A few days later, in the inpatient isolation room, "Uh," Elsa opened her eyes. She looked at the ceiling, but suddenly, "Ngiing," her ears were filled with the noisy chatter of many people, even though there was no one else in the room. Elsa raised her hands and covered her ears, but the buzzing sound didn't disappear.
"Wh-what's happening...? Aaaaaah!"
Elsa screamed, covering her ears. "Shreeg," the door slid open. An elderly woman stood behind the door. She saw Elsa sitting up in her bed, hunched over, covering both ears and crying. She immediately ran and hugged Elsa.
"Shush... It's okay, Elsa, Grandma's here," the grandmother said.
"Gr-grandma, my ears hurt... Grandma, please, Grandma... Aaaaaah!" Elsa screamed once more.
The panicked grandmother pressed the call button for nurses and doctors near the bed, then hugged Elsa again. Soon after, the doctor and nurses rushed into the room. They tried to calm Elsa down and speak to her, but their voices only hurt Elsa more, causing her to thrash like someone possessed.
Finally, Dr. Kelvin took a syringe and gave Elsa a sedative. Elsa calmed down again and fell asleep. Then Dr. Kelvin examined her body and checked her heart.
"She's okay, isn't she, Doctor?" the grandmother asked.
"She's fine. I don't know what caused her to be hysterical. Have you told her about her parents?" Dr. Kelvin asked.
"Not yet, Doctor. I came in because I heard her screaming," the grandmother replied.
"Okay, even though her heart compatibility is 80%, please don't tell her the sad news yet so as not to burden her mind and heart. I beg you to understand, for her own good," Dr. Kelvin said.
"I understand, Doctor, thank you," the grandmother replied, starting to shed tears.
"Thank you, Grandma. I will find out why she became hysterical like this," Dr. Kelvin said.
After confirming Elsa's condition was stable, Kelvin and the nurses left the room, leaving the grandmother sitting beside the sleeping Elsa, holding her hand and crying. A few hours later, Elsa opened her eyes. She turned to see her grandmother sleeping by her bedside.
"Grandma," Elsa gently nudged.
But her grandmother didn't wake up or move at all. Elsa reached out and held her grandmother's shoulder.
"Grandma, wake up, Grandma," Elsa said once more.
Her grandmother still didn't wake up. Elsa began to worry. She kept shaking her grandmother's body.
"Grandma... Grandma... Grandma," Elsa said in a slightly louder voice.
Elsa tried to hold her hand. Her grandmother's hand was cold. She immediately placed a finger under her grandmother's nose and found that her grandmother was no longer breathing. Tears began to stream down Elsa's face. She shook her grandmother's body with desperation.
"Grandma... wake up, Grandma... wake up, Grandma... Grandma... Grandma!" Elsa screamed.
A nurse who heard Elsa's screams immediately entered, then saw Elsa vigorously shaking her grandmother, tears streaming down her face. The nurse immediately checked the grandmother's condition and was shocked. She immediately stopped Elsa and shook her head. Elsa then hugged the nurse and wailed uncontrollably in the nurse's arms.
The resident doctor arrived, having been called by the nurse pressing the button, and immediately examined the grandmother. The doctor's diagnosis was that the grandmother was overly exhausted and mentally stressed, finally taking her last breath beside her beloved grandchild. Elsa cried even harder. She hit herself, regretting having made her grandmother worry and wait for her all this time.
After Elsa calmed down again, Kelvin met her in her room. He offered his deepest condolences to the pensive Elsa. Elsa could hear the sincere beat of Kelvin's heart as he offered his condolences. Then she immediately asked,
"Doctor, how are my mom and dad?" Elsa asked.
Kelvin, hearing Elsa's question, became utterly silent. But Elsa knew because Kelvin's heartbeat increased, a sign he was hiding something.
"Please, Doctor, tell me," Elsa said.
