Chapter 35

Michael and his mother kept on crying for a few more minutes, and then they stayed hugging each other as Gayatri watched it from a distance.

She smiled as she saw how glad the two were to be in each other's arms and she is happy to see Michael finally being able to hold his mother in his arms. Seeing him being able to hold his mother in his arms like this after she had been in the coma for years, it was a great thing really.

But soon the two of them broke the hug and then she wiped her eyes as he did the same for some of the tears at the sides of his eyes. Living alone for so long has made it difficult for him to cry, but this is such an occasion that he couldn't help the tears from forming.

"Mom, this is Gayatri. You remember her don't you?" Michael said as he gestured towards said girl.

His mother looked at her and blinked and took her in, no doubt trying to connect the one from memory to the one in front of her. After a few seconds her eyes widened as she looked at her as a smile blossomed on her face.

"Gayatri, it is you." Michael's mother said with wide eyes and a smile.

"Hey Aunty." Gayatri said as she greeted her with a smile.

"You've grown so much. I almost didn't recognise you." His mother said with a smile as she looked at the girl.

Gayatri walked and stood beside the bedside of the woman as she held the girl's right hand and rubbed it a bit as she smiled at the sight.

"It's good to see you awake aunty." Gayatri said to her with a smile.

"Me too. It's just... I can't believe that I have been in a coma for so long." Michael's mother said to her as she frowned.

"It's fine mom, you didn't exactly have a choice regarding the matter after all." Michael said to her with a smile on his face.

"Yes but, the bills, it must've needed a lot of money right, to keep all the equipment, medicine and everything else on me?" Michael's mother asked as she looked at him.

"Not exactly, while uncle had given money to keep you here, Gayatri's family also put money to make sure that you will continue to be kept here." Michael said to her as he smiled at her.

Michael's mother looked at her son in surprise and then at Gayatri who just smiled at her in response to the attention.

"We have known you for a long time now aunty. We couldn't just sit by while you were in a coma. We had to do something to help you." Gayatri said to her with a smile.

"Oh sweetie, but the money..." Michael's mother said to her as she looked both grateful and conflicted.

"It's fine. We have become very rich from me and my brother's work as Players. The money needed to keep you in the hospital isn't going to be much of a problem. My parents were more than happy to spend the money to help you." Gayatri said to her with a smile on her face.

"Really?" Michael's mother asked as she looked at her son.

"Yeah. Of course, the payment for your treatment was done by me. But it was something that was only recently improved due to all the advancements we have done in the last few years since the Gates appeared." Michael said to her as he remembered it.

"And how did you get the money?" Michael's mother asked as she looked at him curiously.

"I became a Player as well mom. With it I was able to get the money for the treatment. Of course, if it hadn't been improved so well then I wouldn't have done it." Michael said to her with a smile.

"A Player? But, for how long?" Michael's mother asked him as she looked at him in surprise.

"A few weeks." Michael said to her with a shrug.

"Oh. But, about the treatment, what about the earlier versions?" Michael's mother asked him as she looked at him.

"Well, since it was for the treatment of something like coma, it was a very dangerous and risky one, especially since there is a chance for the patient to die. It was only after the treatment had been improved was it safe to the uses without any fear of death of the patient." Michael said to her as he remembered the details.

"He's telling the truth. I had checked about it and the current improvement version of the treatment wouldn't have any dire consequences on the patient." Gayatri said to her with a nod as she confirmed his words.

"I see. So, how much money did your parents pay for my stay here? I'm sure we can give it back." Michael's mother said as she looked at Gayatri.

"Don't. It's not money we want back. It's something they did for a friend. They had told me that they didn't want the money back anyway." Gayatri said to her with a shake of her head.

"But..." Michael's mother said in an unsure tone.

"It's fine aunty. You were their friend, of course my parents would want to help you. Besides, we had moved before the accident, we hadn't been beside you so that was the least they could do for you." Gayatri said to her with a smile.

Michael's mother looked at the girl as she digested her words as she stayed silent for a few moments as the two students looked at her. They exchanged brief glances and then looked back at the woman on the bed.

"Alright, if that's what they want. But I will try to make it up to them somehow. You can count on that." Michael's mother said to her after she thought about it.

"As you say aunty." Gayatri said with a shake of her head.

Michael just chuckled at his mother's words when the door to the room opened and a nurse walked inside. She saw that his mother was awake as she was surprised. After that she asked the two of them to leave the room for a few minutes so that she could do a check up and the two did as told as they exited the room and stood in the hallway.

"So, your mom is back." Gayatri said as she looked at him with a smile.

"Yeah. I should tell Lakshmi about it." Michael said as he fished out his phone.

"She knows about this?" Gayatri asked him as she narrowed her eyes a bit.

"Yeah. I had told her after some time." Michael said to her with a nod.

"I see. Well, tell her if you want." Gayatri said as she took out her phone as well.

Michael looked at her and then sent a message, as he thought that Lakshmi would be sleeping at the moment considering the time. Meanwhile Gayatri had sent the message to her parents and brother that his mother had awoken from her coma.

'With this, Michael's life will get much better than before.' Gayatri thought to herself as she smiled while looking at Michael.