287 Feeling Remorseful

Tom slowly lets go of Denise to express herself to his foolish friend as her words cut him deeply. Although he was mad at Leon for the way he was treating Ella, he felt that Leon deserve to be taught a bitter lesson rather than mere nagging.

Denise turned to Tom and spared him a brief smile of gratitude before refocusing her attention back on Leon.

When she observed that the murderous glint in Leon’s eyes was gradually fading away, she decided to speak to his conscience rather than attack him with hateful words.

“Ella didn’t get pregnant for another man but you, Leon. She didn’t share her body with any other man but you. She loves you so much that she wants to replicate you for the next generation to come. She has given up on everyone that cares about her just for your love. You are her first love and probably will be her last.”

“Denise, please, stop!”

Leon slowly lifted his hand to his forehead and gently massaged it. He felt like a monster to Ella, knowing that everything Denise had said was right and that he was really hurting Ella. He slowly turned around to look at Ella’s face and a tear left his eyes.

Denise was slightly moved by Leone’s remorsefulness but that didn’t stop her from talking to his conscience. She wanted him to feel what it would be like to lose Ella.

“Ella loves you with all her heart and seeing you avoid her like a plague is slowly killing her. Why are you so stubborn and blind to see that she wants the best for you? Don’t you love her anymore? Do you want her dead?.”

When Denise considered her last statement, she started crying all over again.

.....

“Come on baby, please stop crying.” Tom pulled his back into his arms and gently stroked her hair until she felt better. He led her to the visitors’ couch in the VIP room and they both sat down while keeping each other company.

“I’m such a fool!” Leon mused incoherently as he walked back to Ella’s bedside and sat behind her. He slowly took her right hand and raised it to his lips. “I’m so sorry, baby.” He said as he planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand.

Aside from the beeping of the diagnostic machines beside Ella’s bed, the room fell silent for a while. It was as though everyone was lost in their own thoughts while hoping and praying for Ella to open her eyes.

After almost three hours of waiting, Ella’s right hand slowly moved.

“Baby!” Leon stood up and sat on her bed while staring into her closed eyes which were trying hard to open.

–

–

Ella found herself dressed in a beautiful white bikini and sitting under a colorful beach umbrella by a captivating island shore. She was reading a romance novel when two little boys between the ages of three came running towards her.

They were both dressed in their cute swimming shorts and seemed to be having fun chasing after each other.

“Mummy! Mummy!!” Benjamin doesn’t want me to play with his seashell, one of the adorable little boys cried in his cute tiny voice.

The little boy called Benjamin ran behind Ella and wrapped his small arms around her neck while crying in an equally cute voice. “It’s mine! It’s mine!! I found it first!”

Ella lazily dropped the novel she was reading and smiled at her cute little boys. She held the second boy called Brian with one hand and pulled him into her arms.

“Benjamin, Ella fondly called and tickled the little hands wrapped around her neck causing him to giggle. “What did I tell you about sharing with your brother?”

“Sharing is caring,” Benjamin reluctantly said but didn’t fail to add his own line. “But, mummy, Brian should look for his own seashell. He doesn’t have any to share with me.”

“But...but...but...” Brian rubbed his eyes as though he was about to cry.

“Ugh! It’s such a pity that I won’t get to share my collections of amazing colorful seashells with you, Ben, since you already have one. I will share them with only Brian since he doesn’t have any.” Ella pretended to be disappointed.

“Hurray! Brian giggle and danced in Ella’s arms

“But that’s not fair, mummy,” Benjamin released Ella’s neck and came to stand before her with a scrunched face. “Do you love Brian more than you love me?”

historical

“Of course not, my little charming prince.” Ella put Benjamin into her arms and tickled both boys until they laughed their hearts out.

“You know I love you both equally with all my heart. You both are my little warriors.” Ella gently kissed both boys on their foreheads.

“Here Brian,” Benjamin handed Brian his prized seashell. “You can have my seashell and we will look for more together.”

“Thank you, Ben!” Brian cooed excitedly and hugged his brother.

“Mummy, can you see I shared with Brian.” Benjamin smiled in expectation. “So will you share your seashells collection with me too?”

“Of course, you know I will,” Ella plucked Benjamin’s nose playfully and hugged both boys tenderly.

“How about daddy, would you share your seashell collection with him too?” Brian asked in his innocent adorable voice.

“Daddy!” The heavenly smile on Ella’s face instantly vanished and was replaced with a deadly glare.

“Baby!”

Ella thought she heard Leon’s voice as the beautiful scene before her suddenly vanished and was replaced with darkness.

“Baby, I’m here for you!” Leon’s voice sounded clearer as Ella’s nostrils picked up his unique distinctive cologne.

She felt his hand gently stroke her forehead as she shifted and struggled to open her eyes due to the blinding white light above her.

Denise who had been sitting when Leon observed Ella’s movement, ran towards her bedside.

“Ella, can you hear us?” Denise asked softly while stroking Ella’s left shoulder.

“Mama bear!” Ella said weakly. She fluttered her eyelids severally to adjust to the light in the room before slowly opening them and staring in the direction of Denise’s voice.

Ella’s first words and reaction felt like a face-blinding slap to Leon. As if that wasn’t enough, he noticed that she withdrew her right hand from his touch and ignored his presence.