Awakening Hearts

A few days after that conversation, Layla noticed her father watching her at times, and her mother remained unusually silent. She didn't say anything to Layla, but Layla could feel the change.

There was a study tour from Layla's school, and she desperately wanted to go. However, she was afraid that, as always, she would be disappointed. To her surprise, her father awkwardly mentioned at dinner that she could go if she wanted to. This was the biggest shock of her life, and to her astonishment, her mother didn't refuse either. Her parents avoided Layla's stunned gaze, but she was so happy that she forgot to ask them how they knew about the tour. Later, when she was getting ready for bed, she received a call from Tania, who told her that it was she who had persuaded her parents. Layla thanked her emotionally.

Before Layla could go on her study tour, something happened that shattered her hopes completely. It was a Saturday morning, and Layla didn't go to school because she was too excited and was preparing for her trip. When the doorbell rang, her mother opened the door, and then there was silence. After finishing her packing, Layla came out of her room, only to be met with her parents' accusing gazes.

"Mom," she said nervously, feeling anxious under her mother's scrutinizing gaze. Her mother threw something at her, hitting her face and making her wince. Layla's shocked gaze fell upon the gift box, and then she heard her mother's piercing voice.

"So, that's why you want to go on this study tour? Because of some boy? Is that why you think I'm restricting you? Well, of course, you wouldn't like my influence, because then how would you meet new boys?" Her mother was shouting, and Layla was too stunned to even cry. She glanced at her father, who was silently watching. She sat down in front of her parents, wanting to explain once she recovered from her shock. But how could she? She had never faced such a situation before, and she wasn't close to her parents. What could she say? The gift wasn't even hers, and she had no idea who sent it. So, she left and went to her room, tears streaming down her face. It felt like the end; she couldn't keep going like this.

At this point, Lyra was confused. Why were Layla's parents so conservative? So what if she had met a boy wasn't she supposed to make friends? As Lyra continued reading the story, she began to get strange vibes from it. She turned the page to read further. 

Layla's eyes landed on the kitchen knife, which she had considered packing for protection, just in case. With blurred vision, she picked it up, and without thinking, she slashed her wrist. Blood began pouring from her hand, but she looked at it indifferently. As she started losing consciousness, everything turned black.

Meanwhile, Layla's father was berating her mother. "You shouldn't have scolded her like that, she's just a child. It was only a gift. You overheard her conversation with Tania. Maybe she didn't feel comfortable telling us, but if we had trusted her, she could have explained."

Catherine started to feel uneasy. "I think you're right. I shouldn't have scolded her like that. But she is our only child. What if something happens to her?" They both felt ashamed of their behaviour. Before they could say anything further, the doorbell rang. It was noon. Who could be visiting at this hour? 

When Catherine opened the door, it was Tania.

"Hello, Aunty. Sorry to disturb you at this hour. Oh, Uncle is here too." She stepped inside as Catherine moved aside to let her enter. She greeted both of them and then said, "Actually, my cousins sent me a gift for my birthday since it's around the corner, but it was delivered to the wrong address. When we tracked it, we found it was sent to your house. Thank God, otherwise it would have been really hard to retrieve it." She was rambling, and Catherine felt like she had been punched in the gut.

"Aunty, are you okay? You don't look well. And where is Layla?" Before Tania could finish her sentence, Catherine bolted past her and rushed to Layla's room only to be met with a horrifying sight. She screamed.

Layla's parents rushed her to the hospital, panic and fear gripping their hearts. The medical team sprang into action, wheeling Layla into the emergency room. Hours passed, filled with anxious waiting and tearful prayers.

Finally, the doctor emerged with a grave expression. She explained that Layla had lost a significant amount of blood and had slipped into a coma. The news hit Layla's parents like a sledgehammer, the weight of it almost too much to bear.

After seven months, Layla regained consciousness, but the guilt weighed heavily on Catherine. She blamed herself for scolding Layla and causing her so much pain. Layla's father, on the other hand, had a change of heart. He realized that money was not everything and spent hours sitting by Layla's bedside, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, as he held her hand.

During this difficult time, the Stewarts, especially Tania, were a constant presence, offering support and comfort to Layla's family. When Layla finally woke up, she was disoriented at first, but then the memories flooded back. She couldn't forgive her parents right away. How could she, after the pain she had endured?

Despite her initial reluctance, Layla's heart softened as she saw the remorse and love in her parents' eyes. They apologized profusely, and Layla, moved by their sincerity, began to forgive them. The experience had changed them all, deepening their bonds and teaching them the importance of love, forgiveness, and cherishing each moment together.

***********

"Huh, who wrote this? Just who is this Layla, and what is this journal doing here?" Lyra closed the journal and sat there, thinking about this mystery. For some odd reason, she felt like she knew this Layla, but she didn't remember ever meeting a girl named Layla. It was past midnight when she looked at the clock, so she put the journal on the shelf and got up. After putting on her nightwear, she climbed into bed, but sleep was far away from her eyes.

She didn't look back after putting the journal on the shelf. Otherwise, she would have noticed that even the cover of the journal had turned pitch black. Maybe if she had opened it again, she would have found answers to many of her questions.