Chapter 5: Billionaire's Regret

“Mom,” Annie enters the hospital room. She quickly stops in her tracks looking puzzled. Going back outside where she walked into Nurse Mary.

“Where is my Mom?” she immediately questioned.

“Annie Black,” the nurse queries.

“Yes, I am.”

“I called you earlier. I am Nurse Mary.”

“Where is my Mom?” Annie has a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Annie, you need to go see Doctor Stevens. She is waiting for you in her office.” Nurse Mary reaches for her arm.

“Where is my Mom?” Annie stubbornly stood her ground.

“The doctor will explain. Please follow me.”

“I am not going anywhere until I see my Mom.”

Nurse Mary realized an explosive argument might ensue. She shrugs her shoulders looking at the girl. The various emotions switch between anger and worry, flashing rapidly across her face.

“Please follow me but you should have seen the doctor first.” Mary said softly. Grace will bite her head off for what she was about to do. The truth was she understood the girl’s anxiousness.

Aaron making sure he wasn’t visible watch the inter-action with the girl and nurse Mary. He was frustrated only seeing her side profile. It was clear though that she was worried about someone in the room just behind her.

“At least there seem to be a valid reason for her running me over.” He observed softly. “Where are you going now?” he starts to follow. He barely noticed the nurses watching and admiring his profile. His whole focus was on the girl.

The two women stop at another window looking inside. He curiously wants to know who was inside but he doesn’t want Nurse Mary to notice him. That woman knows about Grace and him. He quietly wonders if the girl was also part of Grace’s patients.

“Annie…” Nurse Mary watch the blood drain from her face.

“What happened to my Mom?”

“We are not sure. Your Mom was recovering from the flu. She was declared healthy. One of the candy stripe girls said she had a brief visitor. The moment the man left; you Mom had a stroke.”

“What do you mean?” Annie asks with rising panic.

“Annie, please go talk to doctor Grace.”

“I only left her for half a morning. I didn’t protect her.” Annie wraps her arms around her body. Her immediate fear was openly visible.

“Annie, please go talk to doctor Stevens. We are monitoring your mom. She is directly linked to the doctor. She knows everything what we are doing.”

“Can I go inside?”

“Not yet. We are still stabilizing her.”

“The sooner you talk to the doctor, the quicker you will be at her side.” Nurse Mary gently took her arm. They walked to the general office of Doctor Grace, not her private office.

Once Aaron was certain they were gone, he moved closer to the window looking into the room. He noticed a very fragile woman connected to beeping machines. He starts to recall as a twelve-year-old boy watching his Mom also connected to machines. The doctors couldn’t safe her as her hidden hunger went on too long. She cleverly hid the truth from him by wearing many layers of clothes. Most days they had barely food to eat but she secretly had given him everything they had. He slowly wipes the single tear away as any memory of his Mom has that effect.

“What happened to you ma’am?” he asks no one but received an answer.

“She had a stroke.” The young girl answered worried. “I am not sure if it was my fault. “The girl had approached so silently beside him.

“What did you say?” Aaron turned to face her.

“Do you know her?” the teenager asks anxiously.

“No, but she reminds me of someone. You won’t get into trouble with me. Tell me what you know.”

“Hanna Black was brought in with flu symptoms. Turns out it was an extreme strain of the flu. The doctors immediately put her on treatment. This morning she was declared healthy.”

“But something happened?” Aaron looked intently at Hanna.

“Her husband asks to see her. I didn’t see anything wrong with the request. She was allowed visitors. The man was just with her for a couple of minutes before she had her stroke.”

“I see.” Aaron kept his eyes on Hanna Black. His mind was working overtime wondering what the doctor would do now.

“I am sorry sir. I hope she fully recovers.”

“Who is her doctor?”

“Doctor Grace Stevens.”

“Where is her office?”

“She has two sir and since she was doing rounds she would be in the general office.” The girl explained eagerly.

“Thank you, I appreciate this.”

“Grace Stevens. I should know.” While he was thinking about his ex-fiancée, he only sees the running image of Hanna Black’s daughter.

“Come inside Annie.” Grace has been on the lookout for her.

“Hello Doctor.” She steps inside.

“I take it you have seen your mother.” Grace confirms what she had watches on the security monitor in her office.

“I don’t understand doctor. I was ready to take her home.”

“I know Annie. The problem with a stroke, you never see it coming. There are sometimes warning signs but not with Hanna.”

“What triggered it doctor?”

“Apparently your Mom had an unscheduled visitor. The man claimed to be her husband. Is this the truth Annie?”

“My father is supposed to be in prison.” Annie answered flatly. She suddenly stood circling the office feeling tense and worried. She went and sits down again. “Doctor describes my Mom’s symptoms please. I need to know how to help her.”

Grace looked at the young woman. She saw the inner core of strength. This was one daughter to be careful and honest with. “Whenever a stroke occurs the most common process is blood being block from reaching the brain. There is briefly no oxygen. Part of the brain becomes damage.”

“Is this lasting doctor? What is the long-term damage?” Annie asks calm now fully focus.

“There is damage but it also depends on what type of stroke Annie. I am still running tests but I will now soon. Annie…depending on the test results, may I make a medical suggestion. I did the same with my own Mom.”

“I am listening doctor.”

“Would you allow your Mom to be send to a Swiss Clinic that specialized in recovery of stroke patients? Currently you are the legal guardian of Hanna Black. Your Mom sign documents to that effect. She was worried something would happen to her.”

Annie just looked at her shock. “Doctor I can’t afford it. I want the best for my Mom but I can barely afford this hospital.”

“I understand Annie. Consider the option while we wait for the test results. When you give me your final decision, I will act accordingly. You can wait here in my office while I check on her. Annie, your Mom loves you.”