better times
are coming.
- k.tolnoe
Lana
"Everything looks perfect, your baby is in good shape. If you feel any pain or discomfort, feel free to call or visit the emergency room."
I sigh heavily as I remove the latex gloves from my hand and then stand up from my seat. I give the patient a smile before I walk out the room, leaving her and her partner to get ready to leave in their own time. As I walk through the corridors of the hospital, I walk past dad's window and find him in his room.
I knock on his door and push the door open, dad was sitting on his chair as he was going through something but when I let myself in, he settled the papers down and pulled his glasses away from his face.
I haven't seen dad or Amelia ever since before I left for Hawaii with Stephan. I watch dad with a somber expression as my throat began to close up. I still can't believe dad was doing this to me.
"How is Amelia doing?" I ask as I approach his desk,
"Lana," he grunted before he stood up and frowned at me, "I'm not restricting you from seeing her. You can see her."
I watch dad incredulously and scoff before I cross my hand against my chest,
"Is that so? I've been back from Hawaii nearly a week now and you couldn't inform me that before? What is wrong with you?"
"Calm down-"
"Dad, this is ridiculous. You're being ridiculous. You need to let go of this and give me my daughter back!"
"Lana, we've spoken about this. I'm not going to do that until you keep Ivan-"
"I can't! Have you any idea why he even came back? You took Amelia away from me without even knowing his reasonings! Ivan returned because his wife is pregnant. Dad, how has that got anything to do with me?"
Dad frowned at me and had nothing to say, just like how I imagined him to be speechless.
"But he has still returned which means you'll see him. Amelia will see him."
"What? You're being beyond unreasonable." I spit, "Yes, he'll be back, but does that mean you're going to stop serving him? He is a patient like any other patient at your hospital."
He still had nothing to say as he looked away and frowned deeply. My system was flaring with anger as I watch dad; seriously, who influenced him to make such implausible decisions like this?
"Amelia is returning back home today. I will pick her up from kindergarten."
"No you're not."
I glared at him once again and feel all the anger I could possibly feel right about now just boiling in my stream. Never in my entire life did I feel this way towards my own father, my only parent and my supporter. He never spoke to me like this before and it shocked me to even experience this. It seemed as though he was challenging me with his the glare he companied me with and the more I watch his face, the more uncomfortable I felt.
"She is my daughter. Mine." I gritted through my teeth, as my voice was low and pained. "You have no right to take what's mine."
I glare at him for a second before I turn around and walk out of his office. I feel my stomach falling apart as I walk away from his office, what happened to him?
When I reached my office, I find Riley waiting for me. Her face filled with relief when she rushed to my desk and spared the file in her grasp onto my desk.
"Hey Lana, I've retrieved the file on Estella Castillo you asked for and here is all the information you need." She says, "It's pretty clear to me that the baby is Mr Alvarez's."
Even though I was convinced that Estella was having Ivan's baby, my gut instincts drove me to have a look at the file one last time for reassurance, for Ivan. He called and asked to have it checked because he still could not comprehend the fact that Estella is actually pregnant with his child.
When I learned of her pregnancy, I had no doubt in my mind that it wasn't his because it all pieces together. The timing was perfect. Estella cannot conceive naturally whatsoever and her fifth cycle happened almost five months ago, which clearly means that her last cycle worked.
"There is one more thing...." Riley says, "When Estella learned of her pregnancy, she asked for counselling. Her reports show a slight concern on her mental health, there might be a problem."
"What...?" I ask incredulously, "You're telling me she doesn't want the baby? After all that?"
"I don't know Lana, it's best if you find out what's going-"
"Riley, I'm not serving her. She's not my patient, she's Larson's problem-"
"Dr Carter?"
Both mine and Riley's attention drew to the door when it swung open to a frantic Julia. My brows snap into a furrow when Julia breathed out a sigh of relief, one that I never seen before.
"Julia, is everything alright?"
"Yes.. actually no." She reveals, "There is a patient downstairs that is causing a commotion. She's insisting on seeing you and only you. Mr Carter is unavailable and her doctor is present with her but she has no interest."
My body relaxed as I watch Julia with realisation, I glance over at Riley and close my eyes shut when she nodded her head at me.
"Let me guess, it's Castillo?"
"Yes."
***
"Mrs Castillo, I understand you but I'm your doctor. I need to serve you, it's my duty to-"
"Larson."
Both Larson and Estella turned their attention to me once I voiced out to them. Even though I was facing Dr Larson, I could see Estella's face from the corner of my eyes. It was filled with relief as well as content.
"Dr Larson, if you don't mind I will take it on from here. Thank you."
Larson has been working in this hospital for many years and to do this right now really didn't sit well with me. I never take patients like this from my fellow colleagues because I value their work and their process and opportunity. But today felt like an exception because it really felt like everything was on my hands.
"No problem, go ahead." He states as he walks past me, leaving me to deal with Estella.
"Dr Carter, I'm so glad to see you."
I turn my attention to Estella and smile at her as it was compulsory for me to keep my professionalism at an excellent standard no matter the situation. Serving Estella doesn't bother me however, the fact that I'd have to see Ivan bothered me.
Speaking of him, a small frown settled on my lips when I watch Estella and only Estella attend her appointment. I felt like a fool to even advise Ivan on getting involved in his child's life that day because it seemed like Estella arrived to the hospital on her own, and Ivan doesn't really want to be involved.
"How are you Estella? Is everything going well so far?" I ask as I retrieve her file from the front desk, she sits on the couch and begins to rub her stomach as she watches it.
"I'm so exhausted and in pain." She frown,
"Well, I can see what I can do for you." I say, "Why don't you follow me?"
