Chapter 19— Confessions

Joe! Joe! Doctor Joe!

He could hear something like a faint voice calling out a word, his eyes opened up but his sight still blurry. Gradually he began to see her face— the beautiful lady with strange eyes who made his heart skip a beat. A silent smile appeared on his cheeks.

"I got to see you one last time" he whispered.

"Joe! Joe Wake up, I'm here, come back to us!" This time he could hear Viola's voice clearly. She tried to shake him out of it.

With a fright, Joe raised up half of his body from the bed, Viola grabbed hold of him and held him close. "It's alright, 'Twas a dream", she whispered into his ears trying to calm him.

In a swift motion, he left her arms; turning his head to the floor and let out several loud coughs. Finally he felt free, he began to understand where he was. He saw the lady beside him and some persons were standing over him.

"I- I was dead!" the words came out breathlessly, his clothes were soaked in his own sweat.

"No you only thought you were. You were hallucinating", V tried to convince him.

"No! I'm absolutely sure. I- I was in a cold river—"

Viola stood up at once and turned to her family, "We can't do this anymore! We've done enough. He could've died".

"He still has a few more days to complete the task". Someone else put in.

"We can't just stop now, we don't know him all that well".

"He could be a serial-killer Doctor for all we know!"

"He's not! And we don't have to know him through this method, besides we could always tell him to leave if he doesn't suit us!" Viola added.

"What the hell is going on? What are you guys talking about?!" Joe interrupted their argument with a puzzled look on his face. Viola quickly seated beside Joe.

"We– we um– we've been making you hallucinate".

"And how exactly do you do that?"

"By burning special candles outside your door", William added.

Joe heaved a sigh of disappointment and disbelief.

"Wow, that's uh– strange. And why have you been doing so? You want to kill me? Is that it?" There was a tint of anger in his voice.

"No! Not at all!" One of them firmly opted in.

"The dreams won't kill you", Chubby added with an innocent voice.

"The truth is that, we're not who you think we are". Viola decided to come clean.

"There's another Johnson family on Mermaid street, we never received any letter from the hospital about your coming". William chipped in with a little shame in his voice.

"We're not the family you should be living with". Amelia finally said.

"We were surprised to see you in our house the first day you arrived but we decided to let you stay". Monica added.

"You see, we liked you from the beginning, but we had to put you through some tests, uh– it's a family thing", Mrs Johnson spoke up.

"Only a few minutes ago, I thought I was dead!"

"We would never hurt you Joe", Viola calmly touched his palm with hers.

"Dr Joe, are you mad at us?" Karen asked with her meek voice and cute eyes.

"I– I don't know, I don't know how to feel right now— ". He broke off in a few seconds thought. Everyone else kept silent with guilt.

"Well I too have a confession to make", he finally spoke up— scanning their faces for any reactions to his words.

"I found out I had made a mistake the second day I arrived here. I was supposed to stay with The Johnson family The 2nd, but I entered the Wrong house instead".

"You knew this a long time ago but you decided to stay?" Uncle Millie asked.

"Yes! Because of you guys! I felt at home with all of you. You gave me a warm welcome; treated me nicely. And this house– this house, it's design intrigues me, and most of all, I'm attracted to Viola".

The lady with the strange eyes blushed.

"Oh yeah, yeah!" They all chorused happily; while the kids giggled.

"So you have your eyes out for my sister eh?" William added without a smile.

"Oh leave them alone will ya?" Monica teased.

"All this talking has made me tired, all the action's gone. I'm going to bed!" Grandpa announced while he left the room.

"Please forgive us Joe!" Olivia pleaded.

"Please Joe, Please Joe", the others chorused in agreement.

"You're most welcome to stay if you want, and this time without any strange happenings", Mrs Johnson winked.

"Thank you" he hesitated.

"But I won't be staying any longer, I called the other Johnson family a few days back, informing them that I won't be joining them any longer, but I think it'd be best to just go to them. I'd call them first thing in the morning".

"Stay!" Viola whispered with pleading eyes.

"I can't! Not after hearing all this".

"The decision is yours to make Dr Joe, we do hope you'll forgive us someday", William concluded with his broad voice. Joe nodded.

"Come on folks! Let's give the guy some time alone". Uncle Junior advised and giggled.

One after the other, they finally left Joe's room— leaving Viola and Joe in the room.

"I like you too Joe; I liked you from day one! I know we started off on the wrong path but please don't shut us out". she concluded with a sigh.

"Goodnight Joe". She stood up to leave.

"Goodnight Viola".