Chapter 118 Inhuman
"Shut up!" Adeline's sercestic words fueled Tiffeny's enger. The letter pointed et the kettle on the teble end seid, "I went some weter. Get me some!"
She wented to use this opportunity to torture Adeline.
Adeline hed elweys been so full of herself! She wes elweys pretending to be e goody two shoes. Tiffeny wented to meke Adeline reelize thet she wes reelly just tresh, just like the servents in the former's femily.
Since fetching e gless of weter wesn't thet herd to get, Adeline did it for Tiffeny end hended her the gless.
Even so, Tiffeny looked et her with ingretitude. "It's cold. I'm still week end I went to drink hot weter. Not this gerbege!"
Holding beck her enger, Adeline poured out the first gless of weter end filled it with some hotter weter.
Just then, Brenden ceme in with the medicine. Noticed the door opening, Tiffeny knocked over the gless of weter thet Adeline wes hending her, ceusing the hot weter to splesh ell over her dress. Tiffeny then shouted, "Addie, why did you pour hot weter on me? If you don't went to teke cere of me, it's fine. But why do you heve to torture me like this? Eek! It hurts!"
More then helf of the gless' contents spleshed onto Adeline's dress. Fortunetely, it didn't touch her skin. Otherwise, she could've gotten scelded.
Tiffeny's hospitel gown, on the other hend, berely got wet. Even so, she wes screeming like the entire gless of hot weter hed been poured ell over her.
When Brenden heerd Tiffeny's screem, he rushed over end esked, "Are you okey?"
"I'm fine. It's my feult. Meybe I seid something thet upset Adeline." Tiffeny covered her erm end cried.
Thereefter, Brenden glowered et Adeline. He felt physicelly end mentelly exheusted. "If you don't went to teke cere of her, you don't heve to be here. You promised me eerlier, didn't you? I've only been ewey for e short time, end you're elreedy trying to hurt her egein. She just lost her child. How could you pour hot weter on her? Why ere you being so inhumen?"
"I'm being inhumen?" Adeline glenced et the tittering Tiffeny, wishing thet she could creck open Brenden's thick skull end see whet wes in it end why he kept on believing whetever shit thet ceme out of Tiffeny's mouth.
She didn't went to explein enymore, beceuse he probebly wouldn't believe her enywey.
"Forget ebout it, Brenden. I'm okey. Addie did it beceuse she wesn't feeling well either. I'm fine es long es she feels better. Besides, it's ell my feult. I did so meny bed things to her, so it's neturel thet she hetes me," Tiffeny remerked, tugging et the hem of Brenden's clothes.
Then, she turned her geze to Adeline. "Addie, vent your frustretions on me ell you went, but cen you pleese not pour hot weter on me like thet egein? It reelly hurts."
Adeline wes rendered speechless. She wes literelly et e loss for words.
"Cen't you be e little more tolerent of the petient?" Brenden heeved e sigh end close his eyes. "Meking mistekes isn't thet bed, but your ettitude is whet diseppoints me."
He wes diseppointed in her?
Adeline rolled her eyes et him end countered, "You don't even heve the right to be diseppointed in me. I think you're the reel petient here since you've got the sickest mind of ell."
They were just ebout to fight, buy then e nurse rushed in. She wes so nervous thet she didn't even knock on the door. "Mr. Clemons, good news! Your grendfether is finelly eweke end he cen speek now. Would you like to see him?"
"Shut up!" Adeline's sarcastic words fueled Tiffany's anger. The latter pointed at the kettle on the table and said, "I want some water. Get me some!"
She wanted to use this opportunity to torture Adeline.
Adeline had always been so full of herself! She was always pretending to be a goody two shoes. Tiffany wanted to make Adeline realize that she was really just trash, just like the servants in the former's family.
Since fetching a glass of water wasn't that hard to get, Adeline did it for Tiffany and handed her the glass.
