The Boy Next Door – Episode 39

THE BOY NEXT DOOR

©️Authoress Adesewa

EPISODE THIRTY NINE

❣️ALEXA❣️

“We have contact her parents, and they would soon be here. I suggest you should all wait for them so you can explain how you met their child to them” one of the clinic attendants said to us.

We didn’t sign up for this.
Now, we have to wait for her parents to show up.

💬Can you come meet me at the clinic. It’s kinda urgent”
I pressed send and I wait for Hunter to show up.

I know he would have been searching for me everywhere if I hadn’t sent the text, since he knows we are through with our project already.

“Hi, girls” Hunter said as he saw us in the waiting room the moment we arrived.

“Hi” the girls replied but I didn’t say anything.
I just patted the free space beside me and he got the gesture. He sat down on the spot.

“What’s the emergency?” Hunter asked.

“Ruby almost committed suicide, but I got there in time to save her. We are asked to stick around till her parents come” I explained.

“Oh!” was all Hunter said.

Everyone huddled together in silence for what seemed to be eternity before I saw Ruby’s mom talking with a doctor.
I recognise her because I’ve met her before in a different unpalatable situation.

I know her dad must also be somewhere around the corner so I feel tensed all of a sudden.

What if my help was misinterpreted by her parents?
What if Ruby did not wake up to clear my name?
I could as well kiss goodbye to my freedom.
I’ve seen it happen severally in movies.
What makes it impossible in real life?

“Relax, babe. You have been squeezing the life out of me” Hunter said casually.

I didn’t even realise I was squeezing his arm tight, not until he mentioned it.
I dropped my hands on my laps and try to think about happy moments.

“Good afternoon, ladies” Ruby’s mom said to us.
I didn’t see her coming until she spoke.

“Good afternoon, ma” we all said.
Hunter excused himself and he said he’d be waiting for me outside, and I should call him in case things did not go favourably.

“The nurse over there said you were the ones who brought my daughter here.
I want to thank you all.
If not for you, I would have lost my only child” Mrs Canuto said.

“You are welcome, ma’am” we all said.

“Please, how did it happen?” she asked.

I took my time to explain how I had heard someone’s scream while I was about to leave the restroom.
How I’d not have done anything about it had I not hear the scream again.

I explained the condition in which I met Ruby, and how I had used a part of my dress to stop the excessive flow of blood from Ruby’s wrist.

I narrated how I have to include Rachel, Kayla and Sandra in it because I alone couldn’t carry her, and I finally stopped when I got to the part in which we brought her here to the clinic and we were asked to wait for her parents.

“Oh my! I can’t thank you enough. I’m really grateful” she said emotionally.
Her eyes were misty and it sems any moment from now she could release the floodgate of tears.

“Is she going to be fine?” I asked the most important question on my mind at present.

“Yes. The doctor said we should be thankful that her nerves were not affected. She is just too weak at the moment due to the amount of blood she lost today” Ruby’s mom said sadly.

“I hope she gets well soon. We’d like to be on our way now” I said courteously.

“Goodbye. Thanks, girls” she said as we all stood up to leave.

I saw Mr Canuto talking with the doctor on our way out. His back was turned to us and I feel grateful for that because I don’t want to talk with him.
Talking with Mrs Canuto was relatively easy, but I can’t say the same thing for Mr Canuto who looks grumpy to me.

“How was it?” Hunter asked immediately we stepped out of the clinic.

“It went well. Let’s go home”

“Okay” he said and I said my goodbye to the girls.

+ + +

💭 SATURDAY 💭

❤️ OLIVER❤️

I was about to enter my room when I noticed something odd.

The door to my dad’s room was left ajar.
My dad always insist on closing his door so I can’t understand why mom would open it now.

I forgot about the cold shower I was supposed to take, and instead I found myself in front of my dad’s room.
My mom was trying to wheel my dad’s bed out of the room, but so far she hasn’t been making much progress.

“Mom, what’s going on?”

“He is in crucial pain. I think it’s almost time” mom said sadly.

“Go and get dressed. The ambulance will soon be here” she added.

I rushed to my room and I took a quick shower.
I wore the first cloth I saw in my closet.
I don’t have time to be choosy right now.

I noticed my phone blinking on my reading table.
I unlocked it and discovered mom had already called my number five times while I was out.
I blame myself for not taking the phone with me for my early morning work out session.

💓 HUNTER💓

I just spoke with Oliver few minutes ago and I’m still shaken by the news he delivered.
I already informed mom and we are all on our way to the hospital where Peter was taken to.

I called some of our friends and everyone promised to come to the hospital as soon as possible.

Oliver is not just a friend to me. He is a brother, and I feel his pain as if it’s mine.

I spent the rest of the drive talking with our friends over the phone.
They were all shocked to hear that Peter has been battling with cancer for months.

I know Oliver didn’t want unnecessary pity, that’s why he didn’t tell people about his dad’s sickness.

❣️ ALEXA❣️

My phone’s incessant ringing cut short my nap.
Here goes my plan to at least enjoy my weekend.

I checked the caller and I was surprised to see that it is Oliver.
I accepted the call with immediately alacrity and I was shocked when he broke the bad news to me.

