Chapter 42 - It is never too late.

As he reached the room, he immediately removed his shirt and checked the skin where the coffee had spilled over. It had already turned reddish.

He immediately rang Nuwa, and said, "Get me some ice cubes to my room."

He then got into the shower and took a cold shower. While he was taking a shower Nuwa walked in with a bowl of ice cubes and left them on the table.

As he got out of the shower, he wrapped the ice cubes into a hand towel and placed them over the burnt skin.

As he was cooling the burnt skin, Julian walked in towards him not thinking of his shirtless disposition, and said, "Here apply this cream, it will help speedy recovery and prevent scabbing."

Henry pointed to the table and replied, "Leave it there, I will apply it."

Julian looked into his eyes in pain, and asked, "Do you want me to apply it for you?"

Henry bent down, looked into her eyes, and said, "Julian, you worry too much. Remember I am a surgeon. I will do it myself. Now go, and take a rest. Leave."

Julian looked up through her eyelashes and replied, "I am sorry for hurting you. I should have been careful."

As he pressed the tube of ointment and applied it on him, he said, "Make that your new year resolution. Tell yourself to be more careful in the future."

As he finished applying the ointment, he opened his arms wide, and looked at her, and said, "Here, I am done already. No-fuss involved."

She fixed his gaze at him, and said, "You should be careful about your demeanor with ladies. We are no longer children."

Henry rolled his eyes at her, and asked, "Who's the lady in here. I always thought you were the Spiderwoman of our circle jumping here, and there carelessly."

Julian pointed to him and blurted, "That's crossing the line, Henry."

Henry held her shoulders, and replied, "Are you feeling embarrassed? By the way, you did not inform me about your decision to accept the offer, that came by."

Julian turned away and replied, "I have not decided yet. You take a rest. We will discuss that on our return."

"Now you are starting to behave like Ann, running away from the discussion."

He paused after that statement and thought for a while before his string of thoughts was disturbed by Julian as she said, "You miss her a lot. Isn't it Henry?"

Henry paused for a while and replied, "There won't be a day hereafter, that we won't miss her. After all, she was the joy of this household, full of life, and bubbling with laughter. Every day, that we had spent together, has gotten imprinted into my memory, as a memoir forever to cherish. I had not known loneliness since the day she stepped into our family with that smile of hers. To go back to a house without her is going to be dull and void. She had converted our house into a home to rejoice. She was the reason for me to agree to the proposal with Esther. They both are similar by nature, and character. I thought Esther would replace her in my life later as she finds a family of her own. Moreover, it was the best arrangement for our families."

"You mean, you don't love her."

"I always told myself, that I would learn to love and cherish her. My family loves and dotes on her. It has been like one huge extended family always. Moreover, I believe the best form of love is being responsible towards the other person. I have had no time for, that feeling called love. It is beyond my capability to comprehend the term love other than the explanation in medical terms. Coming back to this discussion, that we had left unfinished in Cervinia, have you loved someone?"

Julian fiddled with her fingers and replied, "You take rest. I'll get back and take some too."

As she turned back to leave, Henry pulled her into his embrace, and said, "Why do you keep running away always?"

She slowly looked up and asked, "What do you expect me to do? Am I the only one who ran away from the truth?"

Henry looked down and said, "Esther made me realize something before the accident."

"What did she make you realize?"

"That you were an integral part of my life and I could not do anything without you. I depended emotionally and intellectually on your company."

She raised her head in tears, and said, "Why weren't you vocal about your feelings earlier? What difference will it make now? Can you shrug off your responsibility towards her, now that she is in a coma, and needs your support? You never loved her or yearned for her companionship but said yes because you thought it was an arrangement, that fit your families well. Did you even think about me even for a second? No, you did not. It is too late now Henry. Even if I love you wholeheartedly, that same love, that I have for you would prevent me, from making a decision, that could get you labeled as a traitor in distressing times. Let us shelf our love forever, and forget, that we ever had this discussion. It would suit both of us best to do that, and walk our different ways. I think I will say yes, to that offer. This way we will find space to get over this emotional tangle, that we have got ourselves into."

"I was never vocal as I was not sure about your feelings. I never realized when our friendship catapulted into a strong bond of love. What if I wait for her to recover, and then inform the families about our decision?"

"In that case, I will wait upon you for a year or two. Release me, please. Let me go, Henry."

As he slowly released his hold of her and stepped back, she walked out of the room with tears looking back once or twice expecting him to force her to retrace her steps back.

As she was beyond his vision, Henry then sat on the bed with tears and whispered to himself "Wait upon me, Julian. I will surely turn this tide into our favor."

