After Lena was done playing mailman with the pair of mother and son, Collin left to go pick up the food he had forgotten.
Lena was ready to leave too. She does not think she can stay here any longer. Her swollen hands were not painful but her back was... she needed to be back being braless.
"It"s late... I will go home now." Lena bowed her head at Madam Li.
"Home? Your house is such a long distance from here and it"s late already, just stay over." Madam Li spoke. Madam Li does not know that Lena just lives a few floors below, she thought Lena was still living at the Shen Mansion.
"Ah... but I--" Lena stopped when she saw Kris shaking his head. He was referring to Lena to not tell his mother that she lives in the same building. "Kris only has one guestroom with a bed."
"That"s fine. Us women can share a room. Stay.. stay for the night."
"If you insist then..." Lena could not reject Madam Li"s offer.
"Mom, I made you a cake." Kris showed his mother the cake he made. "Even though it"s pa.s.sed your birthday, you should still make a wish."
Madam Li opened the box and smiled at the cake. "We will eat it after we eat food first. You both must be starving."
It did not take long for Collin to come back with the food. He delivered it and made an excuse to leave.
After they finished eating the went to the cake. Kris did not buy any candles yet so they just sing happy birthday and Madam Li made a wish.
"Did you make this?" Madam Li took her slice of cake.
"Yeah. All by myself but Lena taught me."
"Is that so.." She took a bite.
"I was planning to give you a hug this year... but circ.u.mstance prevented that."
"That"s fine. This cake made by you is better than your useless private jet and annoying dog." She took another bite.
Lena smiled and took a bite of her own slice of cake and immediately spit the cake back out on a napkin. "Is this a sweet cake or a salty one?!"
"What?" Kris tasted the cake and with the same reaction, spit it back out on a napkin. "Mom, it"s poison!" He grabbed the cake that his mother already half-finished eating it.
"It just tells me you put your tears into making it." Madam Li joked. She did not really mind eating it though... it was the first thing that her son ever made for her.
"I"ll make you the correct one next time, don"t eat it." He tossed the whole cake in the trash. He walked back to Madam Li and handed her the card. "Your present."
"More?" She took the card and opened it.
"Last time you said we should go on a vacation together."
"Thanks."
Lena was tired. She did not even properly take a shower too. Madam Li told Lena to take a shower and she will make the bed for her.
After Lena finished her shower, Madam Li set a nice bed on the floor for her. Madam Li said they both could sleep on the bed but Lena said that Madam Li can just sleep on it. She felt more comfortable on the floor anyways. The sofa was too much out of her taste too.
Madam Li held Lena"s hand. "Let me reapply the medicine for you."
They both sat on the bed while Madam Li help applied some ointment to her swollen hands. It was not as swollen anymore, just read.
"Anywhere else?"
Lena smiled... like mother like son... they both asked her the same question. "Just on my back... but..." She was shy. "I am not wearing....(a bra).. it irritates it."
"That"s good... you wouldn"t want the string to scratch it more. Take off your s.h.i.+rt, it"s only us."
Lena pulled the back of her s.h.i.+rt up so it was easier for Madam Li to apply the ointment.
"Does it hurt? It must have hurt...." Madam Li softly asked as she gently put the ointment on her back. It was already very red because she had the bra on earlier.
"It does... but it"s not the first time."
"Not the first time?"
Ah... maybe she should not have said that.. but oh well, Madam Li knows now anyway. "The first time was before I even started helping him. He choked me."
"Sorry..." Madam Li apologized. "He"s not himself."
"I know. You know what was interesting though?" Lena put her s.h.i.+rt back on and turned around to face Madam Li. "I don"t think he recognizes anyone when he"s like that... but somewhere deep inside, he"s still aware. He hugged me and called me mom... so I think there must be a time where you embraced him through his fears and protected him."
Madam Li brought Lena"s hands together and held it. "There was a time where he threw a gla.s.s cup at me. Even when my head was bleeding, I rushed my lovely son, who was suffering. Of course, I only made it worse, but I knew then that someday... I would be able to hug him."
Lena hugged Madam Li.
"So thank you... for being by his side. He"s not exactly someone anyone can befriend and expect him to be nice back... but I am glad he has his good friends with him and now you." Madam Li squeezed Lena"s hands.
Lena did not say anything. After Madam Li was calm again, they both went to sleep. Madam Li was able to fall asleep fast but Lena continued to stare into the dark. She was lying on her side so she would not put any pressure on her back.
She glanced at the clock and it was 3 a.m. She did not have a phone but she used Kris" laptop to send an email to James and Diane that she would be off for a few days. Lena does not want to go to work with her injuries, even though it was minor. If her parents get the news of this... well, let"s just say they are not as kind as Madam Li.
Lena slowly got up and left the room. She went to the living room and looked out the window. Even so late at night, the city lights still vastly covered the darkness of the city.
"Can"t sleep?"
Lena turned and spotted Kris sitting on the dining table. She guessed he was there before she was here.
"Yeah.. can"t--" She walked towards him but stubbed her feet on the living room table that Kris moved away toward the window when he kneeled on the ground. In the dark, Lene did not pay attention and hit her soft toe on the wooden leg of the table.
She silently screamed, knowing that Madam Li was still awake.
"Are you okay?" Kris rushed to her.
"Ow ow ow... it hurts.." She spoke quietly.
Madam Li opened her eyes. Her throat was getting dry and she needed a drink of water. She sat up and noticed that Lena was not in the room. She got out of bed and went to the hallway. She walked. Madam Li spotted the small lamp in the living room and walked towards it but then stopped.
"Ow ow ow... be more gently. It hurts!"
"Shhh. Are you trying to wake up my mom?"
"But it hurts." Lena softly replied. "It"s so big..."
"Just cover your mouth. Close your eyes and it will be done soon."
Madam Li did not dare take any step forward. "What are these kids doing?! They said they were not together and they are....already.... doing such things! And when I am in the house too!"
She was still curious though. She stepped closer to take a peek. She spotted Kris"s back towards her and Lena down lower than Kris. She instantly hid back on the wall.
"I don"t want to close my eyes. I want to see it."
"Then stop whining. Do you want me to take it out slowly or fast?" Kris asked.
"Slowly."
Madam Li stopped looking and quietly walked back to her room, but could still hear them as she crept away.
"Ah ah ah ... Noo... I change my mind. Pull it out fast, that is a better way."
"Stop changing your mind or I am keeping it in."
"Noo... do it fast. Final answer."
A few seconds past. "It"s out. Are you okay?"
Lena laid back on the sofa and took a deep breath. "Yah... much better."
Madam Li reached her room and closed the door. The rooms were noise-canceling so it was good. She does not want to hear the second round. She happily giggled and locked the bedroom door. Honestly, she doesn"t care if they went all night until morning.