Tears welled up in Lina’s eyes. How had she missed this? How had she not seen any indication of Julian’s awareness? The caregiver continued their interaction, gently massaging Julian’s limbs, speaking to him as if in conversation, and incredibly, Julian seemed to respond, weakly but unmistakably.
Lina felt a tempest of emotions—anger at the deception, guilt for not realizing sooner, but overwhelmingly, a surge of hope. She had spent 23 years in silent vigil, believing her son was unreachable, when all along there had been a flicker of life, a sliver of consciousness trapped beneath the surface.
With renewed determination, Lina knew she had to confront the caregiver, not with accusations, but with gratitude and a plea for understanding. She wanted to know how long Julian had been trying to communicate, how much he understood, and how she could bridge the gap that had seemed insurmountable for so long.
