CHAPTER 4

 Confrontations and Secret 

                     Ryan's POV

I didn't know which one shocked me the most, the fact that the Doctor handling my daughter's case was Amanda, my ex wife or the fact that the little boy called her Mummy.

Amanda? Doctor? How? She was an housewife the last time I remember, the name Didn't even raise any suspicion when the doctors talked about her.

"Look mummy, Mrs. Anderson got me a popsicle." He said brandishing the item to her.

"Did you tell her thank you?" She asked him.

"Yes mummy."

She looked at me and turned to the boy "Mummy is busy with work right now, can you go and stay with Mrs. Anderson? I'll call you when I'm done."

He nodded and picked the iPad on her table and walked to the door, he stopped and looked at me.

"Hi" he said waving at me, I was too stunned to wave back and kept staring at him till he left.

I might have figured the most shocking part – The little boy could easily be mistaken as a smaller version of me.

"Who's that little boy? Is he your child?" I asked.

"Listen, that boy is none of your business, the earlier you mind yours and stop asking silly questions, the better." She yelled.

I could see the fear in her eyes as she tried avoiding looking at me, seven years later, I could still read her expressions, guilt slipped into me.

"You're the guardian of that little girl, right?" She asked sitting down.

"Yes, I'm her father." 

There was already another issue at hand – my daughter. She was my focus right now and I needed to focus more on helping her feel better.

"I think you should take her to another hospital, I'm afraid, what you're looking for isn't here. We could suggest our sister hospitals for her case."

"But the hospital recommended you, there were certain you could handle the case, it's even on your record."

"And I say I can't, will you believe a record composed by the hospital over the words of the said doctor? I'm sorry, but your daughter has a better chance of getting better somewhere else, not here."

I didn't know she did it but I was sure this wasn't the Amanda I once knew, I had wronged her and I totally understood her outburst.

"Please." I said going down on my knees "I know our last encounter wasn't the most favourable but I'm on my knees, Amanda please, the life of my daughter lies in your hands. I know I don't have the right to ask but please don't let the mistake of a father affect his innocent daughter. Please do this for the sake of my daughter." I pleaded.

I was willing to go at any length to save Blair, that little girl deserve another chance at life, she was too young to be going through so much pains.

She rested her head on the desk, I knew she was contemplating, I prayed she would accept to do this regardless of how things were between us.

"Please." I begged even more.

"Okay" she said raising her head. "I won't punish the child for the sins of her father, I'll do this on the condition that you'll have to act like you don't know me. Don't start getting funny ideas and try to approach my son, he's not yours."

"Yes, I agree, I'll do anything you want, please just save Blair."

                         ~•~

I waited outside the emergency ward for hours praying and hoping everything would be successful.

The door slid open and Amanda emerged, she looked really bored to see me.

"It was successful, she's stable now." She said without sparing me a glance, I deserved it.

After some hours, I was called in to see Blair, I went in and saw her laying unconscious on her bed.

She had been diagnosed with a rare Condition of an obstruction on her chest, making it hard for her to breath and most time she would have a seizure and go unconscious for hours, we didn't know when to expect it but it definitely came when it wanted to.

"Baby, Daddy is here." I whispered to her even though I was sure she wouldn't hear me.

I hoped everything was fine now, it was hard watching my daughter in pains, I owed Amanda everything for saving my daughter.

I still needed to get her prescriptions so I left her ward, I saw Amanda and the little boy leaving the reception area.

"That boy is cute right?" The nurse at the reception asked, she must have noticed me looking at them.

"Yes, she's the doctor that operated on my daughter."

"Oh, I see. That's her son by the way, you know she was recently moved here, I'm sure his father would be handsome too."

"I guess so. Can I get the direction to the hospital pharmacy? I need to get drugs for my daughter."

She explained the location for me and I left but on a second thought, I came back to meet her.

"Hi, so do you want to do something easy for me for an extra cash?" I watched as her face lit up, with the way she acted, one would think she wasn't paid well.

"Yes, what is it?"

"That little boy, the doctor's son, could you get a strand of hair from his head."

She looked at me puzzled, probably Wondering if I had gone nuts.

"What do you need it for?"

"I'll double the price if you don't ask any questions."

I didn't know how she did it but soon enough, I met her again but this time she was with the hair sample, I paid her and she promised to keep it a secret between us.

I've been having this thought of Amanda hiding something, the fear in her eyes when I had asked about the boy was enough to suggest something, not to mention the uncanny resemblance.

I had a friend here, we had become close since Blairs episodes started, I was sure I could trust him.

After dropping the sample at his office, I went back to the ward to stay with my daughter.

                          ~•~

It has been two days after Blairs surgery and she had already women up, although she wasn't strong enough to move around but there signs that she would be fine.

My phone beeped from the bed, it was the doctor in charge of the test, my heart beat louder.

"Hey Doctor." I said picking the call.

"Mr Ryan, I'm calling regarding the DNA test conducted at my lab, the result is out."

"Okay, can you tell me now?"

"Yes sir."

I held my breathe, I wasn't sure how things would turn out or what the result would change, if the child wasn't mine, I still owed her an apology and appreciation for saving my Daughter but if –

"The child is yours Sir, 99.9%"

I froze.