Love Is Second Best — Chapter 36: BEAUTIFUL BOW OF COLORS

The whole city was saddened by the earthquake that happened that night. Carmella and Hope were all over the news. It was a pure luck that they were both alive when rushed to the hospital after being rescued by the firefighters and related personnel that helped them as fast as they could. They were confined and Carmella was the last to regain her consciousness.

She could hear a lot of voices. It's like she's being placed inside a room full of people.

"I can't accept it! I just can't!" Carmella could hear her mom's voice. Yes, she's very sure that it was indeed her.

"Let's respect her decision. She insisted on it before she even fainted."

"She doesn't need to do that!" She felt like her mom ran out of words already.

They stayed in the hospital for nearly about two months. Kamila and Elise Hope both made it but these were the days that they needed to rest and heal from the operation they shared together.

"C-Carmella?" She heard a familiar voice. She's very sure that it was Mr. Leonard, Hope's father.

She slowly opened her eyes. When she felt like the light almost pierced her, she closed her eyes again. She could hear soft cries of someone. Was that her mother? She never heard of her crying before that’s why she’s not sure, either. Is she crying for her situation? Or is she crying because Elise Hope was able to decide something for herself that both of them didn’t like?

"Carmella...please open your eyes." Leonard encouraged her to do it. She followed right away. She opened her eyes again and this time, she could see blurry faces. She slowly blinked her eyes until she could recognize the faces that's inside the room.

"Dear, how was it? Can you see us clearly?" She slowly looked at the one beside her. She could recognize him as the doctor because of what he's wearing. She looked at them for a long time, shifting her gazes from each one of them.

"Y-Yes, doctor." Carmella answered in a weak voice. Her mother stood up as she cried while going out of the room.

"M-Mom?"

When Carmella remembered Hope, a rush of panic ran through her veins.

"H-Hope! Where is Hope? Sir, I need to talk to Hope!" Carmella shrieked as she moved her hands and body as if wanting to get away with all the apparatus that's connected to her body.

"My dear Carmella...please calm down. You need to rest first." Carmella tried so hard to move that the doctor decided to inject her to calm and sleep for a while.

When Leonard was sure enough that Carmella slept again, she followed Carmella's mom outside. He could see the frustrations in her eyes. She tried stopping her tears from falling and yet she couldn’t. It made her feel worse even more.

"Why did you let her decide that way? Why?" She held his collar as she closed her fist. She's crying miserably as she hits his chest with her closed fist. He tried to stop her by getting both her hands and hug her instead.

"That was Elise Hope's wish, love. She never asked anything from me, ever since. It was the very first request she'd made all her life."

"You're her father! You should've stopped her. Leonard, I will never forgive you for what you did to my baby!" She said between sobs.

“I am so sorry. I can never stop someone’s dire wish, especially if it comes from Hope, love. It’s her only wish.”

“You should have persuaded her to think things twice.” Gina, the mom of Carmella and Hope said in her miserable tone.

“I have no choice as well. Love, Carmella will die if Hope will not decide the soonest time possible.”

He caressed her back to comfort her. He couldn't blame her for feeling this way. She never experienced being with Elise Hope for a very long time. She must've been really hurt from what Elise Hope decided for herself.

***flashback***

The night after Carmella fainted, many rescuers came inside the room. Hope witnessed all the glass residues pierced on most parts of Carmella's body, including her face. There was a splatter of blood everywhere. She could see it clearly through the flashlight that the rescuers flashed before them.

"Sir, please...do your best to save my best friend! Please!" Hope weakly pleaded the rescuers as they also gently lay her down on the stretcher.

"Yes, dear. We will do our best. Please don't worry too much." There were a lot of ambulances rushing towards the hospital. Hope was wounded but seeing Carmella's situation, it affected her so much. She couldn't stand looking at her best friend that's almost dying trying to save her from the glass residues that was broken from the window of their room.

Carmella underwent an operation while Hope was treated as well.

"Are you the guardian of Carmella?" The doctor asked as he went near Hope and her father. They nodded. Hope was crying while pleading to her father. It was a life and death situation to be decided right away.

