"Mom, mom, please forgive me."
As Mario tries to stop her of hurting herself, he also gets wet, but he does not mind. He stands there while the warm water pours over her. He gently massages her shoulders and back. His smooth touch and care brings Hana life again; and she finally opens her eyes. As she comes back slowly to alertness, suddenly she realizes what she has done; nonetheless she does not remember the details. Details have always been boring to her, but now that she wants to focus on the details of what she has done, they escape her. She has a pounding headache so much so that even the light in the bathroom bothers her eyes and increases her headache. She puts her head between her knees.
"Oh, my head!"
"I know sweet heart. I'm going to make some coffee. Where is your Tylenol?"
"On the kitchen counter in a basket."
Mario returns with two Tylenol and a glass of water and then goes back to kitchen to make coffee. After a few minutes he returns with a cup of black coffee.
"I want milk in my coffee."
"No, just drink it black."
Mario lets her stay in the bathtub with warm water coming on her from the shower head for a long time. She begins to feel a little better after Mario dries her and and dresses her. As she lies down on the sofa, where she was drinking the night before, he starts tidying the room. Trying to remember all the things she has done last night, she finds out that she can not connect things together. There are many things, like pieces of a puzzle, missing. However, she remembers one thing very well, her nightmare, her mother's fingers and strange smile. She can not understand why her mother was not happy with her if she decided to come to her dream. Nevertheless, she thinks that how much she misses and needs her mother more than ever, specially now.
By the time Mario is done with cleaning her apartment and making chicken soup for both of them, it is almost one in the afternoon. He wakes her up and gives her two more Tylenol and asks her to eat her soup. He has a couple of toasts on the tray, too. She takes the pills.
"I can't eat. Oh, my head..."
"Come on sweet heart, just a little. I eat with you, too."
He dunks a little piece of the toast into the soup and puts it in her mouth. She likes the taste of it. She raises her head and Mario puts a few pillows under her head and sits next to her. While he is eating himself, he feds her, too. She thinks that no one has ever taken care of her this way. She is speechless. She can not even say thank you to this man who has saved her from herself and the demon that has taken over her, and taking care of her like a mother. She looks at him with a look that is more than appreciation to Mario. Her look is filled with love for this man.
Farhad calls a little later to invite himself and Sylvie for dinner. He is surprised to hear Mario's voice on the phone. He knew that his mom and Mario have gone to see his brother. When he hears Mario's voice on the phone, he thinks that either they just came back or if they came back last night, he has spent the night with his mother.
"Oh, Mario, when did you come back? How is Sam? Where is my mom?" It seems as though his questioning is an offense he is taking for Mario answering the phone.
"We came back last night. Sam is fine. There is a strong possibility that their unit will be mobilized. Your mother is sick." Mario's answers are delivered the same way as Farhad's questioning.
"What is wrong? Why is she sick?" Farhad's questions are more like a demand, as though it is Mario's fault that she is sick.
"She's very upset. I don't know..." Mario does not want to tell Farhad of his mother's drinking.
"I'm coming right now." Farhad sounds worried.
"No, Farhad, you better not. Let her rest."
Farhad is hurt. "Who is he to tell me not to go and see my mother?" he says in his speaking mind. On the other hand, he thinks that his mother must be very sick.
"Let me talk to her."
Mario goes to the living room and finds Hana asleep. He returns to the kitchen.
"She is sleeping, Farhad. She'll be okay."
"I'm coming now."
"All right, but please let's not talk about Sam in front of her."
To Be Continued
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