Returning To White Chapel

True to her words, Angela came to pick Aiden and Grandma Thompson at 9 PM sharp. The luxurious electric limousine looked as if it had just come out of the showroom in the next building.

Aiden and Grandma Thomson never sat in a limousine before. They inadvertently let out a gasp of surprise when they sank into the comfort of the soft cushioned seats with fleece covers.

Most people would feel flattered when treated this way. How many people could boast about being picked up by Ryan Caldwell's personal assistant to meet him in person? Not many. Aiden was just not sure why. He and his grandmother were average people with no outstanding background. To what did they owe the honor?

Despite the increasing unease by the minute, Aiden decided to go through with whatever was coming. They had already been rejected by White Chapel. Now Ryan Caldwell - the director of the hospital himself - for some unknown reason, took pity on them and decided to grant them some help. Aiden would be stupid to say no. He sneaked a furtive glance at his grandmother, who was as calm as the rock in face of the storm. His grandmother turned to smile at him. She reassuringly patted Aiden's hand.

"Don't worry, my child. What else can happen?"

Aiden nodded. He sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm down. His grandmother was right. What else could happen?

The director's office was located on the highest floor in White Chapel hospital. To access the floor, it was necessary to use a special elevator that only limited people had access to. Angela took out a gold card and swiped it at the scanner that was embedded into the wall.

"Ms. Angela Kendall, welcome," the mechanical voice greeted shortly after.

The elevator door opened. Angela stepped aside to let Aiden and his grandmother enter the elevator first.

Once the elevator door closed, a strip of red light started to scan the people inside the elevator. Afterward, the mechanical voice spoke up again.

"Guests, please enter your identification number into the display."

Aiden approached the screen at the wall and entered his and his grandmother's identification number into the system.

"Aiden Thompson, Lily-Anne Thompson, welcome to the 47th floor."

The elevator door opened with a ding sound.

The three people walked into a dark corridor which immediately lit up when the sensor detected movement in the corridor. At the end of the corridor was a double door that opened up to a large lounge.

There was a big television screen at the left side of the room, surrounded by a few leather recliners. At the right side of the room was a reception table manned by an attractive dark-skinned lady with ink-black hair. She rose from her seat as soon as Angela and the two guests entered the lounge.

"Hi, Angela. Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Mr. Ryan Caldwell is waiting inside. Please come in."

"Thank you, Harriet. Aiden, Mrs. Thompson, please go ahead."

Angela gestured at a double door located behind Harriet's table. Aiden took his grandmother's hand and they walked toward the door. After knocking three times, Ryan's authoritative voice was heard coming from behind the door.

"Come in."

Aiden opened the door and entered.

Ryan Caldwell sat before a white marble executive desk. On top of it lay a stack of documents. Ryan did not ask the two guests to take a seat. He rose to his feet, smoothed down the white lab coat that he was wearing, and gestured to them to follow him to the adjacent room.

In the adjacent room, a vampire doctor and a nurse were waiting.

"Charles, take Mrs. Thompson for a re-examination. Give me the results within an hour.

Claudia, go with Mr. Thompson to register Mrs. Thompson as a patient. Validate the examination results from the previous hospital, and upload all her historical medical data into the system in an hour."

Claudia just happened to be the nurse who refused Aiden that morning. She repeated what she already told Aiden without blinking.

"Mr. Caldwell Junior, Mrs. Thompson does not qualify for payment in installments."

"Do what I tell you first. I will discuss the term of payment after everything is done."

"Very well."

Charles approached Grandma Thompson with a smile.

"Please come with me, Mrs. Thompson."

Although she had told Aiden not to worry inside the car, the prospect of having a vampire doctor attend to her unwittingly made her nervous. It was Aiden's turn to calm her down then.

"Don't worry, Grandma. Everything will be alright."