Six hours later, I woke up from what felt like an endless sleep. The first person I saw beside me was Henry, with his parents and his younger brother Jeff also there. It was a full house; everyone was present.
I assumed the whole family had gathered to congratulate me. But what were they waiting for?
I tried to sit up, but I was still weak, although not as weak as before. Henry shook his head and signaled for me not to exert the little strength I had left.
I listened to him and stopped trying to sit up. I lay down comfortably as Henry wanted.
"Where is my baby? Where is our baby, Henry?" I asked.
Suddenly, the mood in the room became even more somber and intense. I couldn't understand why everyone looked so down and depressed when today should have been about happiness and celebration because of the birth of my son.
"Henry, where is our son?" I asked again, my voice becoming very shaky. I could sense that something was definitely wrong.
"Why won't you answer me, Henry? Why won't any of you answer me?" I screamed at the top of my voice. I gathered my strength to force myself to sit up and immediately took out the IV drip.
Henry and my mother-in-law rushed towards me. They tried to put the IV drip back on, but I pushed it away.
The nurses heard the commotion going on inside my hospital room. Some of them came in to peep and quickly rushed out. So I guessed they were the ones who called Monica.
"Thank God you're here, Monica. Please, where is my son?" I fumbled those words as I was still battling with weakness.
I felt myself becoming weaker and weaker every time I raised my voice or tried to get up.
"Why haven't you told her yet? She needs to know the truth, Henry."
"No, Monica, not now. She's too weak to take such news. It would kill her," Henry replied.
"What are you guys talking about? Where is my son, Monica?"
"I'm sorry, Andrea," said Monica.
"Don't you dare," Henry's voice was sharp and firm.
He tried to intimidate Monica from speaking, but she was obviously very determined to let it all out after hearing from him earlier that whatever they were all hiding from me could kill me if I ever found out in this state.
Well, Henry, you just gave her a reason to finally achieve her life's long dream of becoming a dragon. Whatever the case may be, I still want to know what everyone is hiding from me. Why isn't anyone telling me anything about my baby?
"I'm sorry to break the news to you, Andrea. Your baby was dead before it came out of your womb. You gave birth to a still baby. She was really cute. I really hope she had stayed a little longer with us here on earth before leaving us."
At some point, I couldn't hear what this she-devil was saying anymore. I could no longer take it. All I could understand from all the gibberish that came out of her mouth was that I had given birth to a still baby who happened to be a girl.
"You're a bloody liar, you witch! I never gave birth to a girl, let alone a still baby. Did you think I was too weak to look at the sex of my baby immediately after giving birth to him?
Even though I didn't get to look at his face properly, I could still remember the big black mole under his jaw.
I remembered one of the nurses clearly saying that my son was very healthy. How dare you try to deceive me? Where is my baby, Monica? Give me back my son!
I gathered every bit of strength in my body and stood up. I walked towards where Monica was standing, slapped her across the face, and then held her by the blouse.
Tears began to flow freely from my eyes. The pain was too much for just one person to bear.
"I beg you, Monica," I said as I released my grip on her clothes and now held onto her shoulder, leaning on them for support.
"Whatever you want me to do, I will do it. Even if you want me to divorce Henry right here and right now, I would do it. Please, just give me back my son," I begged Monica.
Henry was right after all; this news would definitely kill me. How do I ever live past this? It's impossible. My heart has been shattered. I can feel my breath being sucked away. I've never known grief like I do today.
My whole body shook violently. I was scared that this whole lie might actually turn out to become the truth if I did nothing about it.
I quickly fell to the ground in front of Monica and begged her to have mercy on me and give me back my son. Henry quickly rushed towards me and tried to raise me up from the ground, but I refused.
"I think she's having a panic attack; we have to sedate her. I'm glad that I informed you all beforehand that she earlier showed signs of madness. I will go fetch the injection," said Monica as she jerked her leg off my hands and left the room.
"Please, Henry, she's lying. Do not let her sedate me. I'm not mad. I know exactly what I heard at the theater. Believe me. I saw our son, his tiny little hands.
I held them. I crawled towards him, but he looked away. I left Henry's side and crawled towards my mother-in-law; she also looked away and ignored me just like Henry did. Henry's brother, Jeff, did the same thing when I crawled towards where he had been standing.
Only my father-in-law remained. By this time, I was already too tired, but I managed to crawl towards where he was standing. By this time, I was already looking so dirty, like a pig after using my body to mop the floor from crawling from one dragon to another.
Mr. Dragon knelt down beside me. He told me to first catch my breath. He began to wipe the tears from my eyes, and then he whispered into my ears.
"I believe you, Andrea, and I promise to help you uncover the truth and look for your son wherever they hid him."
Finally, someone who believed in me.
"Thank you, sir," I said, and then I lost consciousness.