Chapter 10
They arrived at the airport.
After getting on the plane, Matthew took out a blanket and put it over Paisley. "Get some sleep. We will arrive there soon."
The cold wind was blowing. Paisley curled up in her seat, as weak and helpless as a docile kitten. She looked at the dark night sky outside and muttered to herself, "Why didn't she say anything?"
If Matthew hadn't made that call, Paisley wouldn't have known that Madison was in hospital with sudden gastric bleeding because she had drunk too much in all those social activities.
It was early morning when Paisley went to the hospital.
Madison was lying in a big bed. The VIP advanced ward was big but empty. She was lying alone, with her left hand exposed for intravenous infusion, as thin as a dead branch.
Paisley never found that her mother was so emaciated.
She didn't wake Madison up. Instead, she just sat quietly in front of the bed and gazed at the infusion bottle.
Madison looked pale, with her lips drained of color. She was a gaunt middle-aged woman without delicate makeup. Paisley sat there with a blank face. She clenched her fists so hard that her nails were hurting her palms, but she felt no pain.
At two o'clock in the night, Madison woke up and groaned in pain. When she saw the figure in front of the bed, she shrieked in fright. The light was snapped on, so she shielded her eyes from the harsh ray.
Paisley said coldly indifferently, "You spend all your time making money. Why nobody takes care of you?"
"Paise, why are you here?" Madison asked in surprise.
Paisley didn't answer, carefully tucking in the sheets that were taken up, and said in a muffled voice, "It's none of your business!"
Madison was dumb. They sat and didn't speak. Although a host of words welled up in their mind, they didn't know what to say. After a while, Madison asked, "How is your grandpa doing?"
"He's good. He had cooked many dishes for you."
"What did he make?" Madison asked eagerly.
"You can't eat them anyway," Paisley replied coldly. "They are all your favorites. It's all your favorite food, and there is a lot left..."
Madison listened attentively with tears flashing in her eyes.
Paisley said reproachfully, "Why did you drink so much alcohol?"
I won't drink that much again.
"What?"
"No. I mean I will give up drinking from now on." Madison quickly corrected herself.
"You are so perfunctory!" Paisley said in anger, "You can ignore me, but you should think about grandpa. He's getting older and older now and he has no much time left for you! You flung yourself into earning money. Is money more important than grandpa?"
Madison was silent, frowning tightly, and said after a long time, "I will go back to see him."
They were silent again, but Paisley actually had a lot to tell her mom. Paisley wanted to tell Madison that no matter how much money she made, she could never change the fact that Greyson had a new and happy family with another woman and that he wouldn't even take a look at her any more. But she knew that her mother wouldn't listen to her. If Madison cared about herself, she wouldn't have drunk so much that she ended up in the hospital with gastric bleeding.
But Paisley cared about her. Even though they never had a smooth conversation and quarreled a lot, Paisley still cared about her.
She asked casually, "Does it still hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt." Madison shook her head hurriedly.
Paisley took care of Madison for the last few days of the holiday.
She told her grandfather that Madison was put on a drip for food poisoning. The old man didn't say anything, but he was still worried.
Everything went well with Mattew in Oakwood. He got the hospital experts for consultation with only a phone call. Besides, he took good care of Madison by serving her water or something.
Madison was delighted and she said that it must be fate that they were from Edgewater University. She also asked Matthew to care for Paisley.
Paisley found it ridiculous that adults always believed in good or bad fate. But if people were meant to be with each other, than how come some of them still ended up being parted?
Many people came to visit Madison every day, so she felt much better. She was still the strong and competent woman possessing good people skills. Nevertheless, when she looked at the door, a trace of loneliness could be caught from her eyes occasionally.
Paisley wondered that if she was waiting for Greyson. Whether he knew she was sick or not, he would probably not come.
They had made a complete break with each other. Paisley thought that if Greyson came to see Madison, perhaps she would be happy.
When Paisley went back to the residence to take some clothes for Madison, she accidentally saw Greyson's car pulled over at the gate, as if waiting for someone.
In an instant, she wanted to walk over and tell him that she was also admitted to Edgewater University and she also studied in the School of Architecture, and her mother was hospitalized with gastric bleeding.
No sooner had she stepped out with her left foot than she saw Victoria leading a seven or eight-year-old boy, so she stepped back. Paisley hid in the corner, watching her father open the car door to hug his son. She came round to the idea that she had come of age and Greyson had done his duty to her as a father.
Back to the hospital, Paisley bought the most expensive porridge for Madison and cleaned up the ward. The holiday came to the end, and she had to go back to school. She sat in front of her mother, looking at the thin woman eating porridge. She found that her previous idea was wrong. They could only rely on each other. She must take good care of her mother.
"Mom," Paisley said calmly, "after you get well, go back to see grandpa."
Madison nodded. "I will."
Paisley didn't continue. She wanted to tell Madison that she had seen Greyson and he had a good life. Her mother couldn't live worse than him and could also set up a new family to show happiness. But she didn't know how to say it. She was afraid that all this would make Madison feel worse.
Finally, she hugged Madison. "Mom, I wish we could be happier."
Forget about Greyson and live our lives.
Madison was stunned. Paisley gave her a hug again and left.
Matthew kept up with Paisley. Noticing her silence, Matthew thought she was still worried about her mother. "Paise, don't worry. I've fixed it all up...""
Matthew chattered all the way until Paisley suddenly stopped and looked ahead. "I saw Greyson."
"What?" Matthew was confused.
"My father, my mother's ex-husband."
Paisley smiled bitterly. "I don't understand why people making mistakes can live happily without qualms of conscience."
Her smile disguised her inner sadness.
She hated Greyson. Why did he live so happily? She wanted to complain about the unfairness for her mother neglected.
