I knew Mrs. Orville truly loved Alex. She did not say a single word to blame me. Rather, she just kept calling and calling, but Charles never answered.
There was only a cold, busy tone on the line.
After running out of patience, my mother-in-law started contacting Charles’ assistant. She turned on the speakerphone as the assistant’s helpless voice echoed throughout the mourning hall.
"Mrs. Orville, today is Miss Grey’s prenatal check-up appointment. So, Mr. Orville-"
Before he could finish speaking, Charles’ angry voice came through.
"Does the young Mrs. Orville have to wait in line when she is pregnant? Don’t blame me for withdrawing my investment and shutting down the hospital if you dare to make Annette wait! Throw out all the other patients! I don't want to see anyone else!"
"Today, there can only be one pregnant woman in the obstetrics and gynecology department. It has to be Annette."
Instantly, the faces of the relatives changed.
My mother-in-law hung up the phone angrily and rushed toward the hospital.
I stopped her and said, "Mum, don't bother. Alex will not be buried here. It doesn't matter whether Charles comes or not. I am here to take Alex to the afterlife."
"You have taken care of me and Alex for the past five years. I am sorry, but I cannot take care of the Orville Family’s future anymore."
My mother-in-law burst into tears and bowed to me in thanks.
"You and Alex have protected the Orville Family for five years. You are the heroes of the Orville Family. I’m really useless and cannot take care of this idiot son ..."
"Just tell me what you need. As long as I can do it, I will give it to you. Just think of it as the fate between us for these five years … "
I wrote down the things I needed for the corpse embalming ceremony and gave the list to my mother-in-law. She immediately ordered someone to buy everything for me. However, Alex’s last spirit was still trapped at home, so I needed to find it and bring it back.
Without waiting for the memorial to end, I went home alone. What greeted me was the same messy clothes scattered on the ground. Two figures were rolling around on the sofa, their bodies entangled together. Their panting sounds stabbed my heart like knives.