My Boss

61

I arrived at Heathrow Airport late evening.

Agatha said that there would be a driver at the gate who would wait for me and take me straight to the hospital where Alex was admitted.

I did not sleep the whole flight, how could I if all I could think of was to worry?

As soon as I got out of the hospital, I booked my ticket the next day.

I still remember my Dad's face when I told him about Alex. He did not expect it for sure, he was cornered and I apologize to him about that.

Even though he was opposed to me flying right away, he wasn't able to do anything but take me to the airport. He is the best Dad ever and I couldn't have asked for anybody else.

As I approached the gate, I saw my name already held by the driver.

"Hi." I greeted him.

"Ms. Cara Greene?" He asked.

"Yes."

He took my luggage and guided me to the black town car in the parking area of the airport. He opened the car door for me and proceeded to the driver's seat.

As I leaned my back in my seat, I closed my eyes and remembered the call I received from Alex's Mom.

"This... This is her Mom. Is this Cara?"

"Y-Yes." I managed to answer her even with the loud pounding on my chest. Her voice has a hint that she was just crying.

"Alex is... I-I had to bring her to the hospital, she had trouble breathing and was seizing and when we reached the hospital, she had to be revived multiple times..." Her sobs became as loud, like she was trying not to but she just couldn't and let it all out.

"Anyway, she's umm, she's in the ICU right now."

There was a long pause before she continued again.

"She told me about you, Cara. After her Chemotherapy earlier today, even weak, she told me about you. And I could see in her face, despite the weariness, how happy she was with you and wished that you were here with her. And I know, as soon as she wakes up, she will ask for you. Can you fly here as soon as possible?"

It wasn't until I felt the hot liquid on my cheek that I realized I was crying.

God, I know I don't pray much and ask for your guidance, but please, please, save Alex...

I wiped my tears and looked out the window.

If I were in a different situation, I would be admiring the view outside since it is my first time going out of the country, but all I feel is pain. All I can think of is these prayers and wishes for Alex to be well so that she could come back to me. So we could be together and happy.

I sighed deeply, so deeply that the driver heard it and had to check in the rearview mirror if I was doing okay.

Soon enough, we were pulling over in front of the hospital. I didn't wait for the driver to open the door for me.

"I will bring your luggage to the hotel, Ms. Greene."

I utter my thanks and head to the lobby of the hospital.

"Hi, the room of Alexandra Williams, please." I told the nurses at the station.

As soon as I got the room number and the directions, I didn't waste any time and went there straight.

As I neared the ICU wing, a sense of dread settled over me like a heavy blanket, suffocating and oppressive. Each step felt like a burden, as if I was trudging through thick mud, my heart pounding an erratic rhythm in my chest.

The sterile scent of disinfectant filled my senses, mingling with the faint, acrid tang of anxiety that seemed to permeate the very air. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead made everything feel even scarier.

In each room I passed by, the people lying down on the bed were all hooked with tubes.

You could hear the crying of the family members, and it added to the pain I was already feeling. Imagining Alex on those tubes...

God...

My knees weakened just thinking about that when I heard someone call my name.

It was Agatha.

"Thank god, you're here. She's not awake yet..." Agatha greeted me with her arms wrapped around me.

She held my hand and guided me to the area where we needed to wear a gown, mask, and gloves. Right after that, she pulled me into Alex's room.

My trembling hand reached out to grasp the cold metal handle of the door, hesitating for a moment before finally sliding it open.

The sight that greeted me made my breath catch in my throat and tears stung my eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

There she lay, pale and fragile against the stark white sheets, surrounded by a labyrinth of beeping machines and tubes. The rhythmic sound of the heart monitor provided a dissonant backdrop to the chaos of my thoughts.

My heart shattered into a million pieces at the sight of her, so vulnerable, so helpless, tore at my very soul.

It was as if someone had reached into my chest and squeezed my heart with an iron fist, leaving me gasping for air and struggling to make sense of the overwhelming emotions crashing over me like relentless waves.

How I longed to reach out and hold her close, to whisper words of comfort and reassurance in her ear, but the wires and machines seemed to form an impenetrable barrier between us.

Every fiber of my being ached with the need to take away her suffering, to bear it for her if I could. But all I could do was stand here, helpless and powerless.

"The tumor... It's aggressively growing and the chemo seemed not to work this time..." Agatha spoke in between her sobs.

"Her doctor is not sure if she will ever wake up... Oh, my daughter!" Agatha went to the side of Alex's bed and wept.

At that moment, I felt a raw and primal urge to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. Why her? Of all people, why her?

I just stood there and watched Agatha cry her heart out. I was rooted to the spot, unable to tear my eyes away from the sight before me. My heart felt heavy, as if it had been encased in stone, weighing me down and anchoring me to the spot.

Every cell of my being screaming at me to move, to do something, anything, but I couldn't. I was frozen in place, held captive by the sheer magnitude of emotions coursing through my veins.

Agatha held out her hand for me to take it. I stared at it like it was a foreign object. Then I started to shake my head several times, the silent cry became loud and the next thing I knew, I stormed out of the room.

I did not go anywhere but just outside of Alex's room. There I sat on the cold floor, crying, cursing. I didn't mind the look I earned from the nurses passing by, and the empathetic look from the family members of each patient confined on this floor.

Not long, Agatha joined me. She sat beside me and held me.

"Alexandra is gonna be okay, Cara. She has to be... She told me she will fight this because of you... She loves you so much and she wouldn't hurt you like this, so she would be okay..."

__________________________________

Hello, my lovely and funny readers, I set up a ko-fi account, so if you want to treat me, send me a gift, or simply motivate me, please feel free to visit my page: Ko-fi.com/lunamarcelo :)

Follow me on IG as well: LunaMarcel0

Thank youuuu for always supporting my work, I'm reading all your comments and I love how invested you are in the story :)