Mila had just about finished packing her things when she hurried back to the hospital. She had barely settled into the chair by the hospital bed when the door swung open, and Nathaniel walked in with Julian, who had just gotten out of school.
Why is your face so flushed? Nathaniel asked, his eyes landing on her cheeks, which were as rosy as a sunrise.
Mila paused for a moment and touched her face, realizing it must be from rushing over to the hospital.
Probably just the heat, she replied nonchalantly, brushing off his concern. She then turned to chat with the child for a moment before pulling Nathaniel out of the room. Once they were out of earshot, she spoke up.
I’m about to be discharged. It’s not good for Julian to rely on me too much. You’re his guardian; you should be spending more time with him.
Nathaniel hadn’t expected this conversation and was momentarily at a loss. He wanted to spend more time with Julian, but the child preferred to be with Mila, the ‘mom’ he had chosen. What was he supposed to do? He knew Mila wasn’t obligated to take care of Julian and was grateful for all she had done so far.
How about this, Nathaniel suggested. It’s the weekend for the next two days. Could you watch him a little longer? He really likes being with you. I’ll take him back after that.
Mila thought for a moment and nodded. Alright, but not tonight. A friend of mine needs me to help with some design sketches, and we’ll be pulling an all-nighter. You can bring him over tomorrow; it’ll give him some time to adjust.
Nathaniel wanted to insist that it was fine, but seeing the cool determination on Mila’s face, he agreed.
That evening, Mila had dinner with Julian, offering comforting words and promising to play with him the next day. Only then did the child reluctantly leave with his uncle.
After about two hours of driving, Mila reached an abandoned car lot on the outskirts of town. The night was dark and devoid of people. She smashed all the car windows with a hammer and battered the body until it was unrecognizable. Only then did she remove the fake plates and slip away from the junkyard.
After leaving the junkyard, she maneuvered through several backroads until she saw her car parked by the roadside.
Opening the passenger door, she slid into the seat. Miranda, also wearing a hat and mask, glanced at her before starting the engine and driving away.
They drove to a more distant location and burned the makeshift cardboard plates until they were nothing but ashes.