Tabitha's POV
As much as I hated Derek, I had to admit that his words made sense.
For my babies, I needed his help.
It had nothing to do with feelings. I just wanted to find a safe place where I could successfully give birth.
I moved again. This time, Derek stressed to me over and over again not to tell anyone. He said caution was the best strategy.
My new house was by the sea. When I stepped out, I could see the blue sea, and behind me was the mountain.
It was such a beautiful place which could relax me and cleanse my mind.
But Dad was no longer around. At sunrise, I could no longer see his busy figure in the courtyard. I missed the way he gently taught me to carve so badly.
He was brought over after he stabilized and was accompanied by paramedics 24/7.
I watched as he lay quietly on the bed. After such a long time, he finally looked better, and his face was utterly calm.
His eyes were gently closed. Those who didn't know would think he was asleep.
But I knew. This time, no one could save him.
It was impossible to perform another craniotomy on him in a short period of time. Even with Jasper, it'd be a risky operation.
This was what was best for him. Most probably, he'd die after a certain period of time. The chances of him waking up were close to zero.
Even so, I didn't give up on him.
I took care of him every day, waiting to see the day he came around.
But whenever I saw those wood carvings that he had yet to finish, I always felt sad, and my eyes would become teary.
There was a room filled with toys he had carved, including rattles, a crib, wooden horses, and all sorts of toys.
Joanna's eyes were red, too. She said while rubbing her eyes, "John looked forward to your babies more than anyone. He worked so much every day that sometimes he was still up at midnight. I always had to remind him to go to bed. I said he had plenty of time to carve.
"But he said life was unpredictable, and all he could do was to do more for you and the babies within the limited time. Back then, I figured that he worried too much. But now I know I was wrong. What a shame. He's such a nice guy. It's so unfair he has to go through all this."
I held a wooden sword, which was also one of Dad's unfinished pieces. It didn't matter if my twins were boys or girls. He was all prepared.
The outline of the wooden sword was already taking shape. He had carved a delicate pattern on it and was more than halfway through the carving process. He had intended to finish the work this week.
I slowly caressed the wooden sword. The pattern was nothing but exquisite, telling me how much thought and effort he had put into this work.
My tears fell on the sword's handle.
"Tabitha, don't cry. Pregnant women shouldn't be sad. It's not good for your babies."
As time passed, the babies inside me gradually took shape, and I knew they could tell the changes in my mood keenly.
I wanted to raise my hand to wipe away the tears, but I couldn't. I still had no strength in my disabled wrist.
I tossed the sword away. Instead of sobbing, I began to cry out loud like a helpless child.
I had always been the apple of Dad's eye. Holly walked out on us when I was little, and he did his best to make it up to me, to take me away from the sadness of being abandoned by her, and to teach me to be outstanding and disciplined.
So, even if I suffered any setbacks, I hardly shed tears.
I used to be such an optimistic and outgoing person who always saw the bright side of things. When did I become like this?
My life was such a mess. When I opened my eyes, I couldn't see any light at all. I was enveloped by darkness.
Even the air was like a giant web suffocating me.
All the negative emotions I had been suppressing for years, including grievances, unwillingness, and depression, all broke out at this moment.
"I've lost my baby and my mom. Moon Goddess, all I'm asking is to be with my dad. Is that too much to ask? Why? Why do you have to take him away from me, too?"