As I was walking upstairs, I heard Azalea’s voice. She sounded like she was happy, but for some reason, I could not see her. However, I could hear her talking to someone; I started to wonder about that. I knew it was not Gabriellele because she was with me. When I walked into Grandma Nelly’s room, I overheard Azalea talking to Nelly.
“Grandma Nelly, you have to wake up and get better. Your grandkids and Viktoria need you, especially now.”
“Azalea, I see you are keeping Nelly company. It’s nice of you to tell her that we need her.”
“Nelly was mumbling your name before, and I just wanted to respond to her, so that she did not feel like she was alone. Also being an ex-medical intern, I felt I had to be here next to her.”
“I left her with Brandon. Where is he? Have you seen him?”
“No, I haven’t. When I got here, he was not around, and then I heard Nelly calling you. When I started talking to her, she kept saying she was sorry for all this.”
“Well, did she say anything else? What would that be, Azalea? Did she make herself sick just to tell me something? I’m glad Brandon was not here; he would’ve kept asking what it was. I would not know what to tell him, and even if I did tell him the truth, he probably wouldn’t believe me.”
“That young doctor came in and held her hands tight, and then he hugged her. He said, ‘You are going to be just fine.’ Did she know him?”
“Not that I know of, but she has a face that reminds everyone of their mother or grandmother. She’s an angel; everyone loves her. She probably reminded him of someone he knew. That’s normal, because she always did.”
The door opened, and Brandon walked in. “I was looking for you, Viktoria. When did you get here? Did she wake up?”
“I just got here, but she is still sleeping. Brandon, I need to go home, take care of a couple of things, and bring the kids over.”
“Melisa is on her way with the kids. I just spoke to her a few minutes ago. I told them they could see her.”
I nodded. “That’s excellent, Brandon. Can you go downstairs and get me a cup of coffee? I really need one. Also get something to snack on. I feel a bit lightheaded; I think my blood sugar is down.”
“I need to see Justin too before he goes home. Let’s see if there is anything new with her condition.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said, trying anything to get him out of the room. “Go.”
Doctor Damien walked in to see how Grandma Nelly was doing, just as Brandon was about to step out.
“You haven’t left yet?” Brandon said.
“No, not yet. I have a family member who is sick over here too. I went to see her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she is okay.”
“It’s my mother; she has a terminal illness. We cannot do much, just make her comfortable and pain free.”
“My heart goes out to you, Dr. Damien,” I said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I stopped by earlier to check on her. She was mumbling, and I came to see if she was awake yet, but I see she is not.”
“Viktoria, you can talk to her. She can probably hear you. It might just be that she is tired; she should wake up soon.”
Someone knocked on the door before opening it. “Mom?” Melisa asked as she walked in. “Can we come in? We want to see Grandma Nelly. Has she woken up yet? Can we talk to her?”
“Come in, Melisa. Take a deep breath. No, she has not woken up yet. Doctor Damien and I were just discussing it.”
“Sorry, Mom, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Go ahead and discuss whatever you want to. We’ll wait outside.”
“Wait. Let me introduce you to Doctor Damien. He is your father’s friend Doctor Justin’s assistant, and he is in charge of Grandma Nelly while she is under their care.”
“It is my pleasure to meet you, Doctor Damien,” Melisa said as she shook his hand.
“The pleasure is all mine.”
Cameron walked into the room. I could see that Lacey was trying to hold him back, but he walked right in. “How about us, Doctor Damien? Aren’t you happy to meet us also?”
“Who is this young man?” the doctor asked with a smile.
I stepped forward. “Well, this young man is Cameron. He’s my son, who likes to stick his nose in situations where it doesn’t belong.”
Doctor Damien laughed. “Well, Cameron, it’s my pleasure to meet such a smart young man as you.”
“Mine too!” Cameron said, giving him a smile. “And this is my sister, Lacey. She does not like to talk that much; she’s shy.”
“It’s nice to meet the shy Lacey too.”
“Let’s not keep Doctor Damien from his other patients,” I said.
“I’ll stop by before I leave to check up on Grandma Nelly,” the doctor said.
“Why? Is Grandma Nelly your grandma too?” Cameron asked.
The doctor laughed and shook his head. “No, Cameron, she is not. But I do care for her as if she were my grandma.”
“Well, I suppose you can call her Grandma Nelly too. It’s okay with me.”
“Thank you, Cameron. I’ll remember that.” Doctor Damien looked at us before saying, “I’ll see you later then.” Then he left.
“Oh my God, Mom!” Melisa squealed once the door was closed. “Why didn’t you call me before and tell me how handsome he is? I hope he is still here when I’m doing my internship over here at the end of the year!”
“Mom, look,” Lacey said, “and listen! Grandma Nelly is saying something!”
“What is it, Lacey?” I tried to hear, but Melisa’s gushing was not helping. “Hush, Melisa; I cannot hear what Lacey is trying to say.”
“Mom! Grandma Nelly is awake! She’s asking for you!”
I rushed to her bedside. “Yes, Nelly, I am here. We are all here.”
“Viktoria,” Nelly whispered. The left side of her mouth couldn’t open as much as the right side. “I need to tell you something.”
