Chapter 2

~Joanne~

I didn't know when I stood up or walked out of Dr. Steve's office.I just found myself in the ICU hallway with my hands trembling.The hallway was cold with the thick stench of antiseptic hovering in the air. It was filled with beeping sounds echoing from different rooms in the hallway, blending into a background noise one can't ignore.

I hated hospitals so much because

they've never brought me any good memories. It had always been part of the worst moments of my life bearing witness to the times I felt like giving up.

I could already feel the familiar tightness rising in my throat. I really needed a shoulder to lean on and cry my ass out, but after so many years life taught me to become that shoulder for myself. It taught me that I couldn't cry, break down or run away, all I could do was face whatever life threw at me and so I stood there like I've always done but this time around I didn't know if I was ready to chest whatever it threw my way.

The doctor told me Nate would be in room 043 in the ICU so I started checking the doors until I found it. I looked through the glass door of the room and saw Nate looking so pale and peaceful like he was dead. The only thing that indicated life was the regular beeps echoing in the room. I stood there watching him, lost in thought and hoping for a miracle.

“Miss are you okay,” a gentle female voice brought me out of my reverie.

I turned my attention to the source of the voice, it happened it was an elderly woman sitting on a wheelchair. I felt maybe she was a patient who wandered off.

“Yes, ma'am, I'll be okay,” I replied with a forced smile trying as much as possible to steady my shaky voice.

“Oh please, call me granny,” the elderly woman said with a pleasant smile on her face before continuing, “I'm so tired, I have a very handsome grandson but he doesn't want to get married. I've refused to see my doctor till he gets me a granddaughterinlaw but somehow he keeps cajoling me to see the doctor”

She looked genuinely frustrated and it was very obvious that she wanted a granddaughterinlaw, I wondered who would want to stress such a cute granny.

“Maybe he has his reasons, granny. He'll soon get you one” I replied trying to console her.

“But he's not getting any younger. I haven't seen him with a woman for years and he keeps rejecting the women I set him up with,I'm beginning to get worried” she replied with a frustrated pout.

“Don't worry ma'am, he'll get you a beautiful grand daughter in-law”, I replied trying to reassure her

“Call me granny please” she re-emphasizes

“Oh sorry granny” I said with a smile this time around a genuine one. I've never had the chance to call anyone ‘granny’... it felt warm.

“Can I stay with you here, I really don't want to see my doctor this time around” the elderly woman said with a cute smile while looking up to me.

Her smile was so warm and irresistible but I didn't support her running away from seeing her doctor, it could negatively impact on her health I thought.

“No granny, let's go see the doctor, your grandson should already be in love with a beautiful young lady. He just needs time to tell you,” I said trying to convince her to see her doctor

“ Really?” She asked with a beautiful smile lighting up her face.

“Yes,” I replied with a gentle smile.

“But I’d still like you to be my granddaughter,” she said, her smile fading into a small pout.

“I’m sure your real granddaughter would be more beautiful than me,” I replied softly.

“Let me take you back to your doctor” I offered

“Okay,” she agreed, then added with a teasing grin, “But if my grandson doesn’t give me a granddaughter, I’ll come back for you.”

“Alright,” I chuckled as I wheeled her toward the nearest nurses’ station so she could be returned to her ward

I don't know what it was, maybe it was her smile but something about her calmed my nerves.

After dropping the elderly woman off with the nurses I decided to head back to the Intensive Care Unit (IUC) to see Nate. Maybe I could spend a night there. A night in the hospital…. wasn't anything new

Minutes turned into hours as I stayed in the hallway lost in thoughts. It was late autumn and the cold was biting more than I thought it would. I had left home in a hurry without a jacket and now I felt like I'm about to freeze to death.

“Hello, miss. I think you should start heading home. It's too cold out here. Besides, it's getting late,”a random nurse on duty said, drawing my attention.

I really didn't want to go home. I would be worried sick about Nate so I really felt the need to stay close.

“Don't worry ma'am, I'll be…” my stomach let out a loud rumble before I could complete my sentence. Then it suddenly hit me that I haven't taken any edible substance since morning and f*ck I had a pending report to submit at the office today. It was damn important to my boss. To worsen it all, I haven't communicated or informed anyone about my absence.

A new wave of anxiety began crawling in.Everyone knew the CEO of Blackwell Corporation to be cold and ruthless. I was fucking sure I’d lose my job.

“I’ll be heading home now,” I muttered with frustration washing over my face and a slight flush of embarrassment warming my cheeks ...the nurse had definitely heard the rumble.

Without wasting another second, I rushed out of the hospital, my mind consumed by the thought of how jobless I’d probably be by morning.

I needed to reach out to my immediate boss before this spiraled to the CEO.