Chapter 199
Milford bowed his head and focused on his plate, eating quickly. He kept his face close to the plate to hide his emotions.
The next morning, Eileen headed to the hospital to collect Bailee and Ruby. Bailee had already prepared Ruby for departure. As Eileen arrived, Austen was just about to enter the ward.
“Dr. Potter, an early Merry Christmas to you,” Eileen greeted Austen cheerfully as she held the door open for him.
Austen entered the ward with a grin. “Merry Christmas to all three of you. Though it’s just the beginning, each year will bring more improvements.” He then shared a few important reminders. The most crucial advice was to prevent Ruby from falling. For now, they were to continue feeding Ruby liquid food through her gastric tube daily.
“This is the final course of the targeted therapy. The treatment concludes in three days. Be sure to let her take the medicine regularly. After Christmas, register her for the rehabilitation program. I believe attending twice a week will show significant progress,” Austen said.
While Ruby could perform some rehabilitation exercises at home, professional guidance would accelerate her recovery. Eileen expressed her gratitude to Austen multiple times before she, Bailee, and Ruby left for home.
Despite having heard Eileen’s prior descriptions, Bailee was still taken aback by the grandeur of Lakeside Villa upon seeing it for the first time. The luxuriousness of the house made her feel somewhat out of place.
“Eileen, is it really suitable for us all to move in here?” Bailee whispered after they exited the car, gently pulling Eileen closer.
“We’re only celebrating Christmas here,” Eileen replied. “I’ve rented another villa close by. The owner will finalize the contract after the holiday. You and Mom can move there after Christmas. This way, it will be easier for me to visit you.”
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Eileen had thoughtfully made these arrangements in advance. She felt that it wasn’t practical for her entire family to stay at Lakeside Villa permanently. While she couldn’t afford to buy a place nearby, renting it was within her means.
Eileen handed Bailee a bank card, saying, “I’ve purchased two outfits for Mom so she can wear them during Christmas.” As Bailee opened the car door to retrieve a wheelchair, they helped Ruby into it.
Ruby was now able to move her knuckles, and her fingers were quite flexible. Bailee gave Ruby a pen and some pieces of paper so she could write down her thoughts if she felt the urge to communicate.
Once inside the villa, Eileen and Bailee set up the bedroom for Ruby.
“Treat yourself to whatever you’d like; after all, it’s Christmas. You don’t need to spend much time in the hospital from now on. You deserve some new clothes.”
Bailee paused momentarily before accepting the bank card, her eyes filling with tears.
“Eileen, we’ve really made it, haven’t we?” she asked.
“Yes, we have. I’m so grateful for how you’ve looked after our mom these past few years. You’ve practically lived at the hospital,” Eileen replied with a warm smile, her mind bustling with countless thoughts.
As Eileen observed Ruby basking in the sunlight in the living room, she felt as if she were dreaming.
“Eileen, without your support, Mom and I wouldn’t have this wonderful life. I couldn’t have completed my college studies, nor could Mom have recovered so well,” Bailee said as she sat on the bed, tears streaming down her face.
She had not intended to cry, but in that moment, her emotions overwhelmed her.
Eileen said, “Without Mom’s love for me, I couldn’t have made it here to save her or support you through college. We’re always helping each other as a family. Let’s look forward and not dwell on the past anymore, shall we?”
“Okay!” Bailee wiped her tears and managed a smile.
After organizing everything, Bailee and Eileen joined Ruby and engaged in light conversation. Ruby wrote slowly, yet both Eileen and Bailee waited patiently for her.
To Eileen’s astonishment, the first question Ruby asked was, “Eileen, where is Benjamin?”
Eileen was caught off guard and exchanged a puzzled look with Bailee.
“Mom, why are you asking about Benjamin?” Bailee inquired, her curiosity piqued.
Ruby furrowed her brows and wrote again. “Isn’t he going to celebrate Christmas with us?”
Eileen was confused. Why would Benjamin want to celebrate Christmas with them?
She shook her head and explained, “Mom, Benjamin is in Onaland. He won’t be joining us for Christmas. He has his own family to be with.”
A spark of understanding seemed to light up Ruby’s eyes, and she nodded thoughtfully.
Ruby had spent the previous Christmas in a coma. During that time, Eileen and Bailee had stayed by her side in the hospital to celebrate the holiday with her. In the two years prior, despite being ill, Ruby had insisted on leaving the hospital to celebrate Christmas at home. She had taken the lead in organizing the festivities and had personally cooked all the dishes.
Things had changed significantly. Now, Ruby was no longer able to move around. Eileen took it upon herself to buy the necessary food ingredients, while Bailee took charge of preparing the dishes, with Ruby observing them from her spot.
Phoebe and Raymond joined them at their house on Christmas Eve. Amidst the bustling atmosphere, Eileen found herself exceedingly busy.
Raymond took a moment to remind her, “Ms. Curtis, you are different from them.”
“In what way am I different?” Eileen asked, looking at Raymond with a puzzled expression.
“Don’t overlook the fact that you have Mr. Dawson,” Raymond replied, tapping on his phone screen to show Eileen his chat history with Bryan.
Bryan’s messages to Raymond involved requests to take photos of Eileen or to record short videos of her. He wanted these updates sent to him every thirty minutes.