Have you had breakfast? If not, let’s go get some breakfast before we go to the hospital,” Lydia asked gently.
“Yes, I have. Yannis had breakfast delivered to me this morning. If you haven’t eaten yet, let me treat you to breakfast,” Zinnia said.
After Yannis had headed off to work early, he had asked someone to deliver breakfast to Zinnia.
Lydia nodded. “Yes, I have.”
“Then let’s head out and visit Ms. Hollis,” Zinnia said. It was a little past nine in the morning, and she felt the two of them needed to take the subway.
“How about taking a taxi?” Lydia suggested. She thought the subway would take too long, and it would be crowded.
“Why not take the subway? I’ve never taken it before,” Zinnia said excitedly.
Zinnia felt that taking a taxi to the psychiatric hospital would cost a lot, and she knew Lydia would never let her pay. Thus, she led Lydia toward the subway entrance.
Seeing Zinnia holding her hand, Lydia smiled softly.
It was already a little after ten when Zinnia and Lydia arrived at the psychiatric hospital by subway.
With few facilities, the area around the psychiatric hospital was sparse and desolate.
Zinnia wanted to buy some fruit as a gift, but Lydia firmly stopped her.
As they walked into the psychiatric hospital, Zinnia looked around and asked, “tydia, which floor and room is Ms. Hollis in?”
“Come with me,” Lydia said and led the way.
08:20 Wed, 18 Jun
Chapter 200
The two entered the psychiatric hospital. Inside, it was eerily quiet. Dočtors and nurses passed by with light footsteps.
The only noise came from patients being wheeled out of their wards by nurses for a walk. They shouted insistently that they weren’t suck at all
If Zinnia hadn’t insisted on visiting Bonnie, Lydia would never have wanted her to come to a place like this.
Lydia held Zinnia’s hand and hurried her toward the elevator, eager to escape the unsettling atmosphere.
Zinnia and Lydia arrived on the 16th floor. A nurse who recognized Lydia greeted her, “Ms. Hollis, you’re here to see your mother,”
Lydia nodded politely in return.
Lydia had chosen the finest psychiatric hospital for Bonnie. The facilities were well–maintained, and the medical staff performed their duties with utmost professionalism.
As Lydia and Zinnia walked down the silent hospital corridor toward the ward, not a sound could be heard on the entire floor.
But peering into the wards, they could see some patients shouting, while others wandered around with sheets draped over their shoulders, muttering so themselves or to their roommates.
But the hospital wards were soundproofed to perfection, so nothing could be heard from outside.
Lydia and Zinnia reached the innermost ward. Through the glass window, they saw a woman curled up on the bed with a rag doll in her arms.
“Zinnia, just wait here for a sec,” Lydia said softly.
With Zinnia coming along, Lydia had carefully chosen a time to visit when Bonnie’s condition was relatively stable. She had to check Bonnie’s condition in advance.
“Okay.” Zinnia agreed obediently.
Lydia gently pushed open the ward door and stepped inside. “Mom,” she called softly and placed the bouquet of baby’s breath on the bedside table.
Thanks to the blue baby’s breath, the sterile white room lost some of its chill.
Inside the ward, Bonnie cradled the rag doll and gently patted its back. She murmured softly, “Don’t be afraid, Lydia. Your dad will be home soon. When he comes back, we’ll be together again.”
Bonnie continued, “Sleep, my dear.”
After that, she said, “Lydia, I will always be here for you.”
Bonnie’s long hair spilled over her shoulders as she rested her head on the rag doll in her arms. Half of her gaunt face still revealed traces of the beauty she once had in her youth.
Her eyes were glassy and unfocused, and her gaze drifted aimlessly as she muttered incoherently to herself.
Lydia crouched in front of her and softly called, “Mom”
Bonnie curled up on the hospital bed and stirred slightly. Her vacant eyes flickered, and her scattered gaze gradually sharpened as it settled on Lydia’s face.
Bonnie said, “Ly–Lydia, my daughter. My dear daughter.”
Bonnie reached out with her pale, bony hand to gently caress Lydia’s face. Over the years, Lydia had visited Bonnie every chance she got. Even as Bonnie’s memory faded, she still remembered Lydia’s name.
“Mom, it’s me.” Lydia cupped Bonnie’s face against her own and nodded.
08:20 Wed, 18 Jun
Chapter 200
“Mom, my friend is here to see you. Let’s behave today, and I’ll give you a marshmallow, okay?” Lydia said softly, trying to satte henne Avto she took a marshmallow out of her bag.
“Marshmallow,” Bonnie murmured. She reached out eagerly, and Lydia gently placed the sweet into her waiting hand.
Lydia quickly snatched the marshmallow and fed it to the rag doll in her arms.
“Here is a marshmallow, my dear. Mommy has a marshmallow for you. Eat it and stop crying, okay?” Bonnie cooed to the doll in her arms.
Lydia pressed her lips together. She felt warm because motherly love still shone through in her dazed moments, though Bonnie had lost her mind.
Seeing that Bonnie’s attention was fully on the doll, Lydia quietly stood up and opened the ward door.
“Zinnia, my mom isn’t doing too well. This is one of her rare stable moments. Let’s just see her briefly and leave, okay?” Lydia said gently.
Zinnia nodded. “Okay.”
After she stepped into the ward, her gaze was immediately drawn to Bonnie. Bonnie was thin, with dry, yellow hair tangled messily over her shoulders. Her eyes were sunken and hollow, and her face was gaunt.
But looking closely, Zinnia could see the resemblance between Lydia and Bonnie, except for their eyes. Zinnia guessed Lydia’s eyes must have come from
her father.
“Hello, Ms. Hollis,” Zinnia greeted in a low voice.
Bonnie remained completely absorbed in her own world, showing no reaction to Zinnia.
“She can’t hear anything from the outside world. She only recognizes me. The doctors examined her and diagnosed her with a mental disorder,” Lydia
said.
“May I have a check?” Zinnia asked.
“Of course,” Lydia replied.
Zinnia handed the sunflowers to Lydia and then tiptoed cautiously toward Bonnie.
Bonnie kept feeding the rag doll in her arms with a marshmallow, completely oblivious to Zinnia drawing near.
On her way over, Zinnia observed how real psychiatric patients behaved. She found Bonnie’s reactions were different.
Zinnia gently checked Bonnie, and her brows knitted in concern.
AD
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