The Season of Reaching the Stars

CHAPTER 21

THE NEXT day, Luki comes out of Laura's room and meets her stepmother. "How's Laura doing?" Ask Helen.

"is fine. He's still sleeping now. Can we talk for a second?" Luki hasn't had time to talk to her stepmother in person since the accident.

Helen nodded.

In the hospital cafeteria, Luki bought a cup of tea for her stepmother.

"You look tired" Helen said worriedly. "You better get back to rest. You've been waiting for Laura all week."

Luki. "I'm not tired. Um... I've read birthday cards written by you. Laura gave it to me the day she had an accident. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were thinking about me this whole time either."

Helen took a deep breath and looked at Luki, her now-grown foster child. "I don't have the courage to send it to you."

"You're really gone." Luki looked at Helen sadly. "When I told you to leave that time, you really left. I didn't expect you to follow my wishes."

Helen put down her tea cup. Staring at Luki softly. "I know I can never replace your mother. But I love you like my own son."

"That time..," Luki's mind drifted into the past 25 years ago. "I don't actually hate you. I'm really scared. If I start liking you, I'm afraid I'll forget my mom."

"Memories of your mother won't be lost forever, Luki."

"I know that now. You could have stayed that time. I'm just a little kid. Papa will defend you. Why...why do you obey my wish to leave?"

Helen looked at her stepson gently. "Because before I loved your father, I loved you first. I remember when we first met. You were in the park with your mom. You're three years old. You smiled at me and gave me a rose. I realized that you had taken my heart. Taking care of you is not just a job for me anymore, but my life. I love you, Luki. Maybe that was also one of the reasons why your father liked me and decided to marry me. She thinks I can be a good mother to you."

Luki was stunned to hear Helen's words. His heart felt a deep sense of freshness. "sorry. I caused your daughter to have an accident." Then Luki tells how she met the person who hit Laura.

Helen just shook her head. "No. It's not your fault."

"I hurt your daughter. And you're not mad?" Tanya Luki was confused.

"I think you've punished yourself enough." Helen touches Luki's hand slowly. "I don't blame you. I'm sure Laura doesn't blame you either. The only person who feels guilty is yourself. You have to let go of your guilt, Luki."

"I can't." Luki clenched her hand. "I was too angry to let go. Just like when you weren't next to your mom when you died. I'm still mad at papa for that."

"Oh. You're wrong." Helen clasped Luki's fingers tightly. "Your father is abroad because he wants to find the best doctor to treat your mammary disease. He begged the best doctor to come home with him. But your father didn't expect your mammary illness to be severe. And when you get home, your dad's too late. Your mother can't be saved."

"What?" Tanya Luki did not believe it. "Papa never told me about this. Why?"

"I think your father felt too guilty and grieved at the passing of your mother. He knows you won't accept his explanation. Your father really loved your mother, Luki. She really lost her spirit when your mom died. Concil with. Don't let your papa lose you, too."

Luki could not help but endure the sadness in her heart. Now, after 25 years, the truth of the past is revealed.

"I have to go back to Laura's room. "Helen stood up from her chair. "Luki, you better not take care of her today, let me. You rest. I don't want you to get sick."

As Helen turned around to leave, Luki smiled. "Thank you. ma..."

Helen turned back to Luki. "What..your word?:

Luki stood up and approached Helen. "I said.thank you, Mama. You're my mama now."

Helen cries at Luki's confession.

Luki hugged Helen for the first time. "I'm glad you're my second mother. Papa didn't choose wrong."

Helen hugged her stepson while sobbing. "thank you. Thank you for accepting me."

"Now we're a family." Luki let go of her embrace and wiped away Helen's tears, her mother now. "I'll go home and rest. Today my mother is watching. But I'll take care of you tomorrow, okay?"

"All right." Helen smiles.

 

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Arriving at the apartment, Luki rushed to take a bath. Fatigue for a week finally forced his body to rest. Five hours later, Luki woke up with a fresh body. There was one missed call on his HP. From inspector Rahmat, the police officer who handled Laura's accident case. Luki called back. Apparently there's good news. The Dragon's existence has been traced. The police have found Dragon's residence.

Before the phone call ended, Luki asked Rahmat for something. And after speaking at length, Rahmat finally agreed to Luki's wishes.

 

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Dragon opened his door slowly. He just got home from his prem gang meeting. Next week he plans to steal a luxury car in the elite.

The front room in the house was dark. Dragon turned on the lights. And how shocked he saw Luki Rafael sitting in his chair.

"Hello, Dragon. We meet again."

Dragon's eyes began to watch his surroundings. "How did you get here?"

Luki standing. "That's not important. You've accidentally bumped into my sister and left her helplessly sprawled on the street."