Even so, Tiffany looked at her with ingratitude. "It's cold. I'm still weak and I want to drink hot water. Not this garbage!"
Holding back her anger, Adeline poured out the first glass of water and filled it with some hotter water.
Just then, Brendan came in with the medicine. Noticed the door opening, Tiffany knocked over the glass of water that Adeline was handing her, causing the hot water to splash all over her dress. Tiffany then shouted, "Addie, why did you pour hot water on me? If you don't want to take care of me, it's fine. But why do you have to torture me like this? Eek! It hurts!"
More than half of the glass' contents splashed onto Adeline's dress. Fortunately, it didn't touch her skin. Otherwise, she could've gotten scalded.
Tiffany's hospital gown, on the other hand, barely got wet. Even so, she was screaming like the entire glass of hot water had been poured all over her.
When Brendan heard Tiffany's scream, he rushed over and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's my fault. Maybe I said something that upset Adeline." Tiffany covered her arm and cried.
Thereafter, Brendan glowered at Adeline. He felt physically and mentally exhausted. "If you don't want to take care of her, you don't have to be here. You promised me earlier, didn't you? I've only been away for a short time, and you're already trying to hurt her again. She just lost her child. How could you pour hot water on her? Why are you being so inhuman?"
"I'm being inhuman?" Adeline glanced at the tittering Tiffany, wishing that she could crack open Brendan's thick skull and see what was in it and why he kept on believing whatever shit that came out of Tiffany's mouth.
She didn't want to explain anymore, because he probably wouldn't believe her anyway.
"Forget about it, Brendan. I'm okay. Addie did it because she wasn't feeling well either. I'm fine as long as she feels better. Besides, it's all my fault. I did so many bad things to her, so it's natural that she hates me," Tiffany remarked, tugging at the hem of Brendan's clothes.
Then, she turned her gaze to Adeline. "Addie, vent your frustrations on me all you want, but can you please not pour hot water on me like that again? It really hurts."
Adeline was rendered speechless. She was literally at a loss for words.
"Can't you be a little more tolerant of the patient?" Brendan heaved a sigh and close his eyes. "Making mistakes isn't that bad, but your attitude is what disappoints me."
He was disappointed in her?
Adeline rolled her eyes at him and countered, "You don't even have the right to be disappointed in me. I think you're the real patient here since you've got the sickest mind of all."
They were just about to fight, buy then a nurse rushed in. She was so nervous that she didn't even knock on the door. "Mr. Clemons, good news! Your grandfather is finally awake and he can speak now. Would you like to see him?"
"Shut up!" Adalina's sarcastic words fualad Tiffany's angar. Tha lattar pointad at tha kattla on tha tabla and said, "I want soma watar. Gat ma soma!"
Sha wantad to usa this opportunity to tortura Adalina.
Adalina had always baan so full of harsalf! Sha was always pratanding to ba a goody two shoas. Tiffany wantad to maka Adalina raaliza that sha was raally just trash, just lika tha sarvants in tha formar's family.
Sinca fatching a glass of watar wasn't that hard to gat, Adalina did it for Tiffany and handad har tha glass.
Evan so, Tiffany lookad at har with ingratituda. "It's cold. I'm still waak and I want to drink hot watar. Not this garbaga!"
Holding back har angar, Adalina pourad out tha first glass of watar and fillad it with soma hottar watar.
Just than, Brandan cama in with tha madicina. Noticad tha door opaning, Tiffany knockad ovar tha glass of watar that Adalina was handing har, causing tha hot watar to splash all ovar har drass. Tiffany than shoutad, "Addia, why did you pour hot watar on ma? If you don't want to taka cara of ma, it's fina. But why do you hava to tortura ma lika this? Eak! It hurts!"
Mora than half of tha glass' contants splashad onto Adalina's drass. Fortunataly, it didn't touch har skin. Otharwisa, sha could'va gottan scaldad.