Paisley looked the same as her in last party. She was stubborn and sad like a white rose alone on the branch and her thorns were all that she had with her.
Matthew felt a pain in his heart. He didn't think much and stepped forward to embrace her. "Paise..."
Paisley retreated. She believed that his embrace was sincere and would warm her. But after many years, will this man be another Greyson was unclear.
Paisley dreaded to think if she never got it, she would never lose it.
"I hate love." She pushed Matthew away and walked forward with a straight face.
Until boarding the plane, neither of them spoke, watching the planes' ingress and egress through the window.
People came and went, that's life. Being a hurry traveler would be better that being an unforgettable people who brought about pain to others.
Paisley looked at the distance and quietly said, "Matthew, don't like me. It's useless."
Matthew didn't answer. He pointed to the white clouds outside. "Can you keep the clouds still?"
Although she didn't understand what he meant, Paisley shook her head. "No. I can't."
"So you can't stop my heart from beating for you."
Naturally, I liked you as the tide rising and falling, as the clouds gathering and spreading.
Matthew looked at Paisley stubbornly. "You may not like me, but you can't control my mind."
"I don't want you to waste your time on me."
"My time is none of your business. You don't like me anyway."
"You..."
Paisley was too angry to speak, but Matthew breathed a sigh of relief.
You said you didn't like me, but you began to care about me.
You hated love, but I wanted you to love me!
They went back to Plence first. Because they left rashly before, and although Paisley had told a neighbor, her grandfather was extremely worried.
Paisley comforted her grandfather after returning home. "Grandpa, don't worry. Mom is quite well. She can eat three bowls of porridge at a meal."
"Is she really okay?" Her grandfather was skeptical and thought of something. "Paise, you should apply for a university in Oakwood so that you can accompany your mother. She is lonely."
"If so, who can accompany you?" Paisley held her grandfather's arm like a kid.
"Don't worry about me. I can live well alone"
"No. Grandpa is important to me!"
Her grandfather smiled and patted the back of Paisley's hand. After a long time, he said, "Paise, you should be nice to your mother."
"I know." Paisley kept her head close to her grandfather's back which was still as warm and broad as before. As long as she leaned against him, she was afraid of nothing.
"Don't be like your mother. Don't let me worry. It's not good to be alone without a companion."
He added vaguely, "I think the young man who came with you this time is very kind to you."
Paisley was shocked. "He is just my schoolmate..." She suddenly realized something. "When did you see him?"
Her grandfather smiled meaningfully and looked at her with interest. "You hid for fear that I know. I have seen him."
We were not couples!
Paisley didn't know how to explain it, but her grandfather was still laughing. "Don't be shy. I'm happy. I was really afraid that your mother would affect you. It is good to have a boyfriend, and he can care for you when you are ill..."
Paisley listened to her grandfather's chattering patiently. When her mother said a few more words, she was bored. However, although her grandfather said something for a long time, she could always keep a smiling face. But the more she listened, the more heavy her heart was. Actually, she didn't want a boyfriend or love, but she didn't tell her grandfather. She couldn't reassure him.
Paisley still took the train back to school, and Matthew was still sitting opposite.
Because they had just quarreled, and no one spoke. The atmosphere was awkward, so Matthew bent over the tray table to sleep.
Paisley had never seen Matthew in such a state. He had always been flamboyant and wanton, wearing bright clothes and big sunglasses. Nonetheless, he was very tired in a little wrinkled white shirt, looking lovely. His meticulous hair stuck out like a few small tentacles.
Matthew had been busy these days. Paisley thought it over. He was a good man. Thanks to his help, her mother could get good treatment, but why did he like her?
In the moving train, Paisley was a little exhausted and also fell asleep.
After a time, vaguely hearing the sound of announcing the station, she woke up suddenly and found that her hand was on the back of Matthew's hand.
They held hands like a couple returning to school. Paisley took her hand away carefully. Matthew seemed to be still asleep.
She stood up and followed the passengers out of the carriage. After a few steps, she turned back and noticed Matthew still stooping over the table.
It seemed that he was not affected by such a loud noise. Paisley was anxious. Her inner voice persuaded her to stay away from him. But she took a few steps and looked back. Matthew still didn't notice the train had arrived at the station. Finally, she went back against the stream of people.
Everyone dragged their luggage. Therefore, they were very dissatisfied with Paisley and shouted.
"What are you doing? It's so crowded."
"Sorry, I left something behind."
Matthew immediately looked up after being patted gently. He said with a smiling face, "I knew you won't abandon me!"
Paisley was dumbfounded. "You..." He was awake!
"Hey, the door is closing!" Matthew took Paisley's hand and went out quickly.
He didn't give her a chance to refuse him. After they left the station, Paisley shook off his hand and walked forward angrily. She shouldn't have turned back just now!
Matthew was not annoyed and followed her happily. It could fall under physical contact.
It was not until Paisley was went downstairs to the dormitory that Matthew stopped her. "Paise!"
Paisley looked back angrily. Matthew said with a smile, "Give me a hand."
"Why?" Paisley was vigilant this time.
"Reach out your hand." Matthew continued gently.
Paisley stretched out one hand. A small piece of wood was put in her hand with the temperature left by Matthew.
It's the wooden block engraved with "Never Meet Again"!
Paisley was surprised. "I remember it's not for sale."
"I have my way." Matthew turned over the wooden block. "I engraved a few more words."
The other side was impressively engraved with "There's Still Time" by vigorous power.
Matthew raised the corner of his mouth, standing gentlemanly and bending slightly, and whispered beside Paisley's ear, "Paise, there's still time for us!"
In a flash, Paisley's heart began to thump wildly!
"Even if I turn into ashes, I will love you forever."