Chapter 38

TAMMIE'S POV

The hospital room felt suffocating, like the walls were closing in on me. I couldn't stop crying.

My chest heaved with every sob as I replayed the harsh accusations thrown at me earlier.

How could anyone believe that I, of all people, would stoop so low? So low to get Richard and I to be recorded. I wiped my face with trembling hands, but the tears wouldn't stop.

"Mom," I whispered shakily to my mother, Mrs Daniella, who sat beside me. "What if they don’t believe me? What if they..." My words broke off into another wave of sobs.

"Tammie," My Mom who was now a little bit calm said, wrapping her arms around me, her voice firm yet trembling. "We know the truth, and we will prove it. You didn’t do anything wrong."

But her reassurance couldn’t calm the storm inside me. Before I could respond, the sound of a raspy cough broke through my cries.

RICHARD’S POV

I had been sitting quietly on the other side of the room, lost in thought about everything Tammie had been going through, when I heard the cough.

It was faint at first, but it quickly grew louder, almost like a choking sound. I turned my head toward Mr. Kenneth's bed and froze.

"He's coughing," I said, an alarm spreading through me as I jumped to my feet. "Something’s wrong!"

Tammie and Mrs. Daniella both snapped their heads toward the bed at the same time. Mr. Kenneth’s face was pale, his body trembling as he coughed violently.

“Dad!” Tammie cried out, rushing toward him.

TAMMIE'S POV

The moment Mr Kenneth, my assumed father … started coughing, I felt my heart drop. It was like time slowed down. He looked so fragile, gasping for air like a fish out of water.

“Richard!” I screamed. “Press the emergency button!”

Richard didn’t need to be told twice. He darted across the room and slammed his hand against the button on the wall. A loud alarm buzzed in response, signaling the medical staff.

“Hold on, Dad!” I pleaded, gripping his hand. His skin was cold to the touch, and I could see the fear in his eyes. "Stay with us, okay? Please!"

RICHARD’S POV

The beeping of the hospital machines grew louder, almost frantic, as Mr. Kenneth’s condition worsened. My chest tightened as I looked at the monitor, even though I couldn’t fully understand what the numbers meant.

“He’s not okay,” I muttered under my breath. I turned to Mrs. Daniella, who was standing beside me with wide, teary eyes.

"Stay calm," I tried to say, but my voice cracked. "The doctors will be here any second now."

As if on cue, the door burst open, and a team of nurses and doctors rushed in. One of the nurses grabbed a stethoscope while another adjusted the IV line connected to Mr. Kenneth’s arm.

"What's happening to him?" Mrs. Daniella asked in a shaky voice, clutching Tammie’s arm. "Please, tell me he’s going to be okay!"

The doctor, a middle-aged man with a calm yet urgent demeanor, raised his hand. "We need everyone to step back. Let us do our job."

NADIA'S POV

I couldn’t move. My feet felt like they were glued to the floor as I watched the doctors work on my dad. The room was filled with tension and the relentless beeping of the machines.

“ Miss Tammie, step back!” the doctor ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"Come on, Tammie," Richard said gently, pulling me away from the bed.

The doctor turned to us after a few moments. His expression was serious. “I’m sorry, but I need you all to leave the room for now. We’ll do everything we can.”

“No!” Mom cried, shaking her head violently. "I can't leave him like this!"

RICHARD’S POV

I wrapped an arm around Mrs. Daniella’s shoulder, trying to guide her toward the door.

" We have to trust them," I said softly, though I wasn’t sure if I believed it myself. " They’ll take care of him."

Mrs. Daniella clung to me, her sobs wracking her body as I led her out of the room. Tammie followed, her face pale and tear-streaked.

When we stepped into the hallway, the sound of the hospital machines was replaced by the deafening silence of uncertainty.

NADIA'S POV

Mom sank into a chair outside the ward, burying her face in her hands. Her muffled cries broke my heart all over again.

"Mom..." I knelt beside her, placing a hand on her arm. "Dad is strong. He’s going to make it."

“How do you know that?” she snapped, looking up at me with red, swollen eyes. "Do you see what’s happening there? He’s..." Her voice cracked, and she couldn’t finish the sentence.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back my own tears. “We have to believe in him. We have to.”

RICHARD’S POV

I paced back and forth in the hallway, my hands clenched into fists. I hated feeling helpless, but there was nothing I could do. Every passing second felt like an eternity.

“What if…” Tammie began, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if we lose him?"

“Don’t say that!” I snapped, stopping in my tracks. “We’re not losing him. We can’t.”

Tammie’s eyes widened at my outburst, and I immediately regretted it. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry. I just… I can’t think like that right now.”

TAMMIE'S POV

The tension in the air was unbearable. Every time a nurse or doctor walked past us, I held my breath, hoping they’d come with good news. But no one did.

My Mom started rocking back and forth in her seat, her hands clasped together as if she were praying.

“Mom,” I said softly, sitting beside her. "You need to stay strong for Dad."

She shook her head. "I can’t lose him, Tammie. I just can’t."

Before I could respond, the door to the ward opened slightly. A nurse stepped out, but she didn’t say anything, just walked away quickly.

“What does that mean?” Mom whispered, her voice trembling.

"I don’t know," I replied, my stomach twisting into knots.

RICHARD’S POV

I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment. Images of Mr. Kenneth coughing and gasping for air kept flashing through my mind. I felt a hand on my arm and turned to see Tammie looking up at me with tear-filled eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?"

“For being here,” she replied. "For helping us through this."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

Before I could say anything else, the sound of hurried footsteps made us all look up. Another doctor entered the ward, closing the door firmly behind him.

The tension in the hallway grew thicker, and the silence was almost deafening. None of us said a word, too scared to voice the fears that were slowly consuming us.

TAMMIE'S POV

I glanced at the closed door, my heart pounding. What was happening there? Why hasn't anyone come to update us?

"Mom," I whispered, gripping her hand tightly. "No matter what, we’ll get through this together."

She nodded weakly but didn’t say anything.

The wait continued, and with every passing second, the fear grew. What would the doctors tell us when they finally came out?

And would we be ready to hear it?