Emily hadn't expected that Jacob would ask this question. She could not help feeling sad and said, "Don't misunderstand me. I've always regard Donny as a child... actually..."
"Actually?" He interrupted in anger.
"The truth is, we once had a son, but he died at birth... Earlier, before I found you, I used to regard Donny as a child. He is just like a child, simple and innocent. He reminded me of our lost son. I used to wonder what our son would be like if he had grown up..." she said in a low voice.
She was revealing the deepest scar on her heart to him, having to speak of this great pain again. It meant that she had to suffer the devastation all over again.
Jacob was startled and asked, "We had a son?"
"Yes, I did not tell you before..." she answered. Struggling against the flood of tears, she tried a wan smile to comfort him and continued, "I'm not so lucky to be his mother. I failed to protect him. I'm sorry..."
"Don't say that," Jacob interrupted. He had never expected this and didn't want to see her so sad and morn-full. He soothed her, "I shall help him, I promise."
"Thank you," she said simply. She tried to contain her grief, but tears kept forcing past her eye-lids like they had minds of their own. Jacob felt her pain like daggers to his heart.
"Sorry, I'm sorry... It's all my fault. I'm so sorry..." he said.
He lightly kissed her teary eyes, covering the hot lids with his lips. He was racked with guilt and regret as he continued, "No more questions, I promise. I won't force you to talk about the past, if you don't want to, okay? Please don't be sad. Don't cry."
"I'm okay. I mean it. I'm okay." Struggling out of his arms she wiped her tears and asked, "Go and save Mrs. Yang. She can wait no more."
To Jacob, there was no one more important than Emily. He cared nothing at all for Mrs. Yang.
However, he had promised her that he would save Mrs. Yang. If it meant that Emily would stop crying, then he would keep his word.
"Fine, as you wish," he said in a low voice. As Jacob went outside he found that Donny was kneeling at the door, and hammering against it loudly, "Bang, bang, bang."
He looked pensively at Donny and then went to Mr. Barefoot's room, calling loudly, "Hey! Old chap! Wake up and save that woman!"
Mr. Barefoot had been sound asleep at this moment, and was angered at being woken up, "Damn it! You told me to sleep, no matter what happened outside! Now you wake me up suddenly, and I must save a life! What on earth do you want?" he complained.
"It's Emily. She's the one who said we should save Mrs. Yang," Jacob explained with a straight face.
Mr. Barefoot had finally gathered his senses, and hearing what Jacob said, he asked, "So, Emily has finally woken up, huh? I told you! I can fix any illness in the world! Hahahahaha! Good girl, Emily! Mrs. Yang wanted to kill her, but she still chose to save the old hag's life. I would not be so kind!"
Jacob secretly agreed with Mr. Barefoot, but he had to keep his promise to Emily so he said, "Just save Mrs. Yang, please."
"Save her? On what grounds? Why should I follow your words? By the way, I'm not your puppet," said Mr. Barefoot.
He was a strange man with his own life philosophies, and he chose to refuse Jacob's request.
"You are a doctor! How can you watch people die in front of your house? You are so mean!" Jacob argued.
"What did you say? It was you who told me to stay away from saving Mrs. Yang! It was you who took the snakes to bite Mrs. Yang! You are the murderer! How dare you scorn me! Damn it!" yelled Mr. Barefoot.
"Old chap, you..." Jacob stuttered. He broke into Mr. Barefoot's room and unceremoniously flung the slight man across his shoulder and carried him outside, saying, "I know I said that she deserved to die, but now she must live. You don't have a choice in the matter. Save her now! Otherwise, I promise I shall burn your house to ashes!"
Feeling angry, Mr. Barefoot kicked and squirmed, trying to be free from Jacob's tight grip and raging, "Damn you! I saved your life and the life of your wife, you ungrateful lump! I allow you both to live here, and this is how you show gratitude to me?"
"I will never forget your kindness, never in all the days of my life. But it's also your duty to save lives, as a doctor. So just save her, please," Jacob pleaded.
Donny had become red as an apple from excessive kowtowing at the door. Looking up, he looked ready to drop, but cried out in joy at seeing Jacob carry Mr. Barefoot out to him, "B...Bear! Mr. Barefoot! You...you... Help! Help please!" he stuttered incoherently.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Call That Changed Her Entire Life