Just as I tucked the file in my underarm, so I could help Estella up, Ivan walked into the hospital. I glance at him and then pull away as Estella talks to her husband, and I suddenly felt accomplished. It really felt like Ivan took my advice because he was here at the hospital, dressed in his usual attire and not tired or stressed. He looked better than before, he definitely got more sleep and thought this through.
He seemed as though he was really here for their child.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked Estella and she nods her head before he returned his attention back to me, "I'm so sorry you have to do this-"
"It's okay Mr Alvarez, I'm more than happy to serve you and your wife." I cut him off and give them a smile.
Even though this was probably a bad idea, I felt like it was my job because it literally was. Considering the fact that Estella asked for counselling, really concerned me for many reasons. I could tell this made Ivan very uncomfortable, I felt uncomfortable but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Estella has no idea about Ivan and I and she was demanding for me to serve her.
Ivan frowned at me before he wrapped his hand around Estella's hand, I glance at their clasped hands and feel my heart sink slowly.
What was I even thinking? Why do I feel like this? I keep telling myself that I don't care but I don't feel like that. I do care because he left me for her. He left his daughter for a woman that is not me. The fact that Ivan had returned only returned these hopeful feelings once again. It made me forget that I had Stephan which was really bad. Ivan has to focus on Estella, not me. I need to focus on Stephan, not him.
"Follow me please." I gulp as I tear my gaze away from them and then walk towards the maternity unit.
On our way there, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I push my hand through my pocket and pull out the phone and find that I received a text message from Stephan.
Finally.
"Mrs Castillo, please prepare yourself for the ultrasound. I will return in five minutes."
Estella nodded her head at me before she began to take her coat off. I walk out of the room, ready to call Stephan but when I felt a hand snake around my forearm, I crane my neck towards the person and watch him in surprise.
"Ivan," I whisper as I scrutinise the halls, "What are you doing?"
"I need to talk to you but not like this," he says, "have dinner with me?"
"Ivan...." I whisper, the words were dancing at the tip of my tongue as I watch him, his frown was beginning to grow as he watched my face. I bite my lip and sigh before I pull away from him. "I...don't think... let's get this over and done with first."
I return to the room and soon after, Ivan followed. Estella was already on the bed, prepared for me to perform her ultrasound on her. Ivan sat next to her and waited impatiently for the scan, it seemed as though he wanted to see already, he wanted to indulge in this first experience and I was glad that he felt like this. It was confirmation for me that he wasn't going to leave Estella like how he did me.
"Is this the first time you're going to see your baby?" I say as I put my hands in a pair of latex gloves, before I glance at Ivan.
"Yes," he replied and Estella smiled at him.
"He couldn't join me in my first scan because he was extremely busy." She said and I glance back at Ivan and instantly realised that that wasn't the case. I could tell from Ivan's guilty composure that he didn't attend the first ultrasound because he was genuinely uninterested.
"Well... let's get started and see how the baby is doing. Okay?"
After a few minutes, the lights were switched off and the monitor was switched on for Ivan and Estella to see their baby. As I glide the stick on her protruding stomach, I gaze at the monitor and immediately got a glance of their baby.
I feel my stomach turn at the sight, their baby was nearly big I hadn't realised how far she actually was. I take a few screenshots and then glance at Ivan who watched the monitor in shock, like as if he was intrigued. Mesmerised. Emotional.
His brows lifted as he watched the screen, really focusing on something. His bottom lips twitched as he fixed his gaze on the screen and it really made me feel some sort of content. It showed that he cared, and that he was going to stay for his child.
"This is your baby.." I say and look at Estella, "Would you like to know the gender?"
"No."
"Yes."
Ivan snapped out of his daze when both Estella and I turned our attention to him. He blinked his glossy eyes and then looked away before he turned to Estella who watched him with concern.
"Ivan, I don't want to know just yet."
"Okay," he nodded his head at his wife, "we don't have to find out now."
After a few moments, Estella's appointment was done. Right now, I was reading through her notes that were written by Dr Larson while she was cleaning herself up. Ivan left the room a few seconds ago attending a call that he received, leaving me and Estella alone in the room.
As I turned away to leave, Estella placed her hand on my wrists and stopped me. When I glanced over my shoulders, she was watching me with nothing but content.
"I really appreciate you doing this for us, despite everything."
I snap my brows in to furrow and turned around before I smiled at her.
"What do you mean, despite everything? It's my job, I'm always happy to help."
"Not this, you don't have to do this." She smiled at me and shook her head, "Lana, I know about everything. Ivan told me everything."
My back straightened when I felt a chill run along my spine. In that instant, my smile had dropped from my face. I feel my heart drop as Estella watched me with what looked like sympathy so I looked away because I hated this feeling. It made me look weak, it made me seem weak and I hated that.
"He told me about everything about the two of you, even the fact that you had his baby." She says, "And I'm sorry he did that to you."
For the first time today, Estella offered me something I never expected her to. She sympathised me today when all she ever does is watches me with a bored expression. I had no idea if she was being genuine but so far, it seemed like she was. She continued to frown at me and suddenly, I found myself speechless. What do I say to her?
"Oh... t-thank you."
"Honestly, if I had known before I would never have done this." She pointed at her stomach, "What's done is done, I just want you to know that just because I'm having Ivan's baby, doesn't mean I want him."
"You need him more than me, don't push him away." I say, "You don't want to do this alone, it's hard. I've done it and it's.... it's really not nice."
Estella nodded her head at me and just as she did, Ivan walked through the door. I smile at Estella, trying my best to hold it in together before I turn to the door and walk out the room, releasing a harsh breath that I never knew I was holding. I was shaking, trembling as I glance over my shoulder and then walk away.
I never expected that....
I promise I will update next chapter soon. So far, how are you liking the story? Feedback would be much appreciated. L ;)