Eva
I felt Carlos shuffle next to me in bed and hurried into the bathroom.
"Everything okay?" I asked without opening my eyes. I was drained, Miles had me on recruiting duty, and it was exhausting, "Carlos, are you okay?" I yell, I heard hum him in response, and I turned to put my head on my pillow to go back to sleep.
I woke up again to hear him throwing up . My eyes jolted open and I quickly rushed towards him. I kneeled down next to him to rub his back.
"Is it something you ate?"
"I'm fine, go back to bed?" He tried to push me away. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I just went back to bed?
"I'm not going anywhere. What's going on?" I ask as I rubbed his head.
"Migraines." He mumbled and quickly flushed the toilet. I had never seen him in this state, this vulnerable state.
He leaned back from the toilet and I could see the tear streaks staining his face. Blood capillaries were broken all over his face, and he could barely keep his eyes open.
I reached over and grabbed some toilet paper to wipe his mouth, but he took it from me and refused my help. I've never seen him so worn down before, It scared me.
"Carlos, you need to go to the hospital." I whispered and moved a piece of hair from his face.
"I'm fine, I-I'm just having migraines." It was almost like he was using all his strength to talk.
"Is there anything you need?" I asked.
He nodded his head,
"In the left drawer, blue bottle."
I hurriedly rushed to the drawer and fished out the bottle, and brought it to him.
I handed him the medicine and filled up a cup of water from the sink. I watched as he took it and leaned his head back against the wall.
His eyes closed and he let out another sniffle.
"Do you get these a lot?" I asked.
He nodded without opening his eyes.
"I remember asking what those pills were and you said they were vitamins, so this whole time you've been suffering all on your own." A sob escaped my lips,
He opened his eyes to me.
"Is it serious?"
"Can you help me back to the bed? I need to sleep this off." He said and I quickly did as he asked.
He slung his arms around my shoulders, I put him down and placed the blanket on top of him.
I notice him wince, so I laid next to him to rub his forehead.
I don't even remember falling asleep, but I'm awoken by the sound of puking again, and I go to him like the last time.
Watching him in this state felt like someone was sticking a needle through my chest, I just wanted to take his pain away.
I hated seeing him like this.
I felt so useless,
Once he was finished I helped him up and back to bed. I heared him heave a couple more times until hisbbreathing begins to even out again. I ran my fingers through his hair until I wasncertain he was asleep.
I pullednmy phone out of my pocket and called Miles, he would know what to do.
He doesn't answer on the first ring--
Then,
"What, Now?!"
"It's Carlos--"
I didn't have to finish the sentence for him to know something was wrong.
He hung up and thennext I heard him hurrying up the stairs.
I quickly reached out to the door before he would break it down, or worse wake Carlos.
Miles burst through the door breathlessly,
"What happened?!"
I grabbed and dragged him towards the balcony,"I don't know, he's been having migraines and throwing up every night since."
"This happened more than once and you're telling me now?! Who did you call?"
"He won't see a doctor, and his migraines are getting worse. Miles, what's happening?"
"I don't have time to explain, just stay with him, I'll go fetch the doctor."
I nodded and watched him leave.
I quickly hurried over when I noticed Carlos wake up.
"Are you okay? What do you need? Do you need help to the bathroom?" I bombard him with questions, he just laughs in response.
"I feel better.."
"Are you sure? I don't mind. Anything you nee-" he cuts me off with another laugh,
"Eva, I'm fine. I feel like I could run a mile..."
"What about the migraines?"
"I'm fine." He opens his arms to me and I reach in.
Sometime later, Miles walks in with the doctor. The doctor quickly checks on him,
Silence.
"Well, doctor, what is it?" Miles runs out of patience.
"The same thing I said the last time, you need rest, your body is not the same anymore, you can't keep abusing it and expecting good results, you have--"
Carlos cleared his throat,
The doctor paused for a moment and then turned to me, "You must be Eva, nice to finally meet you. Carlos is my stubborn Nephew, my father was the only one who could put up with him, but now it's up to me, and you of course.."
I threw in a smile,
"He needs a glass of warm milk, do you mind grabbing that for him?"
I nodded, and left the room to get it. Just as I reached the end of the stairs, I noticed one of the maids holding a tray of food.
"Is that for Carlos?"
"Yes, Miles asked me to bring it up."
"Give it to me, I'll take it to him."
She nodded and handed the tray to me before leaving, I turned around and made my way upstairs to the room. Just as I reached the threefold of the door, I heard voices--
"Carlos, if you keep abusing your body like this it's going to give up faster than you think, this illness is not one to be played with--"
My steps faltered at what I heard, my lips parting as my mouth went dry. My heart seemed to have stood still for a moment before picking up its frantic pace...
I walked into the room, all heads turned to me. Carlos completely froze as he caught sight of me,
"Eva!" He mouthed,
"He is sick?" I slowly turned to the doctor.
"It's not in my place to say." She gathered her things to leave, I'll send in the new prescription. In the meantime, try and get some rest, no more Mafia business.." She said on her way out, Miles went after.
"Carlos, what's going on?"
"Eva, come to bed. I'll explain in the morning."
"No, not until you tell me what's really going on, how bad is it? Is it serious?!"
He gets out of bed and starts walking towards me,
"I was going to tell you."
"Are you dying?!" I whispered in disbelief.
"Eva, come." He tried to touch me, but I backed away, tears began slipping when he didn't answer, "this whole time-- what is it?"
Silence.
"Tell me!"
He nodded,
"It's a liver condition, doctors don't know what it means either, I have had it for a while now, the induced coma was supposed to help my system heal itself, but it didn't work, so far, medications have been helpful, but we don't know for how much longer, that's why I need you to be strong."
"Don't do that!" I barked at him, "Don't ask me to be strong, please, don't ask that of me, I can't be strong, not this time...Is this why you proposed, so you could leave me in the end?" To think I was so happy a few days ago, thinking of a life together.
"I love you, Eva, that was the only reason."
I was momentarily stunned by his statement, "Wow, the one time you finally admitted it, why did it have to be now, why did it have to be like this? I can't accept this, Carlos, I won't accept this, you're not dying on me.... I won't take it. We'll get a more advanced treatment, whatever the cost--"
He took another step towards me slowly hesitantly. I took a step back to maintain the distance between us, but it was hopeless. I was cornered, backed against a wall, "I can't.." I cried out. He reaches out and holds me, I leaned in and cried uncomfortably in his arms.