“I know, Nelly, I know,” I said as I patted her hand. “Just not now. Whatever it is, it can wait. We have to concentrate on your well-being; you have to get some rest.” I looked up at my eldest daughter. “Melisa, go get your father and tell him Grandma Nelly is awake.”
“Wait, Melisa,” Nelly said a little louder. “I need to talk to your mom first. Alone.”
I ignored her. “Melisa, go get your father and Doctor Justin here now.” I turned back to the woman in the bed. “Grandma Nelly, as I have told you before, I do not want to hear anything from you until you are feeling much better.”
A few minutes later, Brandon came running in with Doctor Justin behind him. “Mom! How are you doing? You gave us quite a scare! How do you feel now? Look, Mom, look at who is here with us: Doctor Justin! You do remember him, right?”
“Brandon, calm down. Yes, I feel much better. I do remember Doctor Justin; he always stopped by to see how I was doing. Brandon, I got sick, not senile.”
“I can tell you’re feeling much better.” He turned and looked at Doctor Justin. “I’ll talk to you, Justin, about this. You’ve never mentioned that Mom was your patient before.”
“Main thing, Grandma Nelly,” I said, “is that you’re feeling much better. So, Justin, when can we take her home?”
“She has to stay for a few days, just so we can observe her under our care. Maybe this coming Friday she’ll be free to go home. We’ll get full home care for her. She cannot be alone and has to have a nurse coming in for a while.”
“All right then. We can get the room ready for Grandma Nelly and have a nurse come to our house.”
“No, dear,” Nelly said. “I want to go home. I’ll be fine. You heard Justin; there will be a nurse and a full home-care service will be coming. I don’t want to be a burden on you; I’ll be just fine.”
“Nelly, I will not take �
�No’ for an answer. You are coming to our house on Friday. I will be very hurt if you choose not to, so are we agreed on that?”
“Well, if you say so, Viktoria. By the way, you owe me a tea leaf reading. Don’t forget.”
“You know what, Grandma Nelly?” Melisa asked. “I’ll help Mom to make the tea.”
“Right after that, we will have an ice cream cake. Mommy makes the best ice cream cake!” Cameron announced.
“That would be an excellent idea. I have not had your mom’s ice cream cake for the longest time, Cameron.”
“So, we’re all set. Okay, guys, we need to leave Grandma Nelly to rest. That’s enough for today; I want everybody to go home. I’ll see you all tomorrow after school. Okay, everyone?”
“Mom, I want to stay with Grandma Nelly tonight and keep her company,” Melisa said. “Plus, I need to study for my exam tomorrow tonight, and I can find some quiet here. You can go home.”
“Well, if you’re sure, you can stay and keep her company, as long as you do not get Grandma tired. As soon as she falls asleep, you can study. You’re coming home tomorrow morning though.”
“I will go straight to school from here, because I have an eight o’clock class and my test is at nine.”
“Okay then, Melisa, I’ll see you tomorrow night.” I turned to my mother-in-law. “And, Nelly, I will see you tomorrow morning. Get some rest, and I hope you feel better today. Melisa, do not forget what I told you; do not get your grandma tired.”
Chapter 7
Help from Babushka
“Gabriellele, I think I’m sensing the presence of my dad.” I looked around. “Babushka, is that you?”
“Yes, baby, I need to speak to you. It’s starting to get dangerous; I must tell you something.”
“Babushka, if you’re going to ask me to stop with this Lilith thing, please don’t, because you know that I can’t. Plus, Grandma Nelly had a heart attack and had an operation. She has to stay in the hospital until next Friday. I’m so tired of this case; it’s getting me frustrated, and I want to stop it!”
“I know, baby, but I am worried about … we decided that you and everyone around you needs protection so there will be two jinns that will protect you. They obey you and only you. Their names are Shia and Zanah. They both have the power to appear as humans and vanish like demons, so do not be afraid of them. They are here to help you.”
“Babushka, I know that you know something about this case … more than you are letting on. What was Nelly going to tell me that was so important? She got sick, but did something hurt her or did a demon do something to stop her from telling me? This is why you are giving us protection, right?”
“You have to listen to Nelly; do not judge her when she tells you. Don’t say anything to hurt her feelings; you have to promise me that. Also, baby, do not jump to any conclusions either.”
“Okay, I promise, Babushka; I will not say anything to her that might hurt her. I know she would never hurt me—or anyone else—so do not worry about that.”
“Can you tell me something? When you said I need jinn to protect me, you said we decided it. Who is we? Did you mean … are my twins and Mom … are they with you?”
“No, baby, when I said that I meant the elders and Leila, the birth angel. They are the ones sending you these good jinn.”
“Babushka, instead of sending me the jinn, why doesn’t Leila stop Lilith from getting the twins? Leila and Quelamia gave them the power to close the door to hell. I am sure they can stop it. Alternatively, tell me, where are the twins? Will we find them before anyone else dies?”
“Baby, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Leila and Quelamia cannot be seen by anyone, including Lilith. This has to be done by others like you.”
“Why?”
“Because it would start a war between the angels.”
