Chapter 14

The month of August was passing at high speed that before I realized it it was already August 22nd.

At Skylight everything was fine, Mr Davis had not returned, according to Gina, he had problems with the shareholders of his company who wanted to dismiss him on his functions. He then had to stay there for a while to cool down the thing.

Gina was the one who was taking care of everything at Skylight, and she was doing it wonderfully, you had only to see the way she put Fred in his place. Everyone adored her, because every time she came she sat at the bar and chatted with all the employees. She and Flo lately got into the habit of coming on the weekends and they waited for me until my shift ended.

That Saturday I didn't have to work in the morning as usual, and on my way to the restaurant in the afternoon I was worried because I hadn't received a call from my father. I tried to contact him but no response. It was weird because we talked every saturday so on the way, I decided to leave him a message asking him to call me back as soon as he sees it.

I usually left my phone in my bag while I worked, but this time kept it on me but I hadn't received any news. On my way to Skylight I tried to reach him again but still without an answer. While working at Skylight I also had to keep my phone on me just in case. Flo and Gina arrived around 9 p.m. I went greet them and Gina said she had to go to check something with Fred.

"Well girl, you have a hell of a head, what is it?" Flo asked me as soon as Gina left.

"I haven't heard from the old man."

"He didn't call you?"

"No and I've been leaving him messages since this morning with no response, I'm seriously starting to worry."

"I'm sure he has nothing. Old Bay is tougher than you think. He may have found a girl and kinda forgot about you."

"Seriously?" I couldn't understand how he could be joking when I was freaking out.

"I mean, I'm sure you're worrying for nothing."

And I hoped so too, but I had a bad feeling. And all evening I checked my phone every ten minutes to see if I hadn't missed his call. But at the end of my service I still hadn't heard from him.

"Come on relax Meg, your dad is fine." Flo told me once at home. It was 3 am, I was tired and my morale was at zero.

"How do you know?" I answered him curtly.

"I don't know, but neither do you! So there's no point in gnawing your blood. He'll maybe call you tomorrow." I didn't answer him but went straight to my room.

I couldn't sleep all night, I was thinking of what could've happened, and if something happened,whom should I ask? Since I left Bellevue I didn't keep much contact from there, and my dad was a lonely man he didn't have a close friend I could ask. Flo's grandfather's house had been sold to people I didn't know, if only Flo's grandfather was still there, I would have asked him to go check if my father was there. In the middle of these thoughts, I fell asleep without knowing it.

I was woken up by my phone ringing, at first I thought it was my alarm clock. But when I picked up my phone I noticed it was an incoming call. I was surprised by the name that showed up on my phone. Drew. My ex-boyfriend.

"Hello" I replied.

"Hi Meg, how are you?" I noticed he was serious in his voice.

"Good and you?"

"I'm fine" he paused before saying. "Meg, I'm calling to tell you that your dad is in the ER at St Luke's Wood River" then my heart skipped a beat.

"Oh my God, is he okay?".

"Not too much no, he is in the coma. He has what we call diabetic nephropathy that has caused kidney failure with complications. That's all I know at this time." the tears started to come down my face, I didn't get anything of what he said after the word coma, I wouldn't have understood anyway, because of all the medical terms he was applying. I only heard that my dad was in a coma.

"Is it serious?" I asked with a shaking voice.

"In some cases yes."

He didn't say anything for a moment, as if he wanted to give me time to digest the news. Then he asked me, "What are you going to do?"

"I'll take the first flight, I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Okay, until then I'll keep an eye on him."

"Thank you Drew."

"No problem !" then he hung up.

The tears were flowing, and there was no way to stop them. 'Meg, you have a plane to catch, get a hold of yourself,' I told myself as I left my bed. I checked what time it was, it was 5:45 in the morning. My alarm clock was going to ring in 15 minutes. I turned it off and went in the shower.

As I washed, an idea crossed my mind, it was almost 4am in Bellevue, what was Drew doing in the hospital in the middle of the night? He was in medical school when we were together, that was 4 years ago, had he become a doctor? I thought medical school took a long time. I did not dwell on it anyway I was going to have the opportunity to ask him.

I didn't spend more than ten minutes in the shower. I met Flo coming out of the bathroom. He was still sleepy.

"I heard you talking to the phone, who were you talking to?"

"To Drew." he opened his eyes wide in surprise. I told him what he had told me.

"Oh my God." he took me in his arms, I had trouble holding back my tears again. The idea of ​​losing my father scared me, my father was my life, I don't know if I will survive if I ever lose him.

Flo helped me pack my suitcase, while I was getting ready, and once he was done he went to get ready, he wanted to accompany me to the airport.

At 7:40 we were already there, he helped me register. My flight was leaving at 9:00. I withdrew all the money I had at the airport cash machine. It wasn't a lot but Flo gave me some more.

Then I called Mr. Moretti to explain to him the problem I had had. He was disappointed but comprehensive. I asked Flo to tell Gina everything so I wouldn't have to call Fred, I wasn't in the mood to put up with his words.

They announced the boarding of my flight, and I said goodbye to Flo.

"Be strong, and call me when you get there." He said to me, hugging me tightly.

I nodded, and left.