CHAPTER 50
INSIDE A SUITE IN THE SIXTEENTH FLOOR OF THE DE MILO HOSPITAL IN YELLOWLEAF
Shimmer de Milo was seated on a very expensive couch, crying profusely, "my son! My son! Is he alive? Dear Lord, how can he possibly die so young? Oh Dylan, my dear Bubbles, don't die! Dylan my son, does it have to be so soon?"
Iris remained standing near her, occasionally rubbing her back to comfort her. She slowly tied Shimmer's hair, for it was scattered all over her face, making her look even more pathetic. Since she was crying a lot, she was breathing heavily. Iris carefully unbuttoned the two top buttons of her blouse, removed her shoes and offered a footrest for her.
Iris was surely running out of ideas on how to help her employer, but she just had to do the best that she thought could be helpful under the circumstances. Since she had brought with her a lot of Shimmer's luxury items, Iris took out some foot oil and started massaging her employer's feet, to help her relax. She really thought that Shimmer was going to ask her to stop, but she said nothing. She must have been in too much pain to even realise that Iris was kneeling in front of her, rubbing her feet with a special oil.
Iris continued to say words of comfort, assuring Shimmer over and over that Dylan was going to be just fine, and once in a very short while, she offered her sips of warm water.
Mrs Shimmer de Milo's weight had greatly reduced since the time that her son was abducted. She hardly ever ate anything, crying most of the times. However Iris made sure that she was as comfortable as she could be, under the circumstances.
"Do you think he is alive, Iris?" she looked up with red puffy eyes.
"I believe sir Dylan is alive, ma'am", Iris responded, although she was also not sure herself. In her mind, she thought the officers had gone silent for too long. Why were they not calling with an update? Had they found him? Was he still alive?
"Maybe he is dead. Why hasn't anyone updated us yet?" Shimmer shrugged.
Iris was not too sure how to answer that, for that thought had also troubled her for a while. However she cleared her throat and said, "probably the cops are too busy with the rescue mission. And remember, even if they have found sir Dylan, they will also need to arrest the criminal. I think it is a process that takes a lot of time."
"Or the thugs have already killed my son." Her voice was low and full of pain.
"I really don't think so, ma'am."
"I wish I could turn back time. I was not a good mother to him, was I?" she sobbed.
"You're the best mother sir Dylan could have ever asked for, ma'am", Iris stated without really meaning it.
Shimmer forced a smile and looked up, "you really think so?"
"Yes ma'am, you have always been good to sir Dylan. Even miss Ciera and miss Arianna can confirm that you are the best mother in the world."
"But I hardly know them! I hardly know them, Iris! You know them way better than I do!!" she broke into tears afresh. "How I wish I had spent more time with my son! I was always too busy building the de Milo empire, I totally forgot about my children!"
"You gave them the best, ma'am", Iris declared.
"I don't think so. You say that only to comfort me! I was always travelling and always working the whole night through! Oh Dylan! If I see you again, I will give you all my love and attention!" she cried.
"Sir Dylan will be well, ma'am", Iris kept consoling her.
She remained seated, with her eyes fixed on the wall. Iris took out the face wipes and wiped off Shimmer's tears. There were still some strands of hair in her face, which she took back and tied into a ponytail. Shimmer did not move or say anything. When she was offered some water to drink, she took two sips.
"Can I ask them to bring your food now, ma'am?" Iris inquired.
"How can I eat, Iris? How do I sit here and eat, while I don't know where my son is? Is he alive? Is he dead? Has he eaten?"
"Don't worry ma'am. I am sure detective Harris and his team will bring him back alive and safe".
"Why haven't they called yet? We can't call them, they instructed us not to call them or else our calls disturb the whole operation! I do understand that, but then why haven't they called yet!! Roderick, for crying out loud, please call me and update me!! Pete! Why hasn't Pete updated us? I am dying, Iris! Anxiety alone will kill me!" she stood from her seat and shook her head in desperation.
