This was not the plan

Prologue

Coming from a family of surgeons named Gordon could be challenging and daunting, possibly leading to feelings of inadequacy. Despite this, you found comfort and a sense of belonging in hospitals. The scent of antiseptic and bleach that lingered in the air felt familiar and soothing to you. accompanying your father to work, observing him perform medical marvels, and listening to him explain procedures, although sometimes confusing, made you feel proud. His belief in your abilities and his unwavering support fueled your ambition. He stood by you through scraped knees and eye-opening experiences, always encouraging you to believe in your potential for greatness.

He was there for you after your first sleepover when you realized how different you were from the other girls. You cried and poured your heart out to him, and he comforted you by running his fingers through your hair and reassuring you that you were special. He explained that although you were born a little girl, you had unique qualities that set you apart.

He reassured you that it wasn't a problem at all, and in fact, he cherished you even more because you were unique and rare, unlike anyone else. Embracing you tightly, he apologized for the hatred and fear that ignorance had caused towards you. This was the first time you heard your father swear, expressing his frustration towards the other children's ignorance, and assuring you that he would always support you. You trusted him, especially since he stayed by your side after your tenth birthday when your mother left because she couldn't accept having a different daughter. Instead of trying to convince her otherwise, your father packed her belongings and threw them out the door.

You watched from behind the wall as he glared at the woman he married, a look you had never seen on his face before. Despite giving her everything, she still saw you as something unworthy of existence. It pained you deeply, as she was the one who gave birth to you and should have loved you unconditionally. As she walked out the door, you sat on the bottom step, feeling the weight of her absence as your father slammed the door shut.

You were fearful, praying that he wouldn't abandon you. The thought of the man you loved rejecting you was overwhelming. But he didn't leave. Instead, he turned towards you with a broad smile and reassured you. "It's okay, even if everyone else goes, I will never leave. I will always be there for you," he said as he embraced you tightly. Your heart swelled with gratitude as you returned his embrace just as strongly.

You have always loved him, and he has been a wonderful father who embraced you regardless of your differences. When you were 17 and heartbroken for the first time, he was there for you even after a long shift at the hospital. He knew you needed comfort, so he sat with you, watching your favorite shows and offering you a tub of ice cream. His presence and silent support were all you needed in that moment.

Dad was always present, though in the back of your mind, you knew eventually he wouldn't be. However, that thought seemed distant, as you envisioned growing old together, married to your careers. You both joked about it, with him teasing you about needing to give him grandkids to spoil. Despite just turning 18, graduating at the top of your class with honors, and being accepted to his alma mater, the pride in his expression was unmistakable.

However, it is a common perception that good things don't always stick around for long. The enjoyable moments were inevitably going to come to an end, although you never anticipated it happening just before your 19th birthday. After completing your exams for the year and looking forward to a break from school, you were on your way home when you received a call from a familiar number belonging to the hospital owned by your family.

You were feeling anxious, but you rationalized that your dad may have simply forgotten his phone. This thought helped to reassure you as you picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Gordon, this is Nurse Jackie calling. I am a colleague of your father's. As his emergency contact, we wanted to inform you that your father has had a collapse," and you felt fear grip your heart as your breaths came in quick and shallow.