HURT FOR ME

Chapter Thirty-Six - Decision

"One of the hardest decisions made in life is to choose which bridge to burn and which bridge to cross."

Aaron Adair

I slumped forward, my elbows on my knees, my head supported by my hands. "What went wrong?!" I exclaimed angrily, directing my frustration at Dr. Kavanaugh.

"Mr. Adair," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder, "rest assured, we are actively investigating the matter." He offered me reassurance in his words.

Feeling the pressure, I gently massaged my temples, striving to keep myself composed. All I needed was some information — her well-being, the condition she was in, or an estimate of how long until her recovery.

As they led Olivia out of the room, I walked alongside them, accompanying her as far as I could. However, the doctors eventually intervened, urging me to wait and not proceed further.

Startled by the familiar voice, I turned to see Katherine Bennett, her concern evident. "Oh my God, is she okay?" she exclaimed, her worry palpable. I took a moment to gather myself before responding. "They've taken her for further evaluation," I explained, my voice filled with a mixture of anxiety and urgency.

"How is she?"  Katherine repeated as if I didn't understand the question the first time. "I don't know anymore than that." I replied dryly.

She scoffed loudly, "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't fucking know, Katherine." I snapped.

As she let out a disapproving sigh, Katherine expressed her belief that I was never a suitable match for Olivia from the beginning. Her words turned into a ramble, emphasizing how I seemingly always led her into trouble. The weight of her accusation made me tense, contemplating whether there was truth to it. The first time Olivia ended up in a similar situation was when I crashed the car, and now, due to her illness, she finds herself in a different predicament.

The thought of our unborn child becomes overwhelming, causing me to hold my head in an attempt to escape the consuming thoughts while Katherine's bickering persists.

"Mr. Adair," Kavanaugh appeared out of the swinging doors, holding that same clipboard. "May I speak with you?"

Another scoff left Katherine, "I'm her mother."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Bennett," Kavanaugh said, skillfully interjecting. "But he's her spouse." With his words, Kavanaugh led me through the doors, leaving Katherine behind. As we walked down the lengthy hallway, Kavanaugh continued speaking, updating me on the situation. "We've identified the issue. Olivia's urinary catheter malfunctioned, leading to an episode of urinary incontinence." He explained further, noticing my confusion about its connection to the bleeding. Sensing my anticipation, he elaborated, "Renal Cell Carcinoma can sometimes cause blood to appear in the urine." A mixture of emotions flooded me, and I couldn't help but release a sigh of relief, albeit a harsh one.

Overwhelmed with emotions, I paused in my tracks, leaning over and supporting myself by gripping my knees tightly. It was difficult to articulate my thoughts, and the words struggled to escape my lips. "I thought she..." I faltered, unable to complete the sentence. As I processed the impact of the revelation, beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, mirroring the slow descent of relief that washed over me upon hearing the good news.