On His Knees

The young couple in the hospital room was surprised.

The man gently patted the dust off Micah's clothes and kindly asked, "Do you need anything, young one? Where's your mother?"

Micah scratched his palm nervously before gathering his courage to say, "Sir, my mom's sick, and she's very cold. Could you lend us a blanket? I'll trade you my guardian angel pendant for it. Please, will you help her?"

After a slight hesitation, the man reached into the cabinet, retrieved a new blanket still sealed in plastic, and passed it to Micah. "Here, take this. I hope your mother recovers soon."

The stranger's kindness left Micah speechless. Perhaps it was all the hardships he'd been through that night. He clutched the blanket tightly, murmuring thank you over and over.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you both."

The man waved his hand to stop him. "Don't mention it. We didn't buy this blanket. The founder of this hospital, Mr. Shepherd, provided this. He gave one to every patient's family to celebrate his loved one's successful surgery.

"See? It even has their picture on it. If you want to thank someone, just wish Mr. Shepherd and his loved one a long, happy life together."

Micah stiffened. His mind flashed to Walter Shepherd kicking him out of the hospital room. Then, another memory returned—Walter lifting him onto his shoulders, both of them laughing as they ran across the grass.

Suddenly, he couldn't hold back his tears. "I understand. I'll thank M-Mr. Shepherd."

My heart ached more than any pain I had felt on the operating table. Seeing the hollow look in Micah's eyes, I remembered everything we'd been through.

The truth was, Walter had loved Micah and me once.

He'd stay up all night choosing the perfect name after Micah was born. He'd bought out every toy store in the city for Micah's birthday. He'd hold Micah and read him fairy tales when I was sick with a fever.

But all that ended when Ruby came back from overseas. She kept setting us up, using her heart condition as an excuse. She played the helpless victim, winning Walter's sympathy.

Then, she tricked Micah into putting caterpillars on her bed and faked a heart attack when Walter walked in. After that, nothing was the same.

The man in the hospital room gave an approving nod. "And your father? Why isn't he here with you?"

Micah lowered his head. Tears fell onto the plastic cover with the printed image of Walter's and Ruby's smiling faces.

"My dad's dead," he murmured.

After saying goodbye to the kind man, Micah clutched the precious blanket and hurried back toward the main hospital building.

He had just entered the lobby when he collided with Ruby. She was cradling her dog in her arms. Her carefully applied makeup couldn't disguise the look of utter disgust that twisted her features.

"Get lost, you wretched brat. Do you know how much this outfit cost? You couldn't pay for it even if you sold yourself. You're just like your mother. Disgusting!"

Without a second glance at the bruises on Micah's forehead, Ruby drew back her foot and kicked him viciously. The sudden impact sent him crashing, the blanket flying from his arms.

He ignored the pain as he desperately reached for the blanket, but Ruby crushed his hand under her foot. She pressed down, grinding her heel into Micah's fingers while staring at him in cold fury.

"You wretched brat. Listen. If you ever play the victim in front of Walter again, I'll make sure you and your pathetic mother end up on the streets. Got it?" she threatened.

Her glare was so intense it seemed like she wanted him gone for good.

I gritted my teeth, with rage and sorrow swelling inside me until I could barely breathe. I grabbed Ruby's foot frenetically, trying to shove her away.

"Leave Micah alone! If you want to take your anger out on someone, take it out on me! Don't hurt him!" I shouted, but Ruby couldn't hear me at all.

Instead, she watched, amused, as Micah's face flushed with pain. She pressed her foot down harder.