The worst part of living a bad day is that, everything goes wrong. Like everything.
I wanted to go home after that clinic incident of Zayd. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't walk. Couldn't face the world.
But my school professors were not so cooperating. They assumed I was just fooling because I wanted to bunk the day.
Yeah right. I rolled my eyes at them.
I was much better when I took my music lesson. I decided not to think about anything that happened and concentrate on my work.
That didn't happen exactly. But I was still successful in diverting my mind for at least thirty minutes.
But that thirty minutes passed and another unpleasant news traveled my ears.
There was made an announcement that Principal Stephen was calling me for I don't know what purpose.
I walked down the corridors to his office while everyone stared at me.
Yeah, I knew I looked bad but my face didn't have a "24 hours open" sign board on my face.
I ignored everyone till I reached the huge brown door that said 'Principal'.
Sighing, I stepped inside.
I decided as long as he wasn't going to expel me, I was okay.
The forty year man was seated on an armchair behind the black table; wearing a dark blue suit.
He didn't look angry. Instead he looked at me worriedly.
It wasn't making sense at all.
I sat opposite to him and smiled.
"Good Afternoon, Principal Stephens. What's going on?" I spoke politely to him.
"Miss Sullivan, actually I have a news for you." He said; gently.
"I'm not getting suspended or expelled, am I?" I gulped down and asked.
"No," he chuckled and shook his head. "no, Miss. The news was about..." He trailed off.
He was freaking me out by his pitying stare.
"About what?" I tried to sound as polite as I could.
"About your mom.. She met with an accident on her way to work. The police just informed us. She is taken to the Charity Hospital and I thought you should know this and be there....."
I could see his lips moving and him saying something else...but I stopped listening.
Everything was blurred. I couldn't hear anything anymore. I still needed to register the words he said in my mind.
Mom met with an accident.
She was in a hospital.
Suddenly, it clicked me.
Why was all this happening with me....
I stood up and stormed out of the office. I could hear the principal calling my name but I didn't bother turning.
I ran towards the parking; this time pushing the watchman. As soon as I saw my car, I pressed the button to unlock it.
Getting inside it, I started it. The engine roared to life and I then drove straight to the hospital.
The whole time I was driving, my heart just wished for her to be okay.
She is my only family. She is my only parent. She is my world.
Nothing will happen to her, I assured myself till I reached the gray building.
I hated to go inside that place. I remembered the time I once lay on one of the beds of this hospital some years ago. Hospitals are pure pain.
I stepped up the stairs and that smell...it made me nauseous.
I asked to the receptionist about my mom and she told me she was in the ICU, 1st floor.
I didn't waste a second and ran up the stairs.
ICU.
Intensive care unit.
She was serious. Her condition was serious.
I saw the the white door that I supposed was the ICU. I stepped in and found myself in a huge corridor.
There were rooms on one side of the corridor and couches on the other side.
Three or four people sat there in front of some rooms. I walked and read the room numbers.
There were A3, A4 and so on. The receptionist said that mom was in B6. I took a deep breath and turned left where I could see another long corridor with rooms and couches on either sides.
I saw B1 and then the others and at the end of the corridor, was the room that she was in.
B6.
My vision blurred as the image of mom laying on the bed inside that room crossed my mind.
I slowly took steps towards the door. I was just going to push it wide open when a nurse called me out.
I turned towards her with irritated expressions.
"You can't go in." She said; pulling me away from the door.
"Why?" I whispered, still in tears.
"There's an operation going on," she said and turned to leave when I held her hand.
She looked at me with confusion. Tears fell down my eyes at that.
"What's wrong, my child?" She cupped my cheek with her right hand and asked.
"Mom...my mom." I broke down and sobbed in her shoulders.
She hugged me affectionately.
"She'll be okay. She has just some broken bones, I guess. But her head injury is little serious. Don't you worry. Sit here and wait...there's only an hour left and it will be over!" She explained to me.
By this time, she pulled away and smiled assuring me.
I nodded and gulping down, sat on the couch in front of her room.
She gave me one last smile and then left the corridor. I nervously crossed my fingers and kept looking at the door, hoping a doctor would come out and say that she's okay and wants to meet me.
But that never happened.
One hour was going to get completed and I was getting better. My hopes were high now. She was going to be better too.
That nurse came again and again to check on me. I was thankful. She even gave me a cup of coffee. It relaxed me. Caffeine has always been my good friend.
But now I was tired. I sat here motionlessly since I came here. And I was even tired of waiting for someone to come out of that room and tell me how is she.
I was just going to get up and knock on the room when two doctors appeared from her room. My heart raced as they walked towards me.
I stood up; nervously walking to them too.
"You are the patient's daughter?" The younger male asked.
"Yeah...I am. How is she?" I asked in haste.
"Her right leg has some broken bones. Also, her elbow is broken. Her head injury is deep and we need to do an operation as soon as possible..." The elder one said.