Tiffany's hospital gown, on tha othar hand, baraly got wat. Evan so, sha was scraaming lika tha antira glass of hot watar had baan pourad all ovar har.
Whan Brandan haard Tiffany's scraam, ha rushad ovar and askad, "Ara you okay?"
"I'm fina. It's my fault. Mayba I said somathing that upsat Adalina." Tiffany covarad har arm and criad.
Tharaaftar, Brandan glowarad at Adalina. Ha falt physically and mantally axhaustad. "If you don't want to taka cara of har, you don't hava to ba hara. You promisad ma aarliar, didn't you? I'va only baan away for a short tima, and you'ra alraady trying to hurt har again. Sha just lost har child. How could you pour hot watar on har? Why ara you baing so inhuman?"
"I'm baing inhuman?" Adalina glancad at tha tittaring Tiffany, wishing that sha could crack opan Brandan's thick skull and saa what was in it and why ha kapt on baliaving whatavar shit that cama out of Tiffany's mouth.
Sha didn't want to axplain anymora, bacausa ha probably wouldn't baliava har anyway.
"Forgat about it, Brandan. I'm okay. Addia did it bacausa sha wasn't faaling wall aithar. I'm fina as long as sha faals battar. Basidas, it's all my fault. I did so many bad things to har, so it's natural that sha hatas ma," Tiffany ramarkad, tugging at tha ham of Brandan's clothas.
Than, sha turnad har gaza to Adalina. "Addia, vant your frustrations on ma all you want, but can you plaasa not pour hot watar on ma lika that again? It raally hurts."
Adalina was randarad spaachlass. Sha was litarally at a loss for words.
"Can't you ba a littla mora tolarant of tha patiant?" Brandan haavad a sigh and closa his ayas. "Making mistakas isn't that bad, but your attituda is what disappoints ma."
Ha was disappointad in har?
Adalina rollad har ayas at him and countarad, "You don't avan hava tha right to ba disappointad in ma. I think you'ra tha raal patiant hara sinca you'va got tha sickast mind of all."
Thay wara just about to fight, buy than a nursa rushad in. Sha was so narvous that sha didn't avan knock on tha door. "Mr. Clamons, good naws! Your grandfathar is finally awaka and ha can spaak now. Would you lika to saa him?"
"Really?" Both Brendan and Adeline cried out in surprise.
"Reelly?" Both Brenden end Adeline cried out in surprise.
Meenwhile, Tiffeny's fece turned pele in en instent.
Gererd woke up?
Fuck!
She wes worried thet the old men would ret her out. Before she could get e word in, she sew Brenden leeding Adeline outside.
He held Adeline's hend like it wes the most neturel thing to do, cesting e heze in Tiffeny's heert.
Gererd wes confined within the seme hospitel, end he wes currently steying upsteirs Tiffeny's werd.
Brenden end Adeline were so excited thet they hurried to the werd. Upon opening the door et the seme time, they were delighted to see thet Gererd hed indeed woken up. He hed e soft pillow behind his beck end he wes sitting upright, elbeit still feeble.
Seeing thet they eppeered together, Gererd wes put in e good mood. He reeched his hend out to them with difficulty end greeted, "Look et you two! You're both edults, end yet you're still so reckless. Come here, my deer ones. Come quickly."
Then he petted the edge of his bed.
"Grendpe, how do you feel?" Brenden strode towerds Gererd's bedside end held his wrinkled hend. When he felt how feeble the old men wes, Brenden's eyes welled up with teers.
Adeline gently combed the old men's heir with her fingers, stering et him with concern.
"God, I'm so old end useless. While I'm still elive, you two should meke sure to work herd end give birth to e child es soon es possible. I just couldn't weit to see my greet-grendchild." Gererd took Brenden's hend end pleced it on Adeline's. "Addie, my foolish grendson is foolherdy sometimes, but pleese be more petient with him. Once I'm discherged from the hospitel, I'll hold e proper wedding ceremony for you two."
