âChildren shouldnât interfere in adult matters, Maxwell said. âDad just wants to have a few drinks, thatâs all.â
âItâs not good for your health!â
âAre you worried about Abel or your dad?â
âWhat are you saying?â Emmeline pouted. âOf course, itâs both of you!â
Abel understood what Maxwell meant. Kimberlyâs mental illness had caused him a lot of emotional suppression, and he needed to let it out.
âEmma, Abel said. âLetâs listen to Dad and have a few drinks together!â
During the night, everyone went to sleep, and Kimberly was sitting alone in the living room.
Emmeline got up to use the bathroom and was startled by Kimberly. âMom, why are you sitting here in the middle of the night?â
âI canât sleep.â Kimberly pounded her head. âI wish I could get rid of this mind!â
âMom, donât say that Emmeline held her hand. âYouâll hurt yourself.â
âEmma!â Kimberly grabbed Emmelineâs hand. âWhy donât you take me to the city hospital tomorrow? I need to take care of my health, and I also need to see you get married!â
Emmeline was speechless. She and Abel had already been to the city hospital, and their suggestion was to go to the Altry Mental Hospital.
What should they do?
If Kimberly found out that they took her there, she would go crazy even if she wasnât already!
At least they managed to convince Kimberly to take her medication and go to sleep, and Emmeline returned to bed.
It was already late at night, and she only slept for a short while until it was barely dawn.
After discussing with Maxwell and Abel, the three of them decided to take Kimberly to the mental hospital.
They just needed to make sure she didnât find out which hospital it was.
At ten oâclock in the morning, Abel drove, and the family of four headed to the mental hospital.
They entered through the back door of the inpatient department, avoiding the prominent sign of the mental hospital.
As they drove past the treeâlined road in front of the inpatient department, they faimly heard shouts and curses.
Emmelineâs heart skipped a beat. Is this mental patient having an episode?
Kimberly furrowed her brows and asked, âWhatâs that noise?â
Abel immediately turned on the car stereo, using music to drown out the sounds.
The car quickly passed through the inpatient department and arrived at the outpatient building. The four of them entered the clinic.
Just as Abel was about to speak to the doctor, a nurse rushed in. Doctor! Hurry! We canât handle it anymore!â
Before the doctor could say anything, he left the family of four and followed the nurse.
Several minutes passed, and the doctor still hadnât returned, so Abel went out to look for him.
Just as he turned the comer, several people came rushing toward him, howling.
All of them were doctors and nurses in white coats, supporting a patient wearing a striped hospital gown, hurrying past.
Abel was startled and quickly moved aside to avoid them.
Meanwhile, Kimberly, Mom, and Emmeline heard the horrifying screams and rushed out as well.
âWhat place is this?â Kimberly frowned warily. âIsnât this the mysterious medicine clinic?â
âThis is the city hospital outpatient department, Maxwell said, pretending to be calm.
âNo, I know the city hospital outpatient department.â
âMom. Emmeline grabbed Momâs arm. âLetâs go first; the doctor isnât here.
âWhere are we? Kimberlyâs eyes widened, and they started to turn red.
âItâs the hospital outpatient department, everythingâs fine. Emmeline pleaded with Mom. âLetâs go first!â
The reaction of the patient who had just been taken away filled Emmeline with immense fear.
Suddenly, she was afraid that Kimberly would be treated the same way.
âWhat hospital is this exactly?â Kimberly turned her head, her voice and expression stern.
âKimberly!â Maxwell supported his wife. Listen. Letâs go!â
Suddenly, Kimberly saw a poster on the hospital wall not far away. It was about the daily care of psychiatric patients.
Kimberly was first stunned, then roared angrily. âThe neighbors said Iâm crazy. Do you all think so too?
Do you all think Iâin crazy too?â
âNo! No!â Maxwell panicked. âWe came here just to get medicine for treating insomnia!â
âI donât believe it!â Kimberly shouted. âYouâre all conspiring against mel You brought me here because you want to marry Emma into the Zeller family, right? Right?â
âNo, Mom. No! Emmeline clung to Kimberly in terror.
Smack! A sharp slap landed firmly on Enuelineâs face..
âItâs all your idea, you brat!â Kimberlyâs hand was raised in the air. âIâll kill you!â
Emmeline stumbled and hit her head against the wall. âMomâ¦â She covered her face and stood there dumbfounded.
âEmma!â Abel rushed over like a madman and held Emmeline in his arms.
Blood seeped from the corner of Emmelineâs mouth, and her checks were swollen with five finger marks.
Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down incessantly.
She wasnât in pain herself; she was heartbroken for Kimberly, who seemed to have truly gone insane.
âKimberly, what are you trying to do?â Maxwell shouted angrily. âHow could you hit Emma?â
âThis is typical schizophrenia.â A doctor came over and said, âI suggest hospitalization for treatment.â
âNo!â Emmeline cried. Abel, Dad, take Mom and go. Quickly take Mom away!â
Kimberly was also frightened as she trembled in fear. âAre you going to leave me here?â
âNo, no!â Emmeline hugged her mother and cried, âI wonât leave you here, Mom. I wonât abandon you. I want to take you with me!â