"B-but what were you doing from over an hour inside?" I almost shouted at them.
"Dear, we did a small operation. But we came to know more about her injury that can only be cured by a bigger operation. She even lost so much blood. We are arranging for more and it will be done till the evening. You have to deposit a large amount in the hospital in order to do the operation."
The elder one said again.
"Sir, I'm...I'm not eighteen. I don't have access to her bank accounts and don't know if she has any medical insurances.. How can I.." I stuttered and trailed off as panic filled in my nerves.
How will I deposit a large amount... Will they not do the operation if I don't....?
Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.
"Do you have any other adult member in your family?" He asked again.
The elder one walked inside the room again as a nurse called him.
"Yeah...my dad. But he lives across the world. And I don't even...know how is he. I don't talk to him.." I broke down as I memorized the last time I met my dad.
He lived in India with his new wife and kids. I wasn't so much attached to him and so didn't talk much. He called some times but I didn't know if he still cared enough about mom to pay a large amount.
"Don't cry, dear. You still have the whole day to call him or any other elder one in your family. Do you have any other uncle or aunt..." He said.
He was talking more but my eyes were fixed at the end of the corridor where I saw two people walking towards us. They looked panicked.
From a distance, I recognized them.
They were here...
"Juliet," I cried and ran in her arms.
"June...she'll be fine, don't cry my darling.." She hugged me and assured me.
While I could still feel her body shaking, I understood she was crying too.
She was mom's best friend. Just like his son was once mine...
That unforgettable pain again rose in my chest and I cried more. She rubbed my back.
Finally, I had someone with me.
We pulled apart as I heard Mr Parker talking to the doctor.
I went to them.
"I'm going to take care of all the expenses, doctor. Just carry on with the operation. The amount will be deposited till the evening.." Mr Parker spoke to the doctor.
"Thank you Mr Parker. We will start the operation tomorrow morning. Right now, she's unconscious. Any one person can see her.." He said and hastily walked out of the corridor.
Mr Parker turned towards me and gave an assuring smile.
"Mr Parker, you didn't have to do this. I was going to call my father..." I looked down in embarrassment and said.
"This operation is important, darling. It will be good to deposit the amount as soon as possible. You can call your father afterwards. But right now, let me take care of this." He said in that deep and rough voice of his' and put a hand on my head.
He was the elder version of Zayd. Same eyes. Same hair. Same face. He reminded me of him.
I nodded and then he left to fill in the important documents. Juliet said she was going to bring me lunch from home. She told me to go and see her inside.
I wanted to see her, meet her but I was afraid that I wasn't so strong to see her in that state.
I took tiny steps to her room and pushed the door open. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply, I went inside.
That sight I saw, will remain in my nightmares all my life.
I gasped as I held the wall for the support so that I wouldn't fall.
Her condition looked horrible.
There were cuts on her face and arms. Her head was wrapped in white bandages. Her head was swollen so much that it's color was turned into a shade of green and purple.
Her left elbow and right leg were plastered. She looked so weak and energy less.
She was a woman who liked to be fit and was always determined to work. Now she was the total opposite.
She looked so helpless.
She looked so pale and lifeless.
I couldn't watch her anymore.
I ran out of the room and kept running.
I pushed past people, crying madly. I didn't care whoever saw me. I just wanted to get out of this place.
The smell, the atmosphere, her condition. It was all plain horror to me. And it was scaring me so much.
I was running out of the corridor when I heard a familiar voice shouting with frustration.
"What do you mean she can't talk to me??? Isn't she okay....you told me she was fine!" He shouted.
His voice echoed through the corridor. And when I reached the hall where he stood with Mr Parker and Juliet, my legs stopped.
His back faced me and he was shouting on his parents.
"Zayd, she needs to get operated!" Juliet tried to calm him by holding his elbow but he shook her hand away.
"BUT WHY THE FUCK IS SHE STILL UNCONSCIOUS???" He yelled at them holding his head.
I let out a soft sob, looking down.
He was as much affected by this as I was. He loved mom too.
Why didn't I realize it before?
"I'm gonna go see her.." He said and turned around.
I looked up and saw him walking towards me.
When his eyes registered that I was standing there, he stopped in his tracks.
He now stood just in front of me, looking at me.
His cheeks were stained. His eyes were bloodshot.
He has been crying too...
When I looked in his eyes, automatically my cries got louder and I got weaker.
His eyes filled too and what happened after that was least expected at the moment.
He didn't think twice.
He just wrapped his hands around me and scooped me in a hug.
I hugged him back and got my hands around his neck.
Our grip kept getting tighter and we sobbed silently in each others' embrace.
I didn't know what was he thinking about me right now.
I just knew that our mom was in there, fighting with her own life.
And she would want both of us to be together and strong.
_________________________________________________________________
Evening :D
How is it going ?
No one saw that coming, right?
What do you think will happen to her mom now?
Feel free to message or comment. ;)
-Ana
***READ, VOTE, COMMENT***