Okay till she's not

Marco's POV

“calm down Cuz, it’s probably nothing serious” Rodrigo said but the look on his face indicated that he was just as worried as I was.

“Aunt Theresa probably just wants to see you” He continued but his words did nothing to calm me.

“The doctor wouldn’t have called me in the middle of the afternoon if my mother just wants to talk” I said in a shaky voice.

“you don’t have to conclude that something is wrong”

I knew it. Something was wrong. I could feel it in my guts. I had begun to feel that way since I got out of bed that morning and the feeling had lingered despite my efforts to shake it off.

The doctor had called asking me to come to the hospital immediately. I had taken a few hours off from Shanice because Pedro wasn’t in the office. It took a while and a long-exasperated plea to finally get her to allow it. I had called Rodrigo to pick me up and he showed up few minutes later. I had told him about the call on the way.

I bit my lip nervously, trying to assure myself that it wasn’t anything serious.

She probably just caught a fever or maybe wants to go home. Maybe they were calling me to pick her up.

I successfully calmed my worried mind and relaxed into the seat.

I decided to distract myself with the thought of the only person on my mind all day.

Why didn’t he show up at the office today? I didn’t know CEO’s took off days. Maybe he had something important to attend to or maybe he was going to show up, probably later in the day.

Last time I checked (which could be the millionth time), he hadn’t responded to my Tender swipe.

What if I had scared him away from the office? What if he was going to reject me in person and then sack me?

The nervous worry returned as I caught sight of the hospital. Rodrigo drove into the parking lot and killed the engine. I was about to get down when I felt Rodrigo’s hand on my shoulder. I turned and looked into his face. He looked as worried as I was but was trying to mask it by keeping a straight face.

“Aunt Theresa is okay till the doctor says she’s not. It might be good news”

I gave him a small smile and a nod before stepping down and walking into the building in small timid steps. There wasn’t anyone on the front desk so I walked past and got into the elevator. I arrived on the fourth floor and walked out with heavy feet. Aunt Freda was sitting at the waiting bench and looked up when I walked in. She looked exhausted and weary. My heart broke and my anxiety rose.

“Oh Marco” she said as I got close and started weeping. I wrapped my shaking hands around her in a hug, not just to console her, but to prevent my own tears from flowing.

When she had calmed down a bit, I finally mustered the courage to ask the question that was hanging heavily in my mind.

“is…is…. she…. dead?”

“No…. but I’m scared. She was really bad when they took her away”

“Did…. They tell you what was wrong?”

“the doctor had asked to see you and that was all”

Aunt Theresa is okay, till the doctor says she’s not, Rodrigo’s words rang in my mind, consoling me again.

The elevator opened and he walked in, hand in pocket and the look on his face showed that he had delayed coming up for obvious reasons. He patted my shoulder and sat down beside Aunt Freda, also hugging her.

“Marco Alvarez?” a voice said behind us and we all turned to see a nurse. She had a pensive look on her face.

“yes” I answered in a voice I didn’t recognize.

“The doctor will see you now”

And with that, she disappeared down the white corridor.

I gave the duo a reassuring nod and began the nerve racking journey to the doctor’s office. I knocked lightly and opened the door. The doctor was sitting in his swivel chair, his arms folded in front of his chest. The usual plain expression on his face was gone and in its place was sadness and weary.

“sit down Marco” he said when I didn’t move an inch further from the door.

I walked over and sat, my hands shaking from anxiety.

He looked like he couldn’t bring himself to say what he had to say. And I wasn’t in a hurry to hear what I knew was going to shatter me.

She’s okay until the doctor says she’s not.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t know how to put this in a less painful way”

She’s okay until the doctor says she’s not.

“Her body had rejected the new kidney”

She’s okay until he says she’s not.

“and I’m surprised”

She’s okay until he says she’s not.

“because it’s rare to see such complication after three weeks of transplant”

She’s okay until he says she’s not.

“We did all we could…"

She’s okay, right?

“I’m sorry”

She’s okay until he says she’s not.

“but we lost her”

And in that instant, I felt everything come crashing down around me.

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This is a sad chapter

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