“Babushka, how would I be able to communicate with them? And if they have the power to appear as humans, how would I know?”
“As a human, always check the eyes. They will talk to you with their eyes. You can see them and communicate with them telepathically. They obey only you.”
“What happens if they do not obey me and turn against me?”
“Viktoria, remind them God placed them to obey; otherwise, they will go back to hell.”
“Thank you so much, Babushka. I knew I could count on you and Mom. I love you both.”
“One day, we need to talk about the twins; it’s important.”
“Babushka, they are next to you. When you crossed over, they were there. Did you see my babies? Why don’t I ever feel their presence? Every time I asked Mom, she always said they were angels and they needed to do their jobs of helping others. She never gave me a straight answer. If they are not there to hear me, tell them I love them; I miss them with all my heart.”
“We’ll talk about the twins later. I’m sure they know that. Viktoria, stay safe and do not forget what I have told you. And do not worry about Nelly; she will be just fine as long as you keep an eye on her. May the angels watch over you. I am losing my energy, but I will be back.”
I turned back to the other person I was talking to. “It must be my lucky day; everyone wants to talk to me, but something always happens before they can tell me whatever it is. The suspense is killing me! Gabriellele, do you know anything about this that you’re not telling?”
“Viktoria, there is something we cannot tell you because it has to be told by Nelly. What I mean is, sometimes something has to be lived and appreciated to make life better.”
“You’re right, Gabriellele. I do not know what I will do when you see the light and leave me. I will miss you and Azalea.”
“We will be assigned to other projects, so we will see each other. You’re forgetting that you’re a psychic! Most likely, we will see each other again.”
“Where is Azalea? I don’t see her around.”
“Azalea stayed behind at the hospital; she is watching over Nelly and Melisa. I’m sure she has missed being in a hospital surrounding.”
“We are here, Gabriellele. I don’t know when this nightmare is going to stop or how it’s going to end, but the one thing I do know is that I don’t want anyone else getting hurt. Another thing I want to know is, is Brandon worrying about me? He will not stop asking if his mother said anything. That makes me think that he is hiding something from me. I hope he’s not hiding anything; he knows better than that.”
“I don’t see Brandon’s car in the driveway,” I said when I peeked out of the living room window. “He has the kids with him, so he should have been here before me. I hope nothing happened to them; I can’t take any more trips to the hospital. I’ll call him to find out.” I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. “Brandon, where are you? I just got home, and I did not see the car. Is everything okay? Are the kids okay?”
“Don’t panic. You’re overreacting again. We are all fine; we stopped to get something to eat, and we will be leaving for home soon.”
“With everything that has been happening lately, you can’t blame me for getting worried over nothing. We’ve had enough excitement to last for years.”
“Whose fault is that, Viktoria? I told you before, don’t get involved with this. It sounded dangerous the day you ended up in the hospital, if you forgot. Did Mom say anything to you yet?”
“Not yet. I told her that whatever it is, I don’t want to know because her health worries me. She gets too excited and nervous. I don’t want to know. By the way, why is this bothering you? It almost seems like you are hiding something and you don’t want me to find out about it.
“Brandon, whatever it is, we’ll both find out, I promise you. I will ask your mother to tell us when we’re both there if that is okay with you, so let’s not argue over this now.”
He sighed. “We should be home soon; do you need anything?”
“Yes, pic
k up milk.”
We both said good-bye and hung up. Gabriellele then asked me, “Viktoria, what are you going to do? About Alvin, I mean. How can you be sure that he is not dead? What happens if it is not him? What will we do then?”
“You know what, Gabriellele? If those twins were given powers, that also means they are almost immortal. Somehow, Alvin’s soul was moved by something. The only thing I can think of at the moment is that they switched bodies with another dead person. You know, Gabriellele, just remember what Michael told me today about Doctor Damien.”
“What about him?”
“Michael said that Doctor Damien reminded him of someone, but at the moment, I could not see it but I think I know now.”
“Who does he remind you of?”
“You. And he also reminds me of Brandon when he was young—his body posture, the way he moves his mouth when he talks. And a bit of my babushka—kind, loving, and caring. Did you see him?”
“No, I have not seen him yet. That was Azalea.”
I nod. “Right. But I felt something about him. He is such a caring person; he is so easygoing, but I feel bad for him. His mother is not doing well, he said. I think Doctor Justin is very lucky to have an assistant like him.”
“Brandon is here, Viktoria.”
“Okay, Gabriellele, I want you to go to the back room. If you feel uncomfortable, go to Lacey’s room; she likes to talk to you. She feels very important when she sees you around.”
“Mom,” Cameron said as he came in holding a bag. “We bought an ice cream cake and some fruit so we could have some fruit salad. We also bought some whipped cream! It’s chocolate; you like chocolate, right, Mom?”
“Of course, Cameron. How can I say no to you as long as you don’t overdo it? As soon as you’re done, you need to go to bed, okay? It’s getting late.”
“Mom, can I stay home tomorrow? I want to come with you to see Grandma Nelly!”
“No, baby, but you can stay home the day Grandma Nelly comes home from the hospital. That’s a promise.”
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