CH 16: I'M SORRY ELENA!

"what's the cause" I asked hurriedly searching the doctor's eyes for answers

Dr. Richards sighed, his expression grave. "It's difficult to pinpoint a single cause," he began, his voice tinged with sadness. "Asthma can be triggered by a variety of factors, including environmental allergens, respiratory infections, and genetic predispositions."

My heart sank as I absorbed his words. "So, it's not something that just happened overnight?" I asked, struggling to make sense of it all.

The doctor shook his head. "No, asthma is often a chronic condition that develops over time," he explained. "In Clarina's case, it seems that her symptoms went undetected for quite some time until they reached a critical point."

Olivia squeezed my hand reassuringly, her silent support giving me strength. "What can we do to help her?" she asked, her voice steady despite the underlying concern.

Dr. Richards offered a sympathetic smile. "Right now, the most important thing is to ensure that Clarina receives proper medical treatment," he replied. "We'll start her on a course of medication to manage her symptoms and monitor her closely to see how she responds."

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me knowing that Clarina was in good hands. "Thank you, doctor," I said sincerely, gratitude swelling within me.

My heart clenched at the thought of Clarina struggling for air, and I felt a surge of guilt wash over me. If only I had known sooner, if only I had been there to help her...

Olivia squeezed my hand, offering silent comfort. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor nodded reassuringly. "We're doing everything we can to stabilize her condition," he replied. "She's receiving oxygen therapy and medication to help open up her airways."

Relief flooded through me at his words, mingled with a lingering sense of worry. Clarina was strong, I knew that, but she was also vulnerable, and the thought of her lying in that hospital bed, fighting for every breath, tore at my heart.

The doctor's words echoed in my mind as we walked back to Clarina's room. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something my mom wasn't telling me. Why did she always seem to hide things from me? Was she trying to protect me, or was there something else going on?

I glanced at Olivia, hoping for some reassurance, but her expression mirrored my own confusion. It was like we were both tiptoeing around a truth we couldn't quite grasp, afraid to confront it head-on.

As we reached Clarina's room, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead. Whatever secrets my mom was keeping, they would have to wait. Right now, all that mattered was being there for Clarina, no matter what.

As Mom entered the room, I felt a surge of frustration mixed with concern. "Mom, why didn't you tell me about Clarina's health?" I blurted out, unable to contain my emotions any longer.

Mom's expression softened, and she sat down beside me. "I'm sorry, Elena," she began, her voice tinged with regret. "I wanted to spare you the worry, especially with all the stress you've been under lately."

I shook my head, feeling my anger intensify. "But that's not fair, Mom," I argued, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. "Clarina is my sister too, and I have a right to know what's happening with her. Keeping me in the dark only made me feel like you don't trust me."

Tears welled up in Mom's eyes, and I could see the pain etched on her face. "Elena, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. "I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to handle things the best way I knew how."

"Elena, please," Olivia interrupted as she pleaded softly, her voice laced with concern. "I know you're upset, but yelling at your mom won't help."

I turned to her, my frustration spilling over. "But she kept this from me, Liv," I exclaimed, my voice cracking with emotion. "How could she do that? How could she think I wouldn't want to know about Clarina?... what if it was than this or is it until clarina is dead before she spoke up"

Olivia reached out and gently placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch a soothing balm against my anger. "I understand, Elena," she said calmly, her eyes filled with empathy. "But your mom was just trying to protect you. She didn't want to burden you with worry."

I shook my head, unable to accept her explanation. "That's not an excuse, Liv," I insisted, my voice rising again. "Keeping secrets only makes things worse. She should have trusted me enough to tell me the truth."

Olivia sighed, her expression filled with understanding. "I know, Elena," she replied softly. "And I'm sure your mom knows that too. But right now, we need to focus on Clarina. She needs us to be strong for her."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. As Olivia tried to calm me down, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Irritated, I snatched it up, ready to silence whoever dared to disturb this moment. "Hello?" I barked into the phone, my frustration evident in my tone.

"It's Alex," came the voice on the other end.

My heart sank. Alex. Why did he have to call now? "Can't you see I'm in an important place?" I snapped, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. Without waiting for a response, I ended the call and shoved the phone back into my pocket.

Olivia turned to me, concern etched on her face. "Who was that?" she asked softly, her voice filled with worry.

"It was Alex," I replied curtly

Olivia's expression softened, concern etched in her features. "Elena, you shouldn't have yelled at him like that. He's only trying to—"

"I don't want to hear it, Olivia! Not now!" I cut her off sharply, my anger boiling over. With that, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the hospital room, leaving Olivia behind, her words hanging in the air like a heavy cloud.

Olivia caught up to me, her footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. "Elena, wait!" she called out, her voice tinged with concern.

I stopped abruptly, turning to face her. "What, Olivia?" I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. "Can't you see I just need some space right now?"

She hesitated, her gaze softening as she took in my frazzled appearance. "I know, Elena, but you can't keep pushing people away like this. Alex was just—"

"I don't want to talk about Alex!" I interjected, my voice tinged with irritation. "I just need some time to myself."

Olivia nodded understandingly, but her eyes betrayed her worry. "Okay, but promise me you'll talk to him later. He cares about you, you know."

I sighed, feeling the weight of my emotions pressing down on me. "Yeah, I know," I muttered, unable to meet her gaze. "I'll talk to him later."