Dragon folded his hands on his chest. "I don't know what you mean."

Luki showed me a copy of Dragon's threatening letter. "You wrote this. The one you hit wasn't my girlfriend. But brother. A very special girl."

"Everyone can write a threatening letter," Dragon twitched. "You must have a lot of enemies.

That guy could have written it using my name."

Luki tried to restrain her anger by clenching her hands. "When you busted my sister, she saw you. When I gave you your picture, he recognized you as the one who hit him. You'll be in jail for a very long time."

Dragon smiled broadly. "Even if I hit your sister, as you're accusing, you have no proof. Your sister could have recognized me, but if she was lying on the street like you said, wouldn't her body condition be weak? How could he possibly see clearly who hit him? Even if you have a thousand lawyers, your arguments won't stand up in court."

Luki looked at Dragon's face with a deadly look. "I knew. During your actions you never leave a trace. Until now."

"What do you mean?" Ask Dragon loudly.

"You made one mistake" Luki challenged Dragon.

"What mistake?" Dragon frowned, his hand moving unwilling to remain still.

"You hit my sister in front of Rafael's apartment building. My apartment." Luki looked at Dragon as she walked over to him. "There's a lot of surveillance cameras in my apartment. There were cameras that recorded what happened when you hit my sister. Your face is clearly there. If that's not enough, you're making a mistake again. You made a threatening letter and put it in my car inside the parking lot. There's surveillance cameras there, too. You can cover your body with a suit and glasses, but that's you. It's all over. You'll be in jail for a very long time. I'll make sure of it myself."

Dragon's face turned pale. He tried to run out the entrance of his house. But some police officers had already brandished weapons and had Dragon stay in place.

Two policemen herded Dragon and handcuffed him. They put Dragon in a police car. Before the car left, Luki leaned over and whispered to Dragon, "you made a mistake the day you met me." Luki's gaze pierced sharply without feeling into Dragon's eyes. "No one can hurt my family. Remember that!

Dragon inched away from Luki's gaze. Luki's gaze looked very soft in her eyes. Shortly after, the car left. Take Dragon to the police station.

"Thank you for your help." Luki walked towards inspector Rahmat.

"This is my duty" said inspector Rahmat. "Again, I should also thank you. Eventually a high-class villain like Dragon could be caught. I'm sure, with solid evidence, Dragon will be in jail long enough."

Luki nodded slowly.

"Don't hesitate to call me if you need help" said inspector Rahmat. Luki has been collecting evidence to help police investigate Laura's accident for several days. Inspector Grace has never seen anyone as determined as Luki to get justice. He secretly respected her.

"certain." Luki nodded again, then shook the hand of inspector Grace, a man worthy of her respect.

 

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"Let's go one more step. Come,Laura! You can do it!" Luki is encouraging.

Laura reached for her hand and told Luki to lower her voice. "Don't kencangkang. Shame dong seen people. Go there. You're disturbing my therapy."

Luki. "I promised I'd follow your therapy until you'd recover and be able to walk normally again."

Laura looked at Luki's face. He knew Luki still felt guilty about him. For three months Laura could not move her legs at all. Then after three months, Riswan's doctor gave a positive signal for Laura's foot examination, and advised Laura to undergo physical therapy.

Laura held on to the two poles and tried to walk one more step. Within the next month, Laura was already progressing. He is determined to heal. Luki always accompanied him with every therapy. Mama moved in and lived at papa's house. During the healing period, Laura also moved to her parents' house, but she insisted on returning to her old house after recovering. He doesn't want to be too far from his job.

During his time in the hospital, Antonio, Maya, and all the restaurant employees took turns to look at him non-stop. Antonio wishes Laura a speedy recovery and could return to her kitchen again. Antonio temporarily took over as head chef assisted by Robi, a senior chef who had already worked ahead of Laura. To fill the gap during her time off work, Laura often writes new recipes for Antonio's restaurant, and asks Antonio to put them into practice.

after finishing therapy, Laura persuades Luki to drive her to the restaurant. He hadn't visited there in a long time. Luki relented on the condition that Laura should not work at all. I can only see and meet her friends.

"Laura!" Maya is shocked to see Laura coming. "I'll tell Antonio you're here.

The other servants called Laura and asked her how she was doing. They put Laura and Luki on the seat near the kitchen. Antonio came out of the kitchen smiling. "How's my favorite chef doing?"

Laura laughed and hugged Antonio. "I just finished therapy. You won't be the head chef for too long. I'll be back soon."

"Good." Antonio was delighted with Laura's optimism. "But you can't work too long. Five dishes a day. Not more."

Laura pouted. "It was only five? Twenty meals a day."

