99
Nicholas’s POV
“Who is critical inside?” I ask with a slightly demanding tone, even though my voice trembles.
The nurse looks anxious but replies, “Miss Sabrina.”
The world seems to stop for a moment. My heart feels like has stopped beating “Sabrina?” I whisper, barely believing it.
“I’m sorry, sir, I have to go back in,” she says quickly before I can ask more. She immediately goes back into the ICU, leaving me frozen in place.
My hands tremble as I grip the chair next to me to keep from falling My breath quickens, my chest feels tight. Dark thoughts start flooding my mind, imagining all the worst possibilities that could happen.
I pace back and forth in front of the ICU door, not knowing what to do. The haunting feeling of despair makes me want to break in, but I know that won’t help. So I can only stand there, staring at the tightly closed door and praying.
“God, please,” I mumble softly, barely audible. “Don’t take her from us. Don’t take her from Charlie.”
I cover my face with both hands, trying to calm myself. But the truth is, I feel like I’m falling apart. The image of Sabrina lying weakly on the bed continues to haunt my mind. She has gone through so much, fighting this illness with extraordinary courage. How could she face this alone?
I want so badly to go in, hold her hand, and tell her that she is not alone. But all I can do now is wait. Wait and hope.
Time feels like it is moving so slowly. Every second feels like a punch to my chest. I hear the sounds of medical equipment growing louder from inside the room. For some reason, that sound makes me feel even more desperate.
I look up at the ceiling, trying to hold back the tears that are starting to well up in the corners of my eyes. I can’t cry now. I have to be strong. For Sabrina. For Charlie.
“She has to survive,” I whisper again, like a mantra I keep repeating in my heart. “She has to survive.”
I continue to stand in front of the ICU door, hoping for good news to come. But so far, all there is is the sound of activity from inside the room. I can do nothing but wait. And waiting is the most painful thing I have ever experienced.
Suddenly, the ICU door opens, and a doctor rushes out with a serious, pressured expression.
“Mr. Nicholas?” he calls, his voice firm but burdened.
I nod and immediately approach him. “How is Sabrina, Doctor?” I ask with a trembling voice, almost afraid to hear the answer.
The doctor takes a deep breath, his face looking heavier. “We have done everything we can to stabilize her condition, but the cancer has spread to vital organs. She is currently in very critical condition.”
His words feel like a spear piercing directly into my heart. I try to digest the information, but it feels like my is already too full of worry.
What… what can be done, Doctor?” I ask in a voice barely above a whisper.
The doctor looks at me with sympathetic eyes. “The only option is to perform surgery immediately. We must remove the cancer before it spreads further and damages the remaining organs.”
mind
+25 BONUS
I nod slowly, trying to understand. But then the question I fear the most arises. “What are the chances of survival after the surgery?”
The doctor hesitates for a moment before answering. “To be honest, the chances are quite small, Mr. Nicholas. Perhaps 50 percent, or even less.”
Those words make the world around me feel like It has stopped. It feels like there is a rumbling in my head, deafening. Fifty percent. Just half a chance to survive.
“What if we don’t do the surgery…?” I ask, my voice almost inaudible.
The doctor shakes his head slowly. “If the surgery is not performed, her condition will continue to deteriorate. I’m afraid she won’t last more than a few days.”
Tears begin to well up in my eyes, it’s hard for me to hold back the rising emotions. The choices before me are so cruel. A risky surgery or doing nothing and losing her just like that.
“Does she… does she know about this?” I asked again, trying to find some footing amidst this chaos.
“Sabrina was not fully aware when we decided to call you, the doctor replied. “We need family consent to proceed with this procedure.”
I fell silent. My heart felt shattered. How could I make such a significant, life–changing decision without hearing her opinion? But time was running out, and I knew I didn’t have many options.
With trembling hands, I reached for the pen the doctor offered. My eyes scanned the operation consent form in front of me. I felt like I was signing something that would change my life forever.
“She has to live,” I murmured softly, more to myself. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, but I didn’t care. “She has to survive, Doctor.”
The doctor nodded, his voice gentle yet firm. “We’ll do our best, Mr. Nicholas. You have to trust us.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Then, with still trembling hands, I signed my name on the form.
After finishing, I handed the form back to the doctor. “Do what needs to be done, Doctor,” I finally said, my voice heavy.
The doctor gave a small nod before heading back into the ICU. I could only stand there, staring at the door that had closed again. My body felt weak, as if all my energy had been drained.
I slowly walked backward and dropped myself into the waiting chair. My tears continued to flow endlessly. My mind was filled with images of Sabrina–her smile, her voice, and the way she always persevered despite the heavy tests life threw at her.
“Don’t leave us, Sabrina,” I whispered through my sobs. “Please… for Charlie, for everyone who loves you. Hold
on.”
Now, all I could do was pray, hoping for a miracle behind that ICU door.
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