Dr. Wu Boqin who had walked into his room next door overheard the conversation and walked in and said, "Are you all right?"

Henry quickly composed himself, and said, "Grandpa I was just about to sleep."

Dr. Wu Boqin placed his hand on his shoulder and replied, "You look like you are in a dilemma."

Henry looked at him, and asked, "Grandpa, did you overhear everything"

Dr. Wu Boqin sat beside him, and replied, "Yes, I did."

Henry shook his head and asked, "What should I do grandpa?"

Dr. Wu Boqin took his hand into his and replied, "Do what your heart tells you best. Do it while it can be done, and before it is too late to turn the tide back. If you do not act now, you might pull down families with yourself later. Let me tell you a similar story."

Henry tilted his head and asked, "What story grandpa?"

Dr. Wu Boqin looked up and replied, "Ann's mother Abigail, once had a friend who unwillingly agreed to a proposal from a boy whom she despised under family pressure. The boy loved her truly, but she never for once had any feelings for him. While doing her medicine abroad, she developed feelings for a classmate. Eventually, she put her foot down and canceled the engagement on the verge of the wedding. In the process of this delayed decision, she hurt families, and friends altogether. She had her way eventually, but the price was exorbitant due to her delayed action. Hence, if you have no feelings for Esther, it is better, that you do not commit yourself under any form of obligation. Committing to a relationship without loving that person, would neither do you justice nor to that person. You do not get married to someone as a replacement for your sister. How could you even perceive such thoughts?"

"Grandpa, I do not have any knowledge or experience about these things. I only intended the good of everyone."

Dr. Wu Boqin sighed and replied, "Marriages are not agreements made for the good of everyone. They are a seal of the holy oath between two people who love each other deeply to which heaven is a witness. You only need to ask yourself whether the person is God's will in your life. As a believer, the only person whom you need to seek approval about the other person is God in prayer, and the only pre-requisites are whether the person is a believer and that he or she is God's will in your life. Ask yourself this question, who are you comfortable with, who do you approach, whose company gives you the solace, and joy of companionship, and how do you feel about this person?"

Henry looked at him, and replied, "I see Esther only as my responsibility, but have always enjoyed the companionship, and warmth of Julian."

"You already know the answer. I will not allow you to get married to Esther, and create a huge problem for all of us. Now get to bed, and get some sleep before you break down."

As Henry tucked into bed, Dr. Wu Boqin walked out, and thought, "How could they have an arrangement like this? I must speak to Paul once I am in the U.S., and get this sorted out."

Back in Cervinia, Mr. Xiao was in deep thought after the conversation that he had with Henry when Mrs. Xiao walked in, and asked, "You seem to be disturbed."

Mr. Xiao fiddled with his mobile and replied, "I spoke to Henry just now."

Mrs. Xiao sat beside him and replied, "I spoke to Leah earlier. They are on their way. What about Henry?"

Mr. Xiao blinked his eyes slowly and replied, "Were we hasty in our decision of Esther and Henry."

Mrs. Xiao tilted her head and asked, "What makes you think in this manner?"

Mr. Xiao took her hand into his, held them, and replied, "Have you ever felt whether Henry loves Esther. He has not even once expressed the desire to spend time with her or enjoyed her company. You can see through it when a man loves a woman: his gaze and admiration say it all to people around."

Mrs. Xiao placed her other hand on his and replied, "That's because he is reserved and cold to people around."

Mr. Xiao shook his head and replied, "Even the stone-faced man with an ice-cold heart will open up to the warmth of the woman he loves and cherishes. He is not cold but warm to everyone around. Doesn't he express himself with a warm smile to all the staff and patients? But there is only one person he opens his heart to, and that is not Esther."

Mrs. Xiao nodded and replied, "That's right, and it is Julian."

"Bingo, you nailed it right. He has not reached the point of realization of this fact, but the day he realizes it, he will start missing her companionship, and in the process drift away from Esther, or maybe even see her as the reason for his loss, and start despising her. We need to set this right. I agree, that he is the most suitable bachelor available for our family, but whether they suit each other is a doubt."

"We will talk to his family once we are back, and things are in order. Hope that Esther gets well by then. Her reports show a head injury due to the fall. Let us take a quick nap before the long journey ahead."

"I spoke to the hospital back home. They are well prepared to accommodate her."

A few hours down the lane the Xiao family accompanied by Mr. Chen, and his officers left for Zurich where the chartered medical flight took off for the U.S.

Mr. Chen and the officers then took a flight to Shanghai from there. As soon as the flight departed, they were fast asleep because of days of tiresome vigilance and exhaustion.