On Leave

D R I X ᯓᡣ𐭩

♬: Luminary (violin cover) - Joel Sunny.

TEArdrops slowly exit my eyes and I manage to run my shaky hands through my hair. I had just arrived at the hospital and I was still at the doctor's office, heaving as a result of running from the bus station.

I know that I'm definitely losing the job since I bailed out on my first day, a very stupid and unprofessional move given that Camilla's life was possibly on the line. I had no choice, when the call came I wasn't even thinking properly. Few of her colleagues were with her in the ward, waiting earnestly for her to wake up whilst I was summoned by the doctor.

I'm a literal mess right now, my hair is messy and my eyes are bloodshot from all my failed attempts to hold my tears together. This was all my fault, I shouldn't have let her go to work and if only I worked harder for the both of us,she wouldn't need to break her back for anything.

"How is she?" I query, hoping that it wasn't very chronic but could be as a result of stress. I'm pretty sure that even my guts are praying to hear the words,"She's fine, you can take her home in a few days,"

Doctor Jefferson is my mom's trusted doctor so I trust that she is in good hands.

"She's doing quite well, for now," he responds, interlocking his fingers on the desk with a sombre gaze.

"For now?"

Jeff sighed, "Your mom requested that we keep this away from you but - "

" Keep what away from me?"

"Before I go further, I'd like you to be aware that I understand what you're going through and -"

"Is my mom dead?" I asked, my eyes welling up.

"No. No, let me explain, okay?"

I let out a sigh of relief, she isn't dead so that's good news, "Alright, explain?"

"A year before your accident, your mom was diagnosed cardiomyopathy —"

"Cardiomyopathy?"

"Yes,cardiomyopathy. She had time to raise the money for her transplant and got a donor a month later. On the day of her proposed surgery, you had that accident and needed a transplant immediately aside from your brain injury and eventually,the heart she needed went to you. She believed she still had extra time since it wasn't really critical but now, she's in desperate need of it,"

For a moment, I'm numb like I had been plunged into a whole new world that seemed to be crashing down. My heart reeks of pain and regret, I was right this is all my fault, I caused this. I'm the reason for my mother's pain and she chose to go through this secretly behind my back. I do know I had a heart transplant, the scar from the surgery is still there but not with my mom's life on the line.

"Don't think of this as your fault, hearing that you're alive was a huge sigh of relief that day for your mother. There's a donor in line, all we need is the finance to go ahead with the surgery," Doctor Jeff expounded.

I take a few deep breaths and wipe my eyes clean, "How much is it?"

"3 million, I wish I could proceed with it, Drix. Your mom is a beautiful soul but the hospital isn't doing well so far and I'm not buoyant enough to go ahead with my personal resources,"

"It's fine, how much time does she have left?" I ask, swallowing a huge lump down my throat. I don't have any ideas on how to raise the money but I need to know how much time I have.

He whispers like the words are too heavy for his mouth to carry,"Two or three weeks. Is that enough for you to raise the money?"

"Sure, thank you,"

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C A M I L L A ᥫ᭡

"Where's Drix?" Stephan questions, as he takes his place next to me in the car. I'm back to get him from work that evening basically to give me updates on what happened while I was away and to accompany me to go see my grandfather.

"Who?" I ask, raising a brow as the car starts.

"Err…your bodyguard," he replies.

"On leave," I reply curtly, taking a few files from him and going through them intently.

"On leave?" he repeats the words, like I spat a lie.

"Can we not talk about the dude?!" I thundered, still enraged by the last episode that played minutes ago.

"Fine," he muttered in between his teeth.

The car ride is slow and quiet, I hate that my mind keeps drifting off to that individual, whatever happened to his mother that made him leave like that? I can't relate since I never had any intimate relationship with the woman who birthed me but one thing was very certain, I finally have a reason to fire him.

When we arrive at my grandfather's mansion, I don't find him at his golf course but rather inside the building, humming to a violin piece playing from his old stereo and drinking wine over the television.

His female Dalmatian, Kiki, is feasting on a few treats served in her bowl and when she spots me, she runs to my direction, hopping and waiting for me to show her bits of physical affection.

This dog has always had a strong attraction towards me, something I didn't repay until three months ago. I rub her behind her ears and she gives me a heartwarming grin in return.

"Stephan!" Grandfather grins and Stephan groans, heading straight to the bar. Drunk.

"Good evening, Mr. Dunwoody," he greets after taking a shot of wine.

"And here she is, Cielito," he smiles at me. I lazily take off my shoes and drag myself into his arms, resting my head on his chest as he lets out a warm chuckle.

Did I forget to mention that my grandfather is a British man bred in Spain? Which explained his fluency in the language which he passed down to me.

Stephan takes Kiki outside for a game of fetch with a boomerang but I know it was just an excuse to leave us alone to talk. I inhale his scent,one that I would never forget like a soothing drug, I don't know what I'd do without him.

"Grandfather is old and dying soon" Anna's words replay in my head.

She might as well die first before he does, miserable soul.

"Stephan told me," He finally breaks the silence.

"What exactly?"

"The engagement party,"

I sit up straight,"But he wasn't there,"

"He has eyes and ears in the house on my behalf, please don't murder him,"

My face scrunched into a frown,I can't believe that Stephan was still tailing me like a little child.

"I want to give you Splash Luxe, Cielito. I really do but—"

"But?"

'But' has never been a word I need to hear.

"I had an agreement with your father, an agreement I had long forgotten about until he reminded me about it six months ago,"

"What agreement?" The music playing in the background is getting on my nerves.

"Since your step brother eloped with his lover, Splash Luxe is supposed to go to any of the females who got married first,"

"Wait…what?!"

No wonder they celebrated that damned engagement ceremony, they want it all for Anna and since Anna doesn't know a thing, my dad could manage it himself. Bunch of greedy, worthless and unreasonable beings and they tricked my grandfather into it.

"I wanted you to marry out of love, that was I suggested blind dates and several other methods but you didn't seem to care. I do not want you to go through the same thing you're mother went through, I am so sorry Cielito, if I had a way to end this I would but I've already given him my word,"

"It's fine,Abue " I say with a laugh, adding the nickname I usually call him.

"Really? Anna's wedding is in two months and —"

" And I've found a guy to get married to,"

For the first time in years, my grandfather's face illuminates like a comet with his eyes twinkling like he just won the lottery. What is it with these people and marriage?

"And his name?".

"Drix. Drix Anderson,"