"Alright, I ask you to be strong," he said, sighing. "Your mom and dad didn't survive the accident that befell you all. They have passed away," Kelvin said.
Elsa didn't answer. She looked down, her hands clutching the blanket covering her waist. Tears flowed, but she tried to be strong. She turned to look at Kelvin, her lips trembling, forcing a smile.
"So... I'm all alone now, Doctor, hehe," Elsa said, smiling through her tears.
Kelvin couldn't answer. He reached out and held Elsa's hand to support her as she tried her best to be strong. Elsa looked down and cried.
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Kelvin whispered softly.
"Thank you, Doctor," Elsa replied, crying.
******
A few days later, after her grandmother's burial at the hospital's cemetery, Elsa sat in her wheelchair in the park, lost in thought and alone. Suddenly, a girl, who looked about 12 years old, approached her.
"Hello, big sister?" the girl asked, looking at her face.
"Hello," Elsa replied.
"Big sister, do you understand what I'm saying?" the girl asked.
Elsa didn't answer, but she nodded, turning to look at the girl standing beside her. The girl's face immediately brightened.
"Big sister, are you Indonesian?" the girl asked.
"Yes, and you are too, aren't you?" Elsa replied.
"Hehe, yes. Are you getting treatment here, big sister?" the girl asked.
"Yes. And you?" Elsa asked.
"I'm visiting my older brother here. I came here with Mom and Dad. We're staying here for two days. What's your name, big sister?" the little girl asked.
"My name is Elsa. What's yours?" Elsa asked.
"I'm Lia. Nice to meet you, big sister," Lia replied.
"Yes, nice to meet you, Lia. What's your brother's illness?" Elsa asked.
"He has a heart condition, big sister. He never leaves the house and always stays inside. The only time he goes out is to the hospital," Lia replied.
"You love your brother, don't you?" Elsa asked.
"Of course, very much, hehe. What about you, big sister, what's your illness?" Lia replied, asking back.
"Oh, this," Elsa said, showing the scar on her chest.
"What kind of illness is that, big sister?" Lia asked, not understanding.
"The same as your brother, a heart condition," Elsa replied.
"Wow, same," Lia said, observing the scar on Elsa's chest.
"Liaaa!"
A shout was heard from a distance. Lia and Elsa turned. They saw a couple waving at them from afar.
"Are those your mom and dad?" Elsa asked.
"Yes. I'll go over there first, okay? Later, when you're better, we can play, big sister," Lia said cheerfully.
"Yes, if you come here again, visit me too, okay?" Elsa replied.
"Sure thing, big sister. Bye for now!" Lia replied.
"Yes, go on," Elsa replied.
Lia turned and ran towards her calling father and mother. Elsa smiled. She watched Lia holding hands with her father from a distance.
"It's nice to have a family, hehe. But why didn't she ask about my legs? Usually, that's the first thing people ask to me. Her name is Lia, she's so sincere," Elsa thought to herself.
Elsa continued to watch Lia, who was getting further and further out of sight, but she could still hear Lia's conversation with her parents.
"Dad, there was a big sister earlier who also has a heart condition, just like my brother," Lia said.
"Oh, really? The one you were just talking to?" her father asked.
"Yes, Dad, her name is Big Sister Elsa," Lia replied.
"Oh, Elsa," her father replied.
"The one in the wheelchair, right?" her mother asked, turning to the side.
"Yes, that's right, Mom, she's Big Sister Elsa. If we come here again, can I keep her company? She seems lonely," Lia replied.
"Yes, you can, but don't forget to visit your brother too," her mother replied.
"Okay, Mom, I understand," Lia replied cheerfully.
Hearing Lia's conversation with her parents, Elsa covered her mouth with her hand. Tears streamed down her face, and she looked down so no one would see her crying.
"Her brother is here, hopefully Lia will come here again," Elsa thought to herself.
After that, for two days, Lia continued to visit Elsa in the park until she returned to Jakarta.