Four
Chapter Four
Jennifer's head swirled on hearing those four words. Amanda, who was already behind her alongside Mr Beaunavista, sensed her friend's lack of composure and held her hand from behind.
'Dad , is he fine?
Or did his medication go wrong?
Probably he didn't eat, or he reacted to what he ate.'
Jennifer had started gathering bad thoughts. She immediately shrugged them off. She took a deep breath and faced the fidgeting man in front of her.
"What happened?" She said the words carefully.
"He collapsed on his way out of his office.He is presently at the hospital. "
She immediately felt stabbed.The fully air conditioned room seemed hot for some time. She looked back at Amanda who kept squeezing her arms slightly. She took another deep breath and faced the man.
"Let's go then." She said calmly and signalled to Jane to take care of the office .The man led her out, Amanda following silently.
As the trio entered the elevator leading to the hospital, Amanda pulled Jennifer who was already diving into the world of 'what's and if's '.
"Are you okay?" Amanda asked, taking her friend's right hand and caressing it.
Jennifer nodded, tears forming already.
"Just be fine, okay? Your dad is fine." Jennifer,on hearing those words burst into tears, a loud cry accompanying it.
The man with them adjusted his stand, suddenly embarrassed by what he was witnessing.
Amanda hugged her friend,who was already shaking with tears giving snorts once in a while.
"Shush, my baby. Daddy is fine. Daddy is fine. "
Amanda ran her hand through her back.
Jennifer, after a series of stopping and starting tears,released herself and wiped her tears with her hand and her hand, she wiped on her skirt.
"Yes, my dad is fine." Jennifer gave one last sniff. She looked at the man beside them and gave him a short smile as their eyes met.
As soon as the elevator opened, the smell of disinfectant among all other usual hospital smell greeted them.
"He is at room number four." The man informed them and quickly excused himself. The way he rushed towards the elevator made it seem like he had been looking for an excuse to leave.
"Let' s go then." Jennifer said calmly.
Amanda walked next to her,both of them trotting .
In a minute, they stood in front of the door of ward number four.
Jennifer took a deep breath.She was to be prepared for whatever she meets in there. Amanda gave Jennifer a look,asking whether to open the door.
Jennifer nodded impatiently, suddenly irritated by her slowness.
They entered the cream coloured room which exposed her dad, lying on the hospital bed, his face to the left,watching Doctor Sarah, his sister, talk.
She was talking about him not taking his medications and stressing himself. For a moment, she looked like the older one because of the way she scolded him, Mr Lewis keeping quiet, looking like a child as she talked.
She lifted her head while talking and sighted Jennifer and Amanda who were still by the door.
"Jennifer! Come." She walked hurriedly towards her and pulled her towards her dad.
Her dad's less wrinkled face smiled at her, highlighting his black coloured pupils, which looked drained.
He shifted a bit on the bed and slowly moved his hand, Jennifer became afraid for a second that he would hurt himself, but he smiled as if to assure her and patted the little place beside him.
She sat down, took her father's face in her hands, the both of them communicating silently, using their eyes. This is a thing that had existed between the both of them ever since Jennifer's birth.
"Jennifer..." Her dad said after a while, his voice a little hoarse.
"Dad..." She whispered sadly with a bit of fright in her voice.
Her dad patted her cheek.
"Muffins, I have to say this, I don't know what will happen from now on."
Jennifer frowned.
He continued.
"Jennifer, I love you. I know you do love me too. You mean the absolute world to me. You are my only reason for surviving all through these years especially without your mom.
I want you to be strong, no matter what happens. Never forget, your fears should never get the best of you.When I am gone..."
Jennifer cut him short.
"Daddy, what are you saying? You are okay, you are going no where. I want you here...you ...you should be here."
Two fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
Her dad ignored her rant and continued.
"Take care of yourself , my baby. I want you to be happy when I am gone. Make yourself and others happy. And I will make sure to tell your mom you are happy. " Her dad ended it with a short smile.
She gave her dad a look, a look that her dad was probably crazy.
"Dad, nothing will happen to you. Right, Aunt Sarah?"
She faced her aunt who nodded.
"I..."
She was interrupted by a beep from a machine and then another one, followed by incessant beeps.
"Amanda, take your friend outside." Aunt Sarah said as she pressed a red button, a frown on her face.
"I love you dad." She whispered and kissed his forehead, receiving a weak smile.
Amanda led her outside and made her sit on a bench opposite the room.
Jennifer kept staring at the door, oblivious to the people in white moving out and in,already in her own thoughts.
She couldn't just bear the thought of losing her dad. A lot of memories had been made, a lot of memories yet to be made .
She went back to the time he used to give her swimming lessons in a rubber made pool that they used to have in their former house. She had failed severally to get the techniques mostly because she hated water but he was still patient with her and kept encouraging her that she would get it. One day. Well, the one day hadn't come yet. And the fact that her dad was going to leave her before the one day made her heart break.
Or the time he would follow her to her ballet classes and practice with her, Madam Claudia, her amazing nanny then, always giving appreciative nods.
She could never forget the time they travelled to Anaradia, the waterfall state to celebrate My Maria wedding. My Maria was the daughter of her dad's elder sister .Aunt Jane, was very fond of her daughter. Any little thing, my Maria this, my Maria that .
Aunt Jane was crazy about diet , and anytime she was around ,they had no choice but to dance to her tune,and eat what she had to offer, and noone dared say no. But, of course, her dad and her always sneaked in chocolate and candies after meals and ate them in his room with the door locked.
Few days to My Maria's wedding, she stayed over.They ate turkey, three days straight, morning and night since her financial status was a bit shaken because of the wedding.
Jennifer and her dad were both relieved when they got on the plane,happy that they would get a decent meal, only to discover Aunt Jane had brought the remaining turkey to the plane. She had coerced every Lewis in that plane to eat it. Her dad named it 'travelling turkey.'
Jennifer smiled at the memories popping up, despite the flood of tears on her face.
She wiped it off occasionally with her hand, thankful that she hadn't used mascara or she would be looking like some monster.
"Jennifer..." Amanda placed her hand on her shoulder.She looked at her and saw she was looking at something, she followed her gaze and her eyes landed on Francis.
She got up slowly, delighted to see him. His hugs and soothing kisses was something she needed at the moment. She bumped into his broad chest, a result of gym work, and started a fresh bout of crying.
His chin rested on her head,his large hand moving back and forth her back.
They stayed like that for a moment.
After a while, he led her to sit on the bench and called Amanda aside, actually, they went into the next room.
Jennifer thought he probably did not want to upset her by asking questions in her presence. So, she took the job of staring at the off-white coloured door where her dad lay sick,wondering what was going on there.
She prayed briefly to God to help intervene.She could not even cry anymore, so she just prayed.
Francis and Amanda soon came out from the room and Francis came to sit beside her, hugging her sideways.
She leaned into his arms and enjoyed the silence.
But the silence was soon interrupted by beeps and sounds from the room her dad was.
'Clear'
'Beep'
1,2...3.Clear!'
'Beep,beep,beep'
'Coming '
'Again. Clear'
'Beep'
After that, nothing was heard,there was a bit of movement but no more beeping.
The door opened, causing Jennifer's heart to jump.
This is it, she thought, as Doctor Sarah came out.
"Well..." Amanda said impatiently.
Doctor Sarah sighed.
"He is gone."