They embraced for a very long time, so long that Beatrice felt the rain on her clothes was almost turning her body cold.
Beatrice spoke. She knew the moment was not right and might make others upset, yet she still insisted. “Millicent, quickly get back onto the bed. You are not fully well yet. Dressing so thinly will make it bad again.”
Millicent’s body became tense, yet she didn't move at all.
Sienna rested her face in the hollow of Millicent’s neck and also seemed not to notice, staying completely still.
“Sienna, you are a grown person. Millicent is only a child. You understand how serious this is, right?” Beatrice said directly.
Sienna acted like she had only just noticed Beatrice and carried Millicent back to the hospital bed.
“Sister Beatrice, you are here as well? I was so glad to see Millicent just now that I didn't even see you.” Sienna smiled while gently touching Millicent’s cheek. “Millicent, are you happy to see me?”
“Hmm, very happy!” Millicent showed a wide smile.
“Sienna, when you bring Millicent out to play in the future, don’t casually let her eat cold food again.” Beatrice cut in.
Sienna’s expression turned dark. “Sister Beatrice, even though I am usually boyish and careless and not like certain people who have many hidden plans, I absolutely will not do anything that hurts Millicent. You cannot slander me for taking Millicent to eat cold food.”
“But just earlier, Millicent said…” Beatrice continued.
“Mom, are you irritating or not? If you stay quiet, no one will think you cannot talk!” Millicent yelled at Beatrice.
While shouting at Beatrice, Millicent grabbed the thermos cup from the coffee table and threw it hard toward Beatrice.
Inside the thermos was the hot water Beatrice had just poured. She had not screwed the lid tightly because she wanted the water to cool so that after Millicent woke up, she could drink warm water to warm her stomach.
This cup of water didn't warm Millicent; instead, it all splashed onto Beatrice’s hand. Her hand immediately became red, and several big blisters appeared.
Beatrice cried out in pain. Alarm flashed across Millicent’s eyes. She quickly sat up in bed and wanted to climb down to check.
Sienna’s eyes shifted, and she pressed Millicent back down. “Millicent, tuck the blanket properly. don't catch a cold.”
With worry in her eyes, she pulled up Beatrice’s hand. “Sister Beatrice, are you okay?”
Beatrice didn't want her touching her and tried hard to pull her hand away, but Sienna’s strength was surprisingly strong, making Beatrice’s hand unable to move.
Between them, the hidden tension rose, but Beatrice’s hand suffered. The rubbing pressed several big blisters until they broke.
The sharp pain in her hand went straight to Beatrice’s heart, hurting her until she kept gasping.
“Let go!” Beatrice looked at Sienna in anger.
Sienna held Beatrice’s hand even more tightly, her back facing Millicent, using her fingernails to quietly press into Beatrice’s wound. “Sister Beatrice, kids throw tantrums. Why are you acting childish with a child? Don't hit her. I will help you check it. Calm down. Don't blame Millicent.”
The strong pain made Beatrice unable to think about anything else. She could only shake her arm hard and shout, “I told you to let go!”
Behind Sienna, Millicent could not see what was happening, only hearing Beatrice’s angry voice and upset tone.
She suddenly pulled back the blanket, moved around in front of Sienna, and roughly shoved Beatrice aside, pulling the two apart.
Millicent glanced angrily at Beatrice, spreading her small arms wide to shield Sienna, her eyes looking like they were about to shoot flames. “You are not allowed to bully Aunt Sienna. If you want to hit someone, then hit me. Better beat me until I die, so I will not be your daughter. In the next life, I want Aunt Sienna to be my real mom. I don't want you! I hate that you were the one who gave birth to me!”
Those tiny hands, the hands Beatrice had held since Millicent was little, the hands she had always gripped tightly, were now blocking in front of her.
She had held those hands and walked with her through her shaky first steps; she had held those hands and taught her soft baby words; she had held those hands and together gone through the warm and cold and the four seasons.
It had also been those same hands that stayed with her through many long, lonely nights, gently touching Beatrice’s cheek and saying, “Mommy, mommy, I will always love you.”
And now those little hands said they didn't want her, didn't want her as her mother?
Beatrice’s heart felt as if it were stabbed through by a sharp knife. She stumbled back several steps.
The air around her seemed to suddenly be pulled away. She quickly grabbed her chest and took deep breaths.
The pain in her lower body felt like it was about to tear her apart. She could feel large amounts of fresh blood pouring out from below.
Her head grew more and more light, the world spinning in her sight.
The breath she had been tightly holding finally slipped away. Under Millicent’s helpless look and Sienna’s satisfied smile, Beatrice fell straight back.