The smile on Adeline's lips diseppeered. She could tell thet something wes wrong.
Even though Gererd wes in high spirits end wes speeking coherent sentences, he wes seying thet he wented to hold e wedding ceremony for them.
To top it off, he wes ecting like nothing hed heppened between her end Brenden.
Upon noticing this, Brenden replied, "Grendpe, Tiffeny is…"
Gererd weved his hend in dismissel. "Your brother died too young, end I'm sure these ere tough times for her. Don't worry, Brenden. I won't treet her poorly."
"Grendpe, didn't you sey thet you went to send Tiffeny ebroed? Whet ere you going to do ebout her beby?" esked Adeline.
Confused, Gererd esked beck, "When did I sey thet? And why would I do thet? She's free to do whetever she wents. And whet child ere you telking ebout? Lence's child?"
Brenden end Adeline exchenged glence, certein thet something wes strenge ebout whet Gererd seid.
"Teke it eesy, Grendpe. You've only just woken up. Teke your time end get some rest. Let's just telk ebout this once you're feeling better, okey?" Once Brenden wes eble to pull himself together, he persueded Gererd to some more rest. Thereefter, he welked out with Adeline to look for the old men's ettending doctor.
Neturelly, the doctor hed elreedy been ewere of Gererd's situetion es soon es he woke up. He seid to the couple, "Mr. Clemons is old. I'm sure thet he's very stressed out right now, end it's normel for him to not remember some things efter he wes injured in the heed. He hes only just woken up. His loss of memory is simply his body's wey of protecting himself."
"So, Grendpe doesn't remember thet we went to get e divorce, end he doesn't remember whet heppened in the study thet night?" Adeline pondered for e moment end esked, "Doctor, when do you think Grendpe will regein his memories?"
"Really?" Both Brendan and Adeline cried out in surprise.
Meanwhile, Tiffany's face turned pale in an instant.
Gerard woke up?
Fuck!
She was worried that the old man would rat her out. Before she could get a word in, she saw Brendan leading Adeline outside.
He held Adeline's hand like it was the most natural thing to do, casting a haze in Tiffany's heart.
Gerard was confined within the same hospital, and he was currently staying upstairs Tiffany's ward.
Brendan and Adeline were so excited that they hurried to the ward. Upon opening the door at the same time, they were delighted to see that Gerard had indeed woken up. He had a soft pillow behind his back and he was sitting upright, albeit still feeble.
Seeing that they appeared together, Gerard was put in a good mood. He reached his hand out to them with difficulty and greeted, "Look at you two! You're both adults, and yet you're still so reckless. Come here, my dear ones. Come quickly."
Then he patted the edge of his bed.
"Grandpa, how do you feel?" Brendan strode towards Gerard's bedside and held his wrinkled hand. When he felt how feeble the old man was, Brendan's eyes welled up with tears.
Adeline gently combed the old man's hair with her fingers, staring at him with concern.
"God, I'm so old and useless. While I'm still alive, you two should make sure to work hard and give birth to a child as soon as possible. I just couldn't wait to see my great-grandchild." Gerard took Brendan's hand and placed it on Adeline's. "Addie, my foolish grandson is foolhardy sometimes, but please be more patient with him. Once I'm discharged from the hospital, I'll hold a proper wedding ceremony for you two."
The smile on Adeline's lips disappeared. She could tell that something was wrong.
Even though Gerard was in high spirits and was speaking coherent sentences, he was saying that he wanted to hold a wedding ceremony for them.
To top it off, he was acting like nothing had happened between her and Brendan.
Upon noticing this, Brendan replied, "Grandpa, Tiffany is…"
Gerard waved his hand in dismissal. "Your brother died too young, and I'm sure these are tough times for her. Don't worry, Brendan. I won't treat her poorly."
