Going Solo

Part 26

Nicole

"Please, can you  drive a little faster?"

Jin turned to eye me warily. "I'm driving as fast as I possibly can."

"Really? You're driving 40 miles per hour!"

"Exactly! It's raining and the speed limit is 35!"

"I should've driven myself." I shook my head.

"This is exactly why you should not have driven yourself."

After getting the call from Tony about Adrian I almost fell to my knees. Jin, of course, wondered what was happening and upon hearing the gist of the phone call, immediately guided me to his car and sped off in the direction of the hospital. He sped, but not fast enough for me. I couldn't believe Adrian had, had a heart attack. 

She was such a sweet woman. When Tony and I broke up, for the second time, it was difficult for me to face the woman I once believed would be my mother-in-law. Until she called me on the phone, not a week later and told me that she still loved me like her own daughter. We'd been chatting on the phone every other week since then. 

Tony sounded as if he was trying to be strong when I spoke with him on the phone. I knew he needed me, despite the formal tone he used over the phone. If something happened to her, what would happen to Abby? Who would watch her when Tony worked? How would he function after losing his mother? All that I knew at this moment was that I needed to be there, I would figure out the rest later. 

Traffic was crazy and it took about 30 more minutes before we finally reached the hospital. The drive there was silent, Jin said nothing and I couldn't stop worrying. I knew if I said anything more, I might cry. And I would not cry in front of him. As soon as we parked, I rushed into the hospital.

It was cold, I could feel that, but my anxiety paired with the jog from the hospital's parking garage had me sweating. I looked around not knowing where to go first.

I called Tony and let him know that I was here and then sat in one of the lobby's stiff green chairs. Jin took a seat beside me.

"Mr. Lee, you don't have to stay, I think I'll be here for a while."

He took a long look at me and before he had the chance to say anything I heard footsteps approaching. I stood upon seeing Tony and wrapped him in my arms. He too, grasped the back of my shirt and gripped tight, as if his life depended on it. He grabbed my arms and pushed me back soon after, his eyes glued to Jin's.

"Oh, he drove me. I was too nervous to drive myself." I said, sensing the tension beginning to rise. "I told him there was no need to stay though."

Jin sighed, his eyes now glued to Tony's. "And I told her, that I'm staying anyway." he said as he got up and stood beside me. "I'm sure Tony will want to stay with his mother, who'll take you to your car?" he asked turning to me.

He had a point. I shrugged my shoulders. "Stay then."

"Where's Abby?" I asked, turning back to Tony.

"Still at the daycare center. I called and let them know what was going on."

Tony continued to update me on his mother's situation, telling me that she was currently undergoing surgery, as we headed to the waiting area outside of the operating rooms with Jin trailing behind us.

Tony sat down and we took seats beside him. As soon as we'd taken our seats a seemingly Hispanic, older man came rushing over. I could feel Tony tense beside me. "What are you doing here?!" he shouted.

"Hijo, they called me, just like they called you."