Antonio shakes. "No. There's no bargain."

"Ten, okay?" Laura said hard. "Ten dishes per day. And after a full recovery, I want to work full time."

Antonio seemed to think long. "Hm. And once you're healed you can work full time, but only four days a week. The other three days you're off."

"OK," Laura agreed quickly. "I also want to spend time off with my family. Now I want to eat your cooking, Antonio. During these four months I ate a completely bland hospital meal. Now I want to eat well" he said with a big smile.

"I'll prepare a good meal for you" Antonio smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Seeing Laura smile happily, Luki felt relieved. He knew how difficult the therapy Laura was going through. But Laura never once complained of pain to him. Within four months, Luki's heart was filled with two special women. Helen and Laura. Luki made up with papa. And for the first time, Luki felt the power of family affection.

 

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Month by month passed. The physical therapy that Laura underwent went well. By the end of the seventh month, Laura was already able to walk slowly without the help of iron buffers. Dr. Riswan wanted Laura to stay for two days to undergo an overall body examination as the final stage of her physical therapy process. If the results of Laura's examination are good, it is certain that Laura can return to her usual activities.

"Laura." Luki's in with a hot flask. "I brought you something."

Laura scolded. Luki accompanied him almost every day. It wasn't that Laura wasn't happy, but she knew there was an important reason why Luki did it. Luki's guilt has not disappeared, but Laura has repeatedly said she never blamed him even, the capture of Dragon, the person who hit him, and the person who hit him, and the fifteen-year prison sentence still hasn't made Luki stop blaming herself.

Luki opened the flask in her hand. "I made it myself."

Laura looked at her brother with a slight annoyance. "Aren't you any other job than to keep me? I'm sure your work piles up in the company."

"There is nothing more important than taking care of you" Luki said solemnly. "At the same time, I have a lot of assistants. Let them do my job."

"I heard from papa, you promised to work for him for a year." Laura held Luki's hand. "Please rethink. Papa needs you in the company. Papa is really proud of you. During this one year, papa said you had a lot of good ideas for the company's progress."

"alright. If you want me to keep working for papa's company, I will" Luki promised.

Laura shakes. "No. I don't want you to do it because of me. I want you to do it for yourself. Don't you want to advance the business that papa pioneered?"

"You're right." Luki sat down beside Laura's bed. "I'll consider it well. Now, let's have my coffee. I really made it special for you." "Coffee?" Laura gulped. Luki doesn't know that Laura doesn't like coffee. Laura couldn't tell Luki about her dislike. Laura could not bear to make Luki disappointed. Moreover, Luki made that coffee specifically for him. It will only make her guilt grow.

"alright. I'll have coffee, but...." Laura looked at Luki seriously, "promise me to take all that guilt out of your heart. Every time you feel that way, my heart feels bad. From now on I don't want to see you looking at me with that kind of look anymore. Replace your guilt with compassion. And I'll take it with pleasure."

Luki looked down, then looked at Laura. "You really are a great woman, Laura. I promise I won't feel guilty again after today." "Good." Laura smiled happily.

"I've never been defeated by a woman before." Luki looked at Laura while recalling their first meeting. "You beat me hard when you surprised me by bringing all kinds of food to my face. But I'm not surprised. Only a Rafael can beat another Rafael, right?"

Laura smile. "Yes, you're right. I even called you the annoying guy over and over again in my heart. Now you've turned into a great brother."

Laura took a deep breath and prepared to drink Luki's coffee. Perhaps if he held his breath while drinking coffee, he would not inhale the smell and would not spit it out. Laura took the glass in front of her and drank it slowly. Laura thought it was a good thing she was in the hospital. He can ask for anti-nausea medication afterwards.

Luki looked at Laura who was drinking her homemade coffee. Slowly the guilt in his sister began to diminish.

"I've been drinking your coffee." Laura hoped her stomach would last for a moment. "Now I want to rest first. You go home."

Luki nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow. You rest."

After Luki came out of her room, Laura immediately pressed the button to call the nurse and asked for anti-nausea medication. A while later after her stomach felt better, Laura slowly lifted her hospital gown. He saw grated wounds stretching all the way to his thighs and knees. Without feeling her tears flowing down. Laura was crying sobbing. He felt that there was a part of him that could not come back. He has been disabled. And that scar will be a sign that won't go away forever.

("For just one day"), his promise is in the heart. ("Let me cry over my wounds today").

 

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On the day that Laura was able to walk normally, her parents remarried. Luki and Laura become their witnesses in the simple wedding celebration of their parents. Laura looked at the beautiful looking mama in a white dress. He smiled happily. My mom deserves her happiness. As for her, her new family and her cooking job had already delighted her. That's enough.