Chapter 37

That night, back at home, Juana began to think about the old man's story. It was a sad one. She picked her pen and wrote a letter to his father whom she didn't know. His father whose piercing words shaped his miserable life.

It was one thing common to her: writing letters to people she could not meet physically either because they were dead or it was just not possible because of distance. She wrote a letter to his first wife too, the one who left him in his youth.

She wrote a letter to his children who deserted him because their mother did. She wrote a letter to his adopted son whom she didn't know. It was this letter that pleased her the most. She read it over and over again and decided that she'd ask the old man more about his son, in their next visit. He hadn't even told them his name or address.

Here's the letter she wrote to his adopted son:

A LETTER TO DOCTOR PAUL'S ADOPTED SON

Dear young man,

I do not know you but I understand how much you've been hurt by your foster father.

Your foster father said words that wounded you, but trust me he has a kind soul at the moment. Your father who killed you emotionally is the same man who saved my father's life. He helped me at the time of my helplessness.

I understand that he did so much wrong, and believe me, I'd have hated him too if he were my father. I hate to say this but I'm kinda hating my father too right now because he's cheating on my sick mom.

We don't know each other but I can help you. You can be happy if you let go of the wrongs your father has caused you. I know it's really hard but you can do it. He's suffered and is still suffering for his sins, trust me, when I visited him, he was as lonely as anything. He looked very sad. He said you threatened to kill him on phone. He said he loves you and wants you to forgive him even if you're not going to relate with him anymore. He's bitterly sorry.

If you let go, he'll die peacefully when it's time.

The day you let go, his hurtful words will no longer have meaning. You'll begin living a better life. I hope you find life in place of death, I hope healing comes to your heart, I hope you find peace in the battles of your mind. I hope you start living, instead of surviving.

You're not useless- I love you

Sincerely,

Juana

She hoped that one day, she'd be able to pass it across to Dr Paul's adopted son if they ever meet.

She tore out that page and slipped it in the jotter in her bag. She heard Selena's voice from the room beside hers and wondered why she hadn't left yet. It pissed her off even if she was not sleeping in her parents' room, it still pissed her off. Juana wondered if her dad was sleeping with her even in his house. That'd be wicked. Her presence in the house was annoying. Juana thought about her friend, Ivy. She wondered what would happen if their aunt found out she was pregnant. She was only fifteen.

"Don't do anything silly. Don't try to get rid of it, you might lose your life. Just let life flow. This is not the end of your world" Juana had told her on phone. She wished she was there to encourage her friend. Juana was an empath; everything that affected her loved ones affected her greatly too. Her friends were not near her, Ella would not be coming back, she had told her grandmother that. She was happy for her but then, she missed her friend greatly.

Colin was her shoulder. She was happy she had him, he was a really good companion and she's never stopped loving him. He was always there. Juana thought about her mother too. She had been unconscious since her last birthday, already nine months ago.

Her chances of coming out alive were slim, but Juana believed her mother could never die. If she died, she'd be shocked. She was someone who looked so immortal. She was so agile and vivacious.

Just then, She heard Selena laugh loudly. Baron's voice followed. He was laughing too. So they were together. She blocked her eardrums with her pillow and slipped under the duvet. She wanted to stay awake but didn't wanna hear their voices. In no time, she fell asleep.

That midnight, she had a terrifying dream: Ivy lost her pregnancy and equally lost her life.

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Juana woke up in the middle of the night sweating and screaming. Her father was at the door, begging her to open it. Everyone was awake, so she had screamed really loud. She heard granny's voice pleading for her to open the door. She heard Selena's shaky voice asking if she was okay.

"I shouldn't have left her bedside" she heard her dad say to the others. But Juana was so terrified that she couldn't move her body. She was in shock. The memories of her friend fighting for her life and breathing her last breath hit her.

"Please open the door honey" Granny's voice was small, like a little child's.

"Let's call the doctor" Selena said. Her voice was shaky. Juana heard them but she could not talk or move. Fifteen minutes later, she was still in that state. Baron was there with Doctor Alan. They struggled to force the door open and they were successful after some minutes. Everyone walked in and saw a dishevelled Juana hugging her legs in a corner of the room. She had dug her fingers in her hair and scattered it. Her eyes looked like hell.

"Juana" Doctor Alan called softly. She turned to face him but did not utter a word.

Doctor Alan turned to the others and asked ever so carefully, "What happened?"

"Thanks for coming doctor. She screamed right out of sleep. I'm sure it must have been one of those nightmares" Baron explained.

"She's not talking. Is she okay?" Selena asked with the same shaky voice. The doctor asked them to be quiet.

"She's in shock" The doctor announced. Granny sighed and shook her head.

"I'll take her away for treatment now. Who'll go with me?" He asked

"All of us"

"Just one person" he said

So the doctor pulled Juana up and Baron led her towards the doctor's vehicle. She was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and sleep apnea- a condition whereby breathing is interrupted during sleep. She was given paroxetine (Paxil) and some other anxiety medications by her doctor and made to rest in the hospital.

Colin was there the following day, by her bedside. He showed everyone openly that he cared for her, and Baron kept looking at him. He knew something was going on between the two of them.