The Scars

0I pushed the wheelchair toward Vera to address her. Noticing my arrival, she hurtled away to the exit. I did not intend to catch her up. It's not the right time to talk to her and fix the mess. She might need time for her to figure out the thing she thought of as my fault.    0

    

Letting the door swiped open to both sides, I propelled the wheelchair out through it. The woman sitting on the chair stretched her arms wide, inhaled the fresh air while closing her eyes as if she just got her freedom for the first time. And for the first time, she produced words after opening her eyes.    

    

"Isn't she your friend?" She pointed to the edge of the road where Vera froze at her spot. That girl was about to cross the road when a car moved fast toward her. The car was only a few meters from her when I pulled her hand to the other side of the road. I did not have any idea what power encouraged me to run that quickly to get to her. Yet, I was sure it was the energy of friendship that brought me to her at the right time.    

    

"Are you okay?" Her shaking body showed that the incident traumatized her. Her hands were still clutched on mine. She was gasping for the air while calming her pounding heart. She nodded a few seconds later. I guided her to the canteen next to the clinic and helped her sit on one of the chairs by the glass wall where I could monitor the old woman who was being handled by a nurse.    

    

The waitress came with two cups of cold drink I had ordered. I nudged the cup toward her. The tragedy still affected her so that she was just sitting like a statue. I allowed her to immerse into her thoughts. I once in a while whirled my head to the old woman who was still with the nurse, giggling. She felt amused every time the nurse acted out the story she told her. That nurse had the skill to cheer her up. The corners of my mouth lifted to form a smile.    

    

"Thank you." It was surely not the old woman who announced the words. "Sorry..." I could not be happier when I realized that the word finally spurted out of Vera's mouth.    

    

"What are you sorry for?"    

    

"I have ignored you for the last few weeks. I should have asked you to clarify everything, not like a coward just ran away from you and blamed you for the thing you never did. I'm sorry."    

    

"It is just misunderstanding. If I were you, I might do the same."    

    

"You are so kind. Now I know why Reno likes you," she muttered in a very low tone like a whisper.    

    

"What do you say?"    

    

"The day before he left for New York, he took me to the rooftop. He said that there was something he wanted to talk to me about. I was over the moon thinking that he was about to confess his feeling for me. I mean it was not his habit to talk in a quiet place. We usually talked in the library or other public places. How naive I was! It is not me the one he likes. It is you. He did not know how brokenhearted I was to hear his confession." Vera paused and wiped her tears using a tissue I handed her. I did not want to interrupt. "But the most frustrating was that he implored me to take care of you. He loves you a lot that he always thinks about you even in the last minutes before the plane took him away." She brushed her eyes once more. "He asked if I didn't mind to inform him about you during his stay in the US. That sounded crazy in my ear that time. I never did it. But now I regret it. I'm sorry."    

    

"Come on...how many times have you said sorry? I fathom your situation. I don't blame you for what you have done. You don't have to notify him of anything about me. Let alone, I might not see him again. So, don't feel guilty. You know I am more than happy now that everything is eventually fixed. We become friends again. It is all what I want."    

    

"Ilana...I didn't expect that you would let out such things."    

    

"We are friends. Forever," I affirmed.    

    

"We are. And we'll always be!" Our little finger entwined to confirm that vow had been pledged. Our chuckle then burst out. I glanced at the old woman outside. However, I found no one there.    

    

"I think I have to go back to my work." I surged at my feet in a hurry.    

    

"What's wrong?"    

    

"I lost the patient. I mean...she was just there with the nurse," Vera followed my forefinger," yet she was gone."    

    

"The nurse must have taken her in."    

    

"I hope so. See you." I rushed back to the clinic and reported to the receptionist that I carelessly let the patient away and questioned her whether or not she saw the old woman who was with me a half-hour ago. She shook her head, indicating the old woman had not gotten inside yet. I hurried out of the clinic and searched for the old woman in the surrounding area.    

    

It was just my second day and I had made a mistake, a big mistake. It was not only that I would be in trouble, but the doctor might not trust anymore. That disturbed me so much. And the old woman... what happened to her? What if she was kidnapped or hurt? I messed my hair, looking around. I wished to spot her somewhere. She was nowhere to be seen.    

    

"Grandma...where are you?" I desperately called her name out.    

    

"So, you work here?" I spun back. It was Kevin with his hand on the wheelchair and the old woman was happily enjoying confectionary.    

    

"What do you think you are doing?" I angrily ran toward the old woman who got shocked when I grabbed the candy from her hand. "She has diabetes. You want to kill her?" I looked up at him who at the same time looked at me with her started face.    

    

"Give it back to me." That old woman was trying to snatch the candy back.    

    

"It is not good for your health."    

    

"I want it!" She yelled at me and her hand managed to reach the object in my hand. I maintained it in my fist. She did not give up easily. The candy in my hand moved fort and back. In the mid of the scramble for the candy, the wheelchair loosened from Kevin's grip. It glided away along with the scream from the old woman's and our mouth.