REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight

Chapter 203: Nothing has changed...

"Is this Grandpa when he was a baby?" Zia asked, squinting at the face in the photograph.

Elara took it from her hands, her brows furrowing more tightly.

The face in the picture belonged to a baby. Though the photo had faded with age, the features were still clear enough to make out. And if Elara wasn’t mistaken, it might even be a girl. Then again, judging a baby’s gender from a photograph was quite difficult, so she wasn’t completely sure.

Who could have left it here? The only people who came into this room regularly were herself, Zia’s mom, and the nurses and doctors responsible for Grandpa’s care. Could one of them have dropped it here?

But the more she thought about it, the less likely that seemed. The staff here were professionals and they were surely not the type to casually leave personal belongings inside a patient’s room.

The corner of her lips twitched a little as she studied the photograph again. Then she turned it over. Her expression stilled almost immediately. Written at the back were four simple words.

Thought this belonged here.

Elara stared at the sentence.

Thought this belonged here.

She repeated the words silently in her mind.

How exactly did a random baby photograph belong in Grandpa’s hospital room? The whole thing was strange.

While she continued turning the photograph over and studying it, Zia, who had already lost interest in it, wandered back toward Grandpa’s bed.

She stopped beside it for a moment before dragging a chair closer. After a small struggle, she climbed onto it and sat down.

From where Elara stood, she could vaguely hear her talking, though most of her attention remained fixed on the photograph.

"Grandpa, why are you sleeping?" Zia complained. "Look at me. Don’t you want to see me?" She put on a pitiful expression and blinked dramatically. "No one likes Zia anymore."

She lowered her head sadly. "My mommy said if I stay away from home any longer, she’ll finally grow up healthy and peaceful." Zia sniffed loudly. "Elara gets angry at me all the time. Ziva is even worse."

When there was still no response, she leaned closer to the old man. "Grandpa, if you don’t wake up soon, Scary Suit Uncle might become my new grandpa." She said, rubbing her eyes again.

Meanwhile, Elara continued staring at the photograph. The more she looked at it, the more she felt it probably wasn’t left here by a hospital worker.

Something about the handwriting felt familiar. Or maybe it was simply because Adrian was the first person who came to mind whenever something strange happened.

From the wording alone, she could almost imagine him leaving it behind. After all, he was the type of person who often did things that made absolutely no sense.

After talking for a while, Zia suddenly became quiet. Then she have a deep frown. "Grandpa is listening," she mumbled with a serious expression.

Elara didn’t even look up. "Not really," she replied casually, refusing to encourage any more of Zia’s imagination.

"Elara."

No answer.

"Elara."

Still nothing.

Zia puffed out her cheeks. "Stop ignoring me Elara. Grandpa keeps trying to say something." She snapped angrily.

This time, Elara shrugged. "What do you mean?" she asked, her patience beginning to run thin.

Zia looked down at the bed. "Grandpa is squeezing my hand!" She exclaimed, nodding confidently. "I think he’s giving me secret instructions."

Elara sighed.

Of course. She knew whatever Zia would say won’t be anything good.

"What secret instructions?" She asked.

"He said I should eat more ice cream so I can grow up healthy and strong." Zia replied.

Elara shook her head.

There it was. The nonsense.

"Zia, one more word and we’re leaving immediately," she warned sternly.

"And he also said you should stop being mean to me." Zia said again, sounding completely unbothered by the threat.

Elara folded her arms. "Why would he say that? He’s not saying anything."

"How do you know?" Zia asked instantly, her eyes narrowing annoyingly. "You’re not the one he’s talking to."

Before Elara could turn back to the locker, Zia suddenly called out again. "Come look, Elara." There was excitement in her voice. "He squeezed my hand again."

She lowered her voice dramatically, a small smile planted on her face. "He heard that you wanted to take me back. He doesn’t want me to go. He wants me to stay here with him."

To prove her point, she lifted their joined hands.

At first, Elara was prepared to dismiss it. Then she froze.

Zia’s hand was resting between Grandpa’s fingers. And from the way it looked, it didn’t seem as if the little girl had simply tucked it there herself. His fingers were curled around her hand. Though it was just a little, Elara knew they were definitely curled.

Her heart nearly stopped. The photograph slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. She stared at the scene for a second, unable to move. Then she rushed toward the bedside control panel and slammed her hand hard against the emergency call button. The alarm immediately activated.

She hurried back to the bed, her eyes never leaving Grandpa’s hand. For the first time in months, she wasn’t sure what she was seeing.

Within seconds, the room was filled with people. Doctors. Nurses. Medical equipments. Everyone was checking him here and there.

Meanwhile, Zia stood alone in a corner, staring at the panicking adults with complete confusion written across her face. From the look on her face, she seemed to be thinking only one thing.

Grandpa held her hand. So what was wrong with that?

* * * *

Meanwhile, after they were done checking him, the doctor sighed and looked at Elara. "Nothing has changed."

Her heart sank just as quickly as it had risen earlier.

"Sometimes, coma patients can briefly respond to stimulation," the doctor explained before finally leaving with the others.

Elara lowered her eyes to the figure on the bed as everyone slowly exited the ward. Zia walked up to her and slipped her hand into hers, but she didn’t say a word.

Nothing happened after that. Elara only sat by the sealed window, staring out at the view beyond the hospital, while Zia continued staying by the bed, sobbing and sniffing quietly every now and then.

Elara had tried to pat her earlier, but she still continued crying, so she eventually left her alone.

When it was finally time to go, they reached the door... But Elara suddenly stopped as a thought flashed through her mind. She turned around, walked back to the locker, picked up the picture from the floor, and stared at it for a brief moment before slipping it into her bag.

Then she finally left the ward alongside Zia who was clearly reluctant to leave...