Hundred and Thirty-One

VALERIA

Someone was beside me. I could hear the sound of deep, heavy breathing, could feel the featherlight touch of hands moving over me; checking my temperature with a hand placed on my brow, adjusting the covers of the bed I was lying in, fluffing out my pillows and so on.

I struggled towards wakefulness. It was hard to do because I had a feeling I had been in the darkness for long, too long. But I did it. I opened my eyes. Although her figure was hazy at first, I saw Amelia staring at me. She gave a loud gasp of surprise, a sigh of relief and promptly burst into tears.

"Oh Valeria," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You are awake. It's been two whole weeks and I thought you would never-"

Her next words were drowned out by renewed sobs. I felt myself tearing up too. My heart burst with love for this woman who loved me as her own, who loved me to the extent that she had exposed her own daughter.

She wiped my tears with her fingertips.

"Don't cry," she said, even though