"Sir, we need an eye donor right away. The patient's eyes were greatly affected. If we couldn't perform an operation right away, it might damage her brain and it would cause her death."

"I am willing, dad!"

"Elise Hope, no!"

"Dad, please. I want it. I really do. Just please save Carmella for me."

Leonard held both of her shoulders as he looked at her. He cried as he saw her baby smile with tears on her eyes. How could she be this selfless?It made him question himself of what kind of father he was to her. She was able to give a piece of her own, no questions asked. No pride allowed. All selfless acts involved.

He hated himself for raising an angel more than a daughter of her own. He swallowed and by agreeing to her wish, the doctor put her to sleep right away.

***end of flashback***

"How could you allow your daughter to be permanently blind? How, Leonard?" She said, pulling his sleeve as she wailed in front of him. A lot of people were looking at Thelma but she doesn't care anymore.

"Please don't blame me. She did all of that for Carmella. You're never there to know everything that they've been through for her to decide on it right away."

"You're her guardian! You should've known better! I hate you!" She shouted on top of her lungs that caught the attention of most patients and their folks that stayed outside the hospital.

He gently pulled her closer to him. He led her inside his car for them to talk more in private there. When Leonard felt that she's calmer, he held her hands.

"You also need to consider Carmella and the future that lies ahead of her. She's been really dear to Elise Hope."

"I've never loved her. Not even once. In fact, when I gave birth to her, I felt I got all the bad luck in the world."

"You should be thankful that both of our children were alive by now. Elise Hope did not only save Carmella but herself, as well.

"W-What do you mean?"

"Would you like Elise Hope to live all her life full of regrets? What if Carmella really died because she refused the kind of help she should've offered her if given a chance?" Leonard could still see tears flowing on her cheeks as she looked at him. This time, she became silent as she listened to his side.

"Your baby Elise Hope is brilliant, love. She knew what to do before I could even realize it myself."

"I feel sorry for Elise Hope. She deserves better."

"Have you tried loving Carmella with all of your heart?"

"She's not my child. She's a daughter of the devil."

"Please...open your heart in loving Carmella. That guy," She met her eyes as she cried once more.

"He told me everything. He regretted everything that he has done to you. He is still serving his imprisonment for a lifetime until now. However, I admire him because he reached out for me and told me everything."

Carmella's mother hugged Leonard right away. From the days she stayed in the hospital, it was their only chance to have a heart-to-heart talk because everybody is busy taking care of both parties: Elise Hope and Carmella.

"I am willing to accept Carmella in the family. After all, they were sisters no matter how often you will deny Carmella from me."

"Leonard, I don't know what to say. You're exactly the boy version of our baby Elise Hope." She said between sobs. She felt her heart is overflowing with happiness because of what she heard from him.

"You heard me right. Carmella will be staying in my house as soon as she will be discharged from the hospital." They hugged once more. When Leonard told Elise Hope everything, she couldn't help but cry out loud. That was mixed emotions of love, fulfillment and completeness that she felt for the first time in her life.

"Mom, my decision was right all along. I have loved Carmella from the very first time I saw her. Who would've thought that she's really my sister? I am really happy."

"My baby...I don't know what to say. Y-You're blind now—"

"Mom, I don't consider myself as one. I could adapt to this environment right away. The important thing is my sister is alive."

"My baby, you're one in a million. You're the best thing that happened in my life. I love you so much." She hugged Elise Hope. And when she let go of her, Elise Hope slowly reached out until she could feel her mother's cheek. She caressed it as she smiled.

"I love you too, mom. I miss you more even if you're just beside me."

"My precious baby, mommy will be here now. I will never, ever leave your side. I promise."

"Thank you mom. Thank you for your love." She transferred her hands down to her mother's hands. As she held both of it tight, she could see Elise Hope's face lightened up.

"Mom? Can I ask a favor?"

"Anything from you, my baby."

"Mom, would you promise to love Carmella as much as you love me, too?"