"Roderick, please call me", she pleaded in a calmer voice. "Pete. Carl. Harris, Fraser, update us for heaven's sake! I am Dylan's mother, I deserve to know! Someone please update me!!" she wailed in frustration and Iris went on to hold and comfort her.
"Calm down, ma'am. Sir Dylan is fine. He is fine. He wrote that prescription, remember. He is fine and is also doing his best to assist the police to find him"
"I hope so, Iris! I can only hope so!"
Shimmer was silent and seemed to have fallen into a trance. It was nothing new, she often did the same ever since they travelled to Yellowleaf. She would stare into space for a long while and Iris would call her several times before she seemed very startled, turned to look at Iris and usually a faint smile would appear on her lips. Of course there was a specialist doctor attending to her.
When she remained staring into space, Iris immediately knew that Shimmer was falling into one of her trances again. She knelt down besides her and placed her hand on Shimmer's knee.
"Ma'am de Milo", Iris called out but there was no response. She softly shook her leg and when she got no response, she shook with added force. The madam flinched, stared at Iris and smiled.
"I was not too hard on my son, was I?", she asked with a smile.
"No ma'am, you were never hard on sir Dylan" Iris responded.
"Tell me the truth, Iris," she turned her whole body to face Iris, who stood up from her kneeling position and sat on the sofa opposite Shimmer. Instinctively she pulled her sofa closer to Shimmer's, such that their knees were touching.
Shimmer took Iris' hands in hers, smiled even with teary eyes, and spoke again, "was I too tough on him? Do you think when he comes back… if he comes back," she sniffed and shook her head, "should I change my way of parenting?"
Iris remained silent as she was searching in her mind for the best way to respond. What was running in her mind was not what she wished to say.
Iris let out a small laugh and continued, "Sir Dylan is not a little boy anymore, ma'am. He probably won't need too much attention." She held her breath, praying and hoping that her reply was not going to enrage Shimmer.
Iris only secretly heaved a sigh when Shimmer remained calm and continued to talk, "he doesn't need me anymore… I understand. He won't need me in the same way that a young boy would need his mother, but surely he needs me. I am his mother, Iris. I know I was absent many times, but I did it all for them. I was building the de Milo empire; to give my children a good life; a decent future… do you think I can make up for the times that I let him down?", she stared at Iris with hopeful eyes.
"I...I never saw…I never saw you letting him down" Iris stammered.
"Tell me truthfully, Iris", Shimmer seemed to be begging.
Iris looked her in the eyes and told her, "I never saw an instant where you let sir Dylan down. Ma'am, I have been with you since before miss Ciera was born. I have seen you raise all three of your children. You are the best mother I have ever seen."
Shimmer smiled and a tear rolled down her cheek. Looking into space, she spoke as if she was speaking to herself, "I thought I was too hard with him. With my daughters I was gentle, I guess. But with Dylan umm, I am not too sure now."
Iris agreed with the statement but there was no way under heaven she was ever going to confirm that in Mrs de Milo's face. She simply squeezed her employer's palm as a way of comforting her. Without looking at Iris or doing anything to acknowledge the squeeze, Shimmer went on to chuckle and say, "Dylan. My son Dylan. He was always a picky eater. I shouldn't have forced him to eat those nuts and all that fruit jam which he hated so much" she laughed again, as the tears rolled.
"You did the best for him, ma'am."
"I did not, Iris! You're saying this to make me feel better!"
"I would not do that ma'am. Sir Dylan was and still is well loved by you. You are good to all of them, from miss Ciera, sir Dylan and miss Arianna. None of them can complain that you are bad in any way. They love you. I know that."
Shimmer listened intently before breaking into a smile.
"You mean it, don't you? I was not too hard on Dylan, was I?" she continued to beg for confirmation.
"Not a bit, ma'am," Iris replied, but in her mind a totally different scene played.
She recalled the events of many years gone by, but they were events best kept in her memory, for sharing them was only going to enrage and depress her employer even more. With great intensity, the scene from some years ago continued to play in Iris' mind...