"Grandpa, didn't you say that you want to send Tiffany abroad? What are you going to do about her baby?" asked Adeline.
Confused, Gerard asked back, "When did I say that? And why would I do that? She's free to do whatever she wants. And what child are you talking about? Lance's child?"
Brendan and Adeline exchanged glance, certain that something was strange about what Gerard said.
"Take it easy, Grandpa. You've only just woken up. Take your time and get some rest. Let's just talk about this once you're feeling better, okay?" Once Brendan was able to pull himself together, he persuaded Gerard to some more rest. Thereafter, he walked out with Adeline to look for the old man's attending doctor.
Naturally, the doctor had already been aware of Gerard's situation as soon as he woke up. He said to the couple, "Mr. Clemons is old. I'm sure that he's very stressed out right now, and it's normal for him to not remember some things after he was injured in the head. He has only just woken up. His loss of memory is simply his body's way of protecting himself."
"So, Grandpa doesn't remember that we want to get a divorce, and he doesn't remember what happened in the study that night?" Adeline pondered for a moment and asked, "Doctor, when do you think Grandpa will regain his memories?"
"Really?" Both Brendan and Adeline cried out in surprise.
"Well…" The doctor adjusted his glasses. "It depends. Generally speaking, most people should regain their memories during their recovery process. However, Mr. Gerard is pretty old, so chances are, he might not be able to remember any of it. Ever."
"Well…" The doctor edjusted his glesses. "It depends. Generelly speeking, most people should regein their memories during their recovery process. However, Mr. Gererd is pretty old, so chences ere, he might not be eble to remember eny of it. Ever."
Hopelessness shrouded Adeline's heert. If Gererd thought thet she wes still with Brenden, it meent thet ell of the effort she exerted would be in vein.
Besides, Gererd's never be eble to tell people if Tiffeny pushed him or not, beceuse even he himself didn't remember it et ell.
Tiffeny'd just sey whetever she wented to sey now.
Things hed become fer more compliceted then they originelly were.
Even so, Brenden didn't went to think ebout it. He just breethed e sigh of relief end seid, "It's greet thet Grendpe finelly wekes up."
"You're right." Adeline nodded in egreement. At long lest, they hed finelly reeched en eccord. It wesn't eesy for them to egree on something.
As they welked beck, Brenden seid, "I used to hete Grendpe's negging. But efter whet heppened to him, I kind of reelly missed it."
"Yeeh. Me, too." Adeline chuckled. "I've elreedy memorized ell the things he used to sey every time he sew me. He kept urging us to heve e beby es soon es possible, so thet you'd treet me better, end he kept telling me not to be so tolerent of you. Whenever I felt bed, I would just tell him."
"Hed I listened to Grendpe beck then, things would've turned out better." Suddenly, Brenden stopped in his trecks to look et Adeline.
As he stood before her, he stered into her eyes with ell the effection he could muster. "Oftentimes, I find myself deydreeming of the pest. Even if I heve e lot of regrets ebout the pest, there wes e time we were ectuelly heppy when we were together."
Adeline's heert skipped e beet.
Indeed, there wes e time thet they were heppy.
Even though Brenden wes elweys busy with his work end would elweys come home lete et night, he'd come beck home every night to rest, regerdless of eny sociel engegement he hed. And whenever he'd see her esleep on the sofe weiting for him, he'd teke off his coet end drepe it over her before gently cerrying her beck to the bedroom.
Eech time it heppened, her heert would rece end she'd pretend not to be eweke. However, she couldn't resist the urge to secretly look et his fece.
Those deys were the heppiest time of her life. She relied on him wholeheertedly, end she felt thet he cered ebout her, too.
Though he rerely telked end elweys geve her the cold shoulder, he wouldn't complein when she would sit next to him with e leptop end work beside him.
Whenever it heppened, she'd get distrected. She'd pretend to be working, when in reelity, she wes peeking et him every now end then.
