Chapter 16
On Camellia's way home, she collect some medical herbs for sale tomorrow while humming happily. She want to send them in the morning on her way to school. As she might be busy and do not have time to send the herbs after school just like her usual. She need to take care of the wolf until it fully recover. She does not want to do something half way through and half hearted. She will make sure when she start something it will be with all her heart and perfect or it is better never do it.
As soon as she reach in front of her house, Camellia saw light already seeping through the gap and crack between the front door and windows. She smelled some delicious food and heard some soup gurgling and boiling. She excitedly pushed the door and saw both of her parents already sitting next to each other at the dining table.
They both were talking happily about something that makes them chuckle once in a while. They only realise their daughter standing at the door for a few minutes and after feeling they being watch. They stared and smiled at Camellia from ear from ear to ear. Happy finally meet her after two days not at home.
Camellia take a huge stride to both of them and hug each other warmly. She really miss them both. Miss them so bad. They release their daughter a bit to take a look at her face and ask her worriedly.
"Lia baby, we heard that you were sick. Where are you coming from? How are you feeling? You are supposed to lay down and have some rest. You are making us worries sick," Her dad ask in an instant.
"Yes dear, you should forget about making money all yourself. Don't tire yourself out in this condition. Jess told us you can't even walk properly on your way home. Now, tell me how do you feel," her mom nagged and demand an answer from her.
Camellia just chuckle softly when she heard her old endearment from her dad. He had stop calling her baby when she pout and begged him to stop when she was old enough to go to preschool. She doesn't want to be a laughing stock at school. Her friend all will make fun of her if they ever heard of the name. So she ask her dad with those big eyes of her with pity face. Not only that, she want to be grown up that strong and can make money, in her opinion a baby will always depend on the grown up. So she ask her dad never call her baby anymore and ever again.
"Hahaha… Mom. Dad. I feel just fine and great. Jess must be make the story sounds awful. Stop bombarded me with so many questions at once. I don't know which one to answer first. And dad, it's been a long time since I heard that name.
"So what, baby? You will always be my baby. My daughter. My one and only baby girl."
"Nah… it just feel great to hear that name again. And weird at the same time,"
They have dinner and then clean up every dish they use together. They only bid good night to each other when Camellia done telling her parents her two days at home. She only leave the story where she sneak out before midnight and sleep in the wilderness. She never mention about her finding or anything about the wolf at the cave.
They both will forbid her if anything strange and weird happen. They both will even lock her up in the house and one of them might guarded for twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. Being with a wild animal will make them think and assume all the bad thing all the time. So she will keep all her dangerous adventures in the mountain to herself.
Before all of them retire for the night, Camellia's mom make sure her daughter have her medicine according the prescription. She watch her gulp down a glass and water and tuck Camellia in to her bed only then she left to her room and sleep for the night. That night Camellia sleep peacefully with heart at ease as both her mom and dad were finally at home after two days.
* * *
The next day Camellia go to school with Jessica like her usual day. She do all her activity she had plan on and finish the task at hand brilliantly. She ignore and turn deaf ears to those who throw all dirty words to her. For her when there is a light, there will always a shadow.
In the evening, Camellia go up the mountain just like the yesterday. She was hoping that the wolf will wake up sooner. He was supposed to wake up after three days. So she prepare some food like some chicken feet and skin that her family does not eat along. She bring them in a plastic container that can be easily throw away after used and will be easily decompose. She care for the nature so why not? She also bring extra plastic bowl for water before left along with her bag full with treatment and yesterday things she put.
On her way up she found some wild and nutritious herbs. It is good for internal and external of body system. She decided to pluck them in put it with the other herbs in the basket.
Soon Camellia arrived to the waterfall. Her heart beats thumping heavily as if it want to jump out of her chest. She do not know the reason why the same situation happen again. She should be just fine after two days spending time with the wolf. She even sleep near the wolf all by herself. She wonder why.
Anyway, Camellia just ignore the nervousness and the butterflies in her stomach and proceed doing all her task. She change the bandages, clean the fur, prepare the fire, concoct and feed the medicine and prepare the food she bring along from home. She only left when every work she need to do finished.
The same activity continue for the next several days. She find out that her hard work for the past several days paid off.