50-Her Mirage

"It's a sudden shock that's triggered her hyperventilating symptoms, just rest and get some nutrition."

An hour or so later, in the children's ward at the NewYork hospital, Ray stood over a sleeping Elisa and said to Hermosa: "But a three-year-old's body can't take so much hospitalisation and injections. If I may ask, why is she so frightened? You'd better be more careful after that so that she doesn't get scared again."

"I understand." Hermosa nodded, embarrassment and guilt weighing her down so much she could barely look Ray in the eye, "Thank you."

Ray didn't say anything more, and after a few more words of caution she left.

Hermosa sat down on the edge of Elisa's bed and buried her face in her palm and took a few deep breaths, her heart almost overwhelmed with guilt.

She remembered Elisa's first hyperventilating episode. She was just over a year old and had watched herself being pestered by Randolph drunken henchman pestering her into the house and almost being raped. Then when sh