I Can Hear You

She sat there alone. Staring into the empty space, she thought of nothing for quite some time.

"She's been like that ever since the incident had happened."

"Flo ... ?"

"She won't answer you ... She can't hear you anymore ... Not you, not me, not even herself."

The young man kept quiet. He walked steadily towards his lover.

The girl did not react, of course. She could not hear that faint footstep echoing from across the room. She could not hear her lover coming close to her. She just sat there. The young man opened his strong arms and hugged the girl from behind.

"I'm home, sweetheart."

The girl, of course, could not hear what the young man had said. Her ears no longer give her the service of stimulating the sounds around her. But something else did. Tears, slowly, came down her soft cheeks.

Welcome home, honey.

Her voice echoed in the small ward. The young man smiled. The woman who stood at the door was shocked.

"Flo?! You answered! Can you hear me?! Have you recovered your sense of hearing?!"

The girl did not reply. All she did was cry. She held the arms that was around her shoulder and cried.

"Flo? Flo!"

"She can't hear you, ma'am. It's just like what you've said. She can't hear you. But, she can hear me. And she can still hear herself very well ... "

I've been waiting for you, Sam. Always. All these times.

"I know, Flo. That's why I'm here."

The girl turned away from the small window and faced her lover. The young man could see the colour coming back to her face, especially her cheeks and lips. 

Can you repeat to me what you've just said, honey?

"I know, Flo. That's why I'm here."

The girl smiled. She touched his handsome face and her tears gave away again.

I'm so sorry ... 

Slowly, the young man said, "You don't have to. You've done nothing wrong, my dear. No matter what happens, we'll always be together. I will be your hearing aid. Everything is going to be alright."

The girl smiled again. The tears had dried. She took the young man's hand and stare at it.

I want to go home, Sam.

"Then let's go home together."

The young man stood up and went to pack the girl's belongings into the small luggage. He then came to her and reached out his hand for her. He was smiling. The girl slowly got up from her bed and put her stone-hard feet on her slippers. She took his hand and the both of them walked towards the door.

The woman was speechless for some time. She looked at the young man and the skinny girl with her mouth wide open. As the girl passed the woman, she stopped behind her and spoke.

You gave up on me even when I told you I could still hear you. That's because I can read your lips. But Sam doesn't. He won't give up on me no matter what. He gives me the chance to 'hear' once again. Take care of yourself and goodbye.

The woman did not move from the spot where she was. Not even after the young man had asked the doctor to release the young girl from being hospitalised and left the hospital compound.

"But you can't hear anymore, Flo ... He said so ... You can't hear anything at all ... Nothing ... No sound ... Nothing ... "

~END~