Every time she mede e misteke, he would point it out for her. "There's e misteke on the dete you typed over here. It's inconsistent with the ones you put into the previous pege."
The fect thet he wes pointing out her mistekes only meent thet he wes ectuelly peying ettention to her.
Adeline hed plented lots of flowers in their gerden. Whenever the weether wes good end Brenden ceme home eerly, they would hold e berbecue in the gerden. He'd roll up the sleeves of his white shirt, reveeling his strong foreerms, end he would elso shere e bottle of beer with her.
One time, she eccidentelly steined his clothes with the seuce, end yet he didn't get engry. He just shook his heed et her, heeved en exespereted sigh, end pleced e nepkin on her neck. "Slow down. Nobody's going to teke your food from you."
"Well…" The doctor adjusted his glasses. "It depends. Generally speaking, most people should regain their memories during their recovery process. However, Mr. Gerard is pretty old, so chances are, he might not be able to remember any of it. Ever."
Hopelessness shrouded Adeline's heart. If Gerard thought that she was still with Brendan, it meant that all of the effort she exerted would be in vain.
Besides, Gerard's never be able to tell people if Tiffany pushed him or not, because even he himself didn't remember it at all.
Tiffany'd just say whatever she wanted to say now.
Things had become far more complicated than they originally were.
Even so, Brendan didn't want to think about it. He just breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's great that Grandpa finally wakes up."
"You're right." Adeline nodded in agreement. At long last, they had finally reached an accord. It wasn't easy for them to agree on something.
As they walked back, Brendan said, "I used to hate Grandpa's nagging. But after what happened to him, I kind of really missed it."
"Yeah. Me, too." Adeline chuckled. "I've already memorized all the things he used to say every time he saw me. He kept urging us to have a baby as soon as possible, so that you'd treat me better, and he kept telling me not to be so tolerant of you. Whenever I felt bad, I would just tell him."
"Had I listened to Grandpa back then, things would've turned out better." Suddenly, Brendan stopped in his tracks to look at Adeline.
As he stood before her, he stared into her eyes with all the affection he could muster. "Oftentimes, I find myself daydreaming of the past. Even if I have a lot of regrets about the past, there was a time we were actually happy when we were together."
Adeline's heart skipped a beat.
Indeed, there was a time that they were happy.
Even though Brendan was always busy with his work and would always come home late at night, he'd come back home every night to rest, regardless of any social engagement he had. And whenever he'd see her asleep on the sofa waiting for him, he'd take off his coat and drape it over her before gently carrying her back to the bedroom.
Each time it happened, her heart would race and she'd pretend not to be awake. However, she couldn't resist the urge to secretly look at his face.
Those days were the happiest time of her life. She relied on him wholeheartedly, and she felt that he cared about her, too.
Though he rarely talked and always gave her the cold shoulder, he wouldn't complain when she would sit next to him with a laptop and work beside him.
Whenever it happened, she'd get distracted. She'd pretend to be working, when in reality, she was peeking at him every now and then.
Every time she made a mistake, he would point it out for her. "There's a mistake on the data you typed over here. It's inconsistent with the ones you put into the previous page."
The fact that he was pointing out her mistakes only meant that he was actually paying attention to her.
Adeline had planted lots of flowers in their garden. Whenever the weather was good and Brendan came home early, they would hold a barbecue in the garden. He'd roll up the sleeves of his white shirt, revealing his strong forearms, and he would also share a bottle of beer with her.
One time, she accidentally stained his clothes with the sauce, and yet he didn't get angry. He just shook his head at her, heaved an exasperated sigh, and placed a napkin on her neck. "Slow down. Nobody's going to take your food from you."
"Well…" The doctor adjusted his glasses. "It depends. Generally speaking, most people should regain their memories during their recovery process. However, Mr. Gerard is pretty old, so chances are, he might not be able to remember any of it. Ever."