Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Hazel
“Hey babygirl,” I cooed as Daisy gradually came around.
“You’re awake?”
“Yay, Daisy, Liam cheered, seeing his sister finally open her eyes. She gave him a weak smile, her b*dy
having been strained in the previous days, and the drugs had knocked her out completely.
“I’ll get a nurse. I pressed the transmitter that would summon a nurse or whoever was on duty to the
room. The Director himself had shown it to me. Among other benefits of the exclusive ward were such
treatments. The first-class patients could easily summon help whenever something was wrong with
their bodies. A nurse walked in moments later. Gently, she pried off the tubes and drips connected to
her. Then, she adjusted the bed with the remote, raising the head part so Daisy could sit up a little. I
propped the pillows behind her head for comfort.
“Well, there you go, princess,” the nurse said with a smile. Then, turning to me, she added. “She should
be fine for now; a doctor would come real soon to check everything else.”
She assured as she left, her steps echoing slightly through the quiet room.
“Are you thirsty?” I asked her, stroking her little face, my fingers lightly tracing the outline of her
features.
She nodded slowly. Liam rushed off to the dispenser, getting a cup and filling it with warm water. “Here
you go, Daisy.” I helped her gulp it gradually. Color began to return to her face gradually as she gave
me a smile reflecting some relief she felt.
“Mommy,” she grinned, showing off her two missing front teeth.
“Yes!” I pinched her checks. I couldn’t help it; Daisy was just too adorable, with her large doe eyes,
chubby round face, and cheeks, and her pouty small l*ps and those curls that around her small face.
wrapped
“I’m sorry, honey,” I stroked her hair gradually. For everything, for not being sensitive enough. For
getting mad at you yesterday instead of sensing something was wrong. You’re important to me, no
matter what; you and your brother should always come first, should be a priority. I mused inside myself,
stroking her soft curls.
“Mommy?” She questioned, reaching out her hand and cleaning my face. It felt wet, and I didn’t even
realize I was crying.
‘Come here. I pulled her into my embrace, reaching out and bringing Liam too into my tight hug. I held
them like that for a moment, my nose buried in their hair. It smelt fragrant and sweet, like it did when
they were still little. It took me back and still it reminded me these were just babies. They could talk and
walk, but still my babies.
Come on. Let’s get you a bath, I said, finally breaking the hug.
“Both of you, I tickled Liam’s tummy, and he giggled out loud. Daisy, for the first time, looked around the
room. She reached immediately for a Mic k e y Mouse stuffed animal, then looked at me with joy in her
eyes. I could tell she liked the room,
TV She looked at me again, her eyes big and round.
just like that time when you and I and Lian and Nathan went on that Island,” she said
observing the room. I chuckled at her reaction. She was right; I did notice that the hospital room looked
like a suite, except with those medical equipment and drips.
“Thank you so much, Ethan,” I mumbled. Seeing Daisy happily dash to sit with her brother at the TV, it
wasn’t even like being in a hospital. I watched as she carefully arranged three other toys around her
then sat next to her brother.
“After your baths, we’d take a stroll and go eat,” I informed them, knowing they would be hungry by
now. Liam had only eaten some leftover snacks. He was always so understanding and hadn’t minded
ski pp i n g school today at all; instead, he was glad he got to stay with his sister and got to sleep in
today.
About an hour later, we were set and ready to go. The elevator doors opened, and as we stepped out,
Daisy and Liam scrunched up their noses, reacting to the familiar hospital smell. They walked faster,
eager to leave the clinical atmosphere behind. We strolled to a large store just within the hospital
premises, and to my surprise, it was quite stocked with daily essentials, food, toys, and games.
“Let’s go eat first, and then we’ll come back, I suggested, guiding them further. A Diner caught our
attention, just past the cafe where Liam and I had eaten the previous night. We headed to the Diner for
brunch, exploring the menu filled with healthy foods. The kids ate to their hearts’ content, while I settled
for a burger and coke. After the satisfying meal, we decided to visit the cafe.
We chilled there for hours, taking advantage of a small book collection tucked away in a corner. Daisy
and Liam found kids’ picture books, and they stared at them for hours, their imaginations coming to life
within the pages. Lastly, we stopped by the store for a few items. before heading back to the ward. The
satisfied expressions on my kids’ faces indicated that they were content with how their day had
unfolded. I also felt grateful that Ethan had given me a day off from work, allowing me to focus on my
family. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
Minutes after settling back in the ward, the doctor arrived. Daisy sat on the bed while he checked her
heart rate and asked her questions. Ma’am, can I talk to you, please?” the man asked, straightening up
after finishing the check-ups on Daisy.
“Okay,” I replied, ensuring Daisy was settled in front of the TV with a cup of juice before walking over to
where the doctor stood. “Shall we?” he asked, leading the way. “Liam, Daisy, I’ll be back in a few
minutes, okay?”
“Okay,” Daisy answered, while Liam only nodded with his mouth full. We walked out, briefly standing
close to the doorway-I wanted to be nearby if my kids needed me.
“Well, ma’am, with Daisy’s heart palpitations, she was only lucky she was brought here in time. A
minute later than the other time, and she may have died,” the doctor spoke, the severity of the situation
hanging in the air. ‘Look, I know you want what’s best for her, but with the rate at which her condition is
degenerating, it’d be best to have her kept in the hospital,” he continued.
Indefinitely?” I asked slowly.
“I’m sorry, but yes. We can’t predict when next this would happen. It’s not like it was before; her heart’s
growing weaker. She needs to be carefully monitored at all times.
Tunderstand, Doctor. But for how long?” I asked quietly, my voice cracking with the emotional weight of
the conversation.
For months or years? We’ll just keep her here while we wait for time. I’m sorry, I just feel so frustrated
that I cannot do more for her. She’ll live years here, within the confines of the hospital, getting poked by
injections day after day after day until..
“Until we believe she’s ready, ma’am. Now, with constant treatment and medication, she has a good
chance. But if we’re to operate now, that chance dwindles greatly to less than thirty percent. It’s a hard
choice, I know, but it’s best Daisy remains here.”
“I really wish we could do more. It’s not going to be easy for her to live here-no school, no playdates
with friends, spending Christmas and holidays here. It’s going to be real tough for her,” the doctor
shared, and I nodded, understanding the challenges that lay ahead. That’s why I had tried to delay, and
I had done that for as long as was possible, knowing the impact it would have on Daisy’s life.
The doctor continued explaining the gravity of the situation, painting vivid instances and scenarios of
what could unfold. Each word weighed heavily on me, and a sense of helplessness engulfed my
thoughts. It became more apparent as he spoke, and I found myself grappling with the reality of Daisy’s
condition.
Not long ago, at the cafe, Daisy had innocently asked when we would return home, and I had assured
her it would be soon. “I’m sorry,” the doctor said once more, turning to leave. The weight of his words
intensified, causing my legs to feel like jelly, and I crumpled to the floor. Silent escaped as I grappled
with the overwhelming emotions.
After some moments of sobbing, a realization struck me-crying would solve nothing. We had to find a
way through this challenging situation. I made a silent vow to make it work. somehow. This was never
the life I envisioned for my daughter, but with Dr. Gomez untraceable, we seemed to have no other
choice. Determined, I decided to do everything possible to ensure Daisy could still experience
moments of happiness, even within the confines of the hospital. While the journey ahead would be
saddening and exhausting, wc would face it day after day.
I made up my mind not to dwell on the length of time; thinking of staying for years left a bitter taste in
my mouth. Bracing myself, I mustered a smile after cleaning up my face, ready to face my kids. The
challenges were immense, but our love and resilience would see us through each day.