Chapter Ten

It had been a long time since I last spent so much time in a hospital. The smell of medicines, the hospital clothes, the syringes and drip stands often made me shiver. The only good thing is my dad had finally regained consciousness.

He had been here for over a week now and I'd been going back and forth, but I still wasn't used to being here, especially standing in front of nurses in the reception area.

"What did you say you're looking for?" One asked.

"I was asked to get these drugs," I said, pulling out the doctor's prescription from my back pocket. "I don't know where to find the pharmacy."

"Did you look for it at all or just walked straight here to ask questions you could have avoided asking if you'd just used your eyes?" Another nurse snapped.

I glanced around. I didn't see any place with a pharmacy sign on it, I turned back to them.

"I admit that I haven't looked around, which is why I'm asking for specific directions."

"Girl, I've been sitting here since last night. I was on night shift and the other human being that was supposed to take over from me, isn't here yet. The last thing I need right now, is a rich spoiled brat making my job harder for me."

The other nurses snickered.

To say I was pissed off would be an understatement. I wanted to reach across the counter and pull the hair off their scalps. I respect nurses, who doesn't? They work hard to ensure people don't die. However, I wasn't the staff who had refused to resume duties, I even have problems of my own and the last thing I needed was someone shoving theirs down my throat.

"I get that you're tired and all, but you don't have to speak to me that way," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "I've also gone through a lot this past few days. I found out my entire marriage life was a lie, my father, the only person that had ever truly loved me fell sick, the family's business is in a verge of collapse, I took a risk to go to a place where I could get killed and my body will never be found. I'm also here, trying to get my dad back on his feet. Not to downplay it or anything, but your only problem right now is probably that, you might work overtime today, mine is that, one wrong move, and my world will come crashing down. So I ask again, where can I get these drugs?

They all looked at me like they were seeing me for the first time. The rude nurse silently pointed down the hall.

As I walked towards the place, I saw a tiny, faded label. I definitely wouldn't have seen this, I'm bad at noticing small things.

"Can I get these drugs, please?"

I asked, as I passed the prescription to the nurse at the counter. She just glanced at it and began pulling bottles from the shelves.

After a couple of minutes, she brought out all the drugs, put them in a bag and handed it to me with a smile.

"I know you." She said.

"Excuse me?"

"You're the girl who donated sanitary products to the shelter I volunteer at. Everyone else might see a spoilt Greene girl, I see a beautiful strong woman. Your father is stable now, you don't have to worry. He'll be out of here before you know it.

I just nodded, and pushed back the tears that were threatening to fall.

Most people only look at me for a bit and immediately think I'm some dumb bitch with privileges.

I get that I was an airhead in the past who only worried about wearing the same outfit with someone at a party, and a dutiful wife who only cared about her husband's needs. But I've grown past that. I may have been spoilt, but I've never looked down on anyone, or never really had the time to.

"Thank you so much, that means a lot to me." I whispered.

"I'm glad I could lift your spirits. We women should fix each other's crowns, not watch it fall."

I thanked her again and headed to my father's ward. As soon as I touched the door handle, the alarm went off.

Doctors and nurses immediately hurried to my father's ward, pushing me aside to get in. I fell on my butt but the hurt was nothing compared to the tightening on my chest. What was happening? I tried opening the door again and it was locked from inside.

The rude nurse from earlier suddenly came to my side and gently led me to the waiting area.

"He was stable, he regained consciousness...what exactly is happening right now?"

"He'll be fine. Just calm down okay. It's probably nothing serious."

Nothing serious? I scoffed. The tears I had been holding back started trickling down my face. I've never heard that nothing serious had hospital alarms blaring off like that.

"What happens when hospital alarms go off?" I asked.

"You don't have to worry. We just have to wait till the doctors come out. They're the only ones who can give you detailed explanation of what really went wrong."

I nodded, and brought my legs to my chest, then placed my cheeks on them.

"I'm sorry for being rude earlier, I'm not always like that."

I nodded again, but couldn't make out words to say to her. I just wanted to see my father, I wanted to speak with him again.

I've grown up without a mother, he had been everything to me. Even when I was a brat and got into a lot of troubles, he stood by me. He made sure I never lacked anything, not even his attention.

The door to his ward opened and the doctors and nurses filed out. I immediately walked to them. Only one doctor stood still, the rest just gave me pitiful looks and walked out.

"His blood pressure shot up again, we've managed to stabilize him though."

I sighed in relief. "Wait....no brain damage, tumor or anything like that, right?"

"No"

I did a small victory dance then sank to my feet. I had imagined he'd slip back into his unconscious state, now I'm more than relieved he didn't. I'd finally get to speak to my father and share my burdens with him.

"He's slipped into a state of coma." The doctor said.

The whole world seem to suddenly stop. Is it the same coma I hear people come out of after months or years? Or is it a different kind of coma?