Chapter 84 Stay Strong
After leaving her mother’s room that evening, Alina stepped out into the cool night air, clutching her empty coffee cup from the vending machine with trembling hands. She’d booked a cheap hotel near the hospital — just a tiny room with a thin blanket and a window that looked out at flickering streetlights.
She slipped off her shoes at the door, dropped her bag on the old chair, and sat on the squeaky bed. The moment she pulled her knees to her chest, the warmth of that tiny hospital room came rushing back — her mother’s soft eyes, her tired smile, the way her hand felt so cold and small.
Her chest squeezed tight. The dam inside her broke, and she pressed her face into her blanket, letting the tears come in hot, quiet waves. For two long hours, she cried alone in that little hotel room — all her hidden fears spilling out: the helplessness, the worry, the fear that time was always running too fast.
Stay strong, she kept whispering to herself, her shoulders shaking under the blanket. For her. For my mother. For myself.
When her tears finally dried, her eyes puffy and sore, she curled up on the thin pillow and fell into a restless sleep.
***
The next morning, Alina woke before dawn, her eyelids heavy but her chest lighter somehow. She tidied her hair, splashed her face with cold water from the tiny sink, and went straight back to the hospital.
But when she peeked into her mother’s room, Nurse Ana met her at the door, a soft frown on her face. "She’s sleeping again, Alina. She slipped back under. Her body needs the rest."
Alina stepped inside anyway, sat at the edge of the bed, and held her mother’s hand for a long time. She pressed her lips to her mother’s knuckles, whispering the same small promise: I’ll work hard. I’ll make you proud. Just rest, Mama. Just stay.
After a while, she forced herself to stand. She stepped out into the chilly morning air, hugging her coat tighter around her shoulders. She looked down at her wrinkled skirt and the tired circles under her eyes reflected in the shop window nearby.