MELTING A FROZEN HEART

Chapter 18

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RAELYNN

"He must have gotten agitated from the noise.", Mr. Marino said, rubbing the baby's tiny back, holding him pressed against his chest.

"Yeah. He started crying the moment mom shouted that Mrs. Ward was losing consciousness. He must have gotten scared.", Leah thought out loud, concerned.

I steered my gaze away from them and looked at the adorable kid.

He was leaning against Mr. Marino's chest, his tiny fingers fiddling with the button of his shirt keenly, his lips puckered out and his chubby cheeks coated with dried tears and a shade of red.

He was going to put the button in his mouth and I reacted on instinct.

"Hey", I exclaimed, placing my palm over his lips.

He flinched, startled, and tears started to brim in his eyes yet again.

I felt guilty and retracted my hand immediately.

Mr. Marino bounced him lightly, patting his back, walking away to pacify him slowly.

"I shouldn't have interfered.", I muttered under my breath guiltily.

"I feel sorry for the kid. Everyone of us does. I can't even imagine growing up without my parents.", Leah sighed, sad.

I looked at her and saw her gazing at Mr. Marino and the kid with a sorrowful shadow cast over her countenance.

I didn't probe further. It is not my place to ask for details.

"The day Paige passed away, Mrs. Ward had a cardiac arrest. The kid was crying all night and even mom couldn't pacify him. We had been tense for a whole three days until the doctor assured us that she would be fine.", Leah continued talking, sadness lacing her tone.

I stood there silently, listening to her venting, not intending to comment or judge.

"Paige had it rough too though. She was just in the third year of university when she got pregnant. During the middle of her third year, she came home suddenly, surprising everyone. We thought she was just homesick, but it turned out she had gotten pregnant.", Leah's face twisted into a pained frown by now.

"She had fallen into depression through her pregnancy no matter how much we tried to cheer her up. And three months after she gave birth, she passed away in her sleep. It's only been a little over a month since her funeral and -", Leah was saying, her tone thick with emotions, but was cut off by an old female voice.

"Where's Ian?", we heard a tense female voice from behind us, coming from the entrance of the house.

I turned around and looked at an old lady standing near the door, leaning against it on one side and being supported by Margaret on the other side, looking at us, worried and anxious.

"Mrs. Ward", Leah rushed to her to aid her along with her.

She's the owner and the one who lent us the apartment last night.

She looked old, could be in her late seventies, her face wrinkly yet firm, her form evidently weak.

I too walked to her out of courtesy.

"Where's Ian?", she asked in a weak and low tone as Leah and I reached her.

"Uh, the tenant from yesterday is -", Leah trailed off, pointing at Mr. Marino carrying the kid around, considerably far from us.

The old lady looked at them, the tension on her face gradually mellowing down, giving way to a confused frown.

"Who's that?", she asked, confused.