I know how sad he would be at the moment and I know without a doubt that this is the moment he needs me most.
I’ve been through this path, so I know all about the pain, thw hurt, the feeling of helplessness that always accompany this kind of situation.

I quickly changed into a blouse and a pair of jean trouser.
I went to aunt Kate’s room to inform her, but Hunter had already beat me to it.

We all trooped into aunt Kate’s Mustang convertible and she drove us to the hospital.

+ + +

“I’m scared, Alexa. How do I live without him?” Oliver asked rhetorically.

“It’s normal for you to be scared. As for how you’d live when he is gone, you would figure out that by yourself when it’s time”

“Even mom looks so lost. I don’t know how we are both going to cope” Oliver complained.

“Think of this as a sort of blessing.
Not everyone has the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.
You should make the most of this opportunity.
I wished my mom had that chance to say the final goodbye to my dad before he died.
I wish I also had the chance to tell mom everything I need to say to her before she died” I couldn’t go on anymore and Oliver squeezed my left palm reassuringly.
I was supposed to be the one consoling him, and not the other way round.

“Thanks for this wonderful advice. I would definitely tell him everything on my mind before I lose him forever” Hunter said.

We are both sitting in the waiting room of the ICU while others are in the general waiting room.

“Peter has opened his years. He is asking of you” Laura said to Oliver.
She has been in Peter’s ward since the ambulance brought him here.

“You’d be fine” I assured him as he followed his mom to Peter’s ward.

❤️ OLIVER❤️

I got to dad’s ward and I pushed the door open.
Various machines had been connected to his bed and the monitor was blinking steadily.

I walked closer to his bed, and I sat beside him.
I gazed into his green eyes which is a replica of mine.
I don’t want to believe that this might be the last time I’d see him alive.

“Oliver” my dad called weakly.

“Dad” I replied.

“You are now the man of the house. I want you to take care of your mom properly.
Don’t allow her to over think or stress herself unnecessarily.
I want you to focus on your studies and your future career.
I know you’d make me proud, dear son” dad said while I nod faintly.

“I’m not going to let you down. I promise to be great.
I’d really miss you, dad.
I don’t know how my world will be without you in it” I said, fighting back tears.

We all stayed silent for several minutes until mom informed him that my friends are in the waiting room.
He said he’d like to see them, and I went to inform them all.

I saw uncle Evan sitting beside Alexa.
He must have come from his workplace because he is dressed in a formal attire.

“Good afternoon, sir” I greeted him.

“Good afternoon. How is Peter?” he asked.

“He is stable at the moment, he can see anyone right now” I announced.
I went to inform others in the general waiting room that my dad would like to see them now.

❣️ ALEXA❣️

We have been in this hospital for almost ten hours.
A lot of things has happened since we arrived.

After we all left Peter’s ward, I wanted to grab some snacks in the cafeteria since I skipped breakfast earlier.
I bumped into Mrs Canuto in the cafeteria and we were both surprised to see each other.

“Good afternoon, ma”

“Good afternoon dear. Are you here to see my daughter?” she asked me and I was confused.
I don’t know Runy is also in this hospital.

“I didn’t know Ruby is here”

“She was transferred here yesterday because the school clinic do not open on weekends” she said.
Oh!
That explains it.

“Okay, ma. What ward is she in?”

She led me to another section of the hospital which is situated behind the ICU’s block.

We stopped in front of a ward and we entered the room which has three beds.
Ruby’s bed is in the middle, and one of the other bed is occupied by a little girl who was sleeping when we walked in.

“Hi” I said quietly.
I feel awkward to be here because Ruby and I are not exactly buddies.
Her mom left the room and I sat down on the unoccupied bed in the ward.

“Hi. How did you know I’m here?” Ruby asked.
She was also whispering because we didn’t want to wake the little girl up with our voices.

“I met your mom in the cafeteria, she thought I knew you had been transferred here”

“Okay. I thought you are here to mock me” she said.

Huh?

“Why would I do that?”

“I’ve caused you a lot of problems since you came here” Ruby said.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I was sincere when I said I’ve forgiven you.
If I haven’t, I would have left you to die when I saw you yesterday” I said and she flinched.

“So it was you” she said and burst into tears.

“Why are you crying?” I asked .

“I’m a horrible person. I don’t deserve to live.
I never treated you right, but you still saved my life” she said as she sob uncontrollably.

“Hey, stop crying. Do you want to wake her up?” I asked pointing at the sleeping beauty beside her.
She stopped crying immediately I said that.

My phone begin to ring and it was aunt Kate who was calling to ask me about my whereabout.
I quickly said goodbye to her with a promise that I’d visit her again soon.

+ + +

Some of the guys have been forced to go to their respective homes by the hospital management.
They said we are crowding the waiting room.

Oliver is sitting beside me with his head on his laps.
I was just observing the surrounding.
Nobody was talking anymore and there’s tension in the atmosphere.

Laura was still in Peter’s ward and others who are still around are in the general waiting room.

A doctor came out of the ward and was coming to meet us.
I tapped Oliver on his shoulder.
He looked up and sat up straight as he saw the doctor.

“Good evening, Mr Colston. I’m sorry to announce to you that we lost him” the doctor said.

TBC.

Oh no!
Peter is dead😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Oliver, take heart.

Peace out✌️💞💕✌️
©️Authoress Adesewa✍️✍️