The True Happiness

Chapter 38

“So, are we going to fix it?” I asked.

She smiled at me with her dry lips.

“I'm thirsty,” Diana murmured.

“I will call a nurse.”

I got out of bed and walked out of the hospital room closing the door behind me.

Zach moves away the chair for Hanna as a gentleman. She releases a giggle and placed the napkin in her lap.

The small Italian restaurant is awash with the smell of basil, garlic and fresh tomatoes. A small candle and a glass with a red rose adorned the table. Hanna puts behind her ear a blond lock of her hair.

Zach’s smiling and takes the delicate hand of the girl above the table.

“Nobody ever had invited me to a date like this.”

“So glad to be the first,” Zach smiles and his brown eyes shine.

Hanna stares at him, feeling the blush rising to her cheeks when she sees the boy's eyes shine.

June 20, 2010

During these two weeks Diana has been in treatment constantly.

They are using stronger medicines, was put on therapy, and now follow a diet to gain weight and I help her exercise. Well more like walk around the hospital garden so she recover the strength of her legs.

“I can't believe that they still have you in pediatrics,” I laugh.

“I am not that old, Niall. At sixteen you are still considered teen and that means I have to be in pediatrics.”

“Don’t you think that it is a little childish?” I commented looking at walls painted in bright colors with a rainbow spanning all the walls.

“It is at least not as depressing as the adult area.”

During these weeks she has returned almost to her normal weight, color has returned to her skin. Her lips are soft and hair shiny and silky. She is the same Diana that I met and it seems that she’s even better than before.

We have spent some hours a day to fix our relationship and it seems that everything is on a roll. I think that it is the first time that I am grateful to God.

 Zach and Hanna stand on the porch of her home. Neither of them said a single word and Zach’s biting the inside of his cheek.

“Thanks for everything, it was incredible,” Hanna is the first to break the silence of the night.

“Then, Will I see you tomorrow? “Zach asked shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“At the same time at the Café,” Hanna nods and looks at Zach in the eyes.

He takes a step forward and plant a kiss on the lips of Hanna. She is left stunned on the porch while he gets into the car and walks away down the road.

June 23, 2010

Today Diana was better than ever. She ate everything on the plate, she didn’t protest when they arrived to give her the injection. We walked more than normal, even dance in the game room. She had a smile on her face and seemed to light up the room with her good humor.

After lunch she fell asleep and I left her alone so that she could rest.

“Christian.” I called him and he turned to me.

It was there when I realized he was talking to Diana’s doctor. The doctor scowled at my direction, clearly wanting a conversation privately with Christian.

“He is part of the family. Anything you want to tell me, can tell Niall,” Christian explained and the doctor sighed.

“Mr. Cohen... I think it's best for Diana you take her home...”

“No. The best thing for my daughter is being here where you can take care of her,” Christian interrupted.

“I think that you don’t understand me, Mr. Cohen. Diana is in terminal phase, there is nothing we can do for her.”

“But she has improved incredibly, you yourself said that,” protesting I took a step in his direction

“What the outside of Diana’s body shows isn’t what is happening inside. Her kidneys are failing. 65 percent of her lungs don't work and her heart is becoming more irregular. The disease is progressing and it’s self-destructing her. Diana didn’t take her medicine during the time she was kidnapped and that worsened everything...”

The doctor looked at Christian sympathetically.

“We could continue with the treatments and extend her life a couple of months, but I don't think that she should spend that time in a hospital.

The face of Christian didn’t denote any expression.

“How long does she has?” His dry voice asked.

“We don’t know. It could be days, weeks, or years. Her illness doesn’t follow any pattern. Sometimes it stops completely and sometimes moves in a matter of minutes. The laboratory technicians and chemists are working in Boston and if we are lucky they may have medicine for Diana in a couple of months.”

“Then, why are you asking me to take my daughter home?” Christian took the doctor by the collar of his shirt, spitting the words, and containing his anger.

“Because I don’t think that anyone should spend their life here, Christian. I don't believe that no child should pass here what may or may not be the last days of her life. Leave her to rest of all this shit, because when Boston lab calls we won’t leave her alone.”

He let go the doctor and the doctor regained his composure.

“I'll fix everything so they discharge her. Call the lab in Boston and you'll realize that are close to the goal.”