Visit a patient
At the hospital***
Carl was lying in the hospital bed with his eyes closed and an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. However, he was no longer in the intensive care unit. The nurses had transferred him to a better ward that looked luxurious like a royal suite, with a king-sized bed and modern amenities.
His grandmother had spared no expense in making sure he was comfortable and well-cared for. But despite the opulence of the room, Carl remained still and silent, breathing slowly through the mask.
Standing next to Carl's hospital bed was his substitute secretary, Cassandra. She was staring at Carl with a mixture of sadness and sympathy. Her heart was heavy with worry seeing her boss in this condition. She couldn't help but wonder when he would wake up and return to his usual self.
Also, Cassandra hasn't been herself since she heard the news of Carl's shooting. She couldn't believe that the first and only day she skipped work was the day such a terrible thing happened.
She felt nothing but regret.
As a matter of fact, she has been crying uncontrollably since she heard the tragic news. It was difficult for her to accept it until she visited the hospital to see for herself and as Carl's secretary, it was easy for her to visit him.
Cassandra wasn't clear with the story of how he got shot but all she wanted was for Carl to wake up and stand on his feet again. She wouldn't mind if he woke up and acted rudely toward her or rejected her love for him all over again. She would accept anything, even if he would never return her feelings or continue his toxic relationship with Anne. What mattered the most to her was his health and well-being.
Right now, she was determined to stay by his side and support him in any way she could, even if it meant just being there for him when he needed it most.
Cassandra took a deep breath and tried to remain hopeful. She kept her gaze fixed on Carl's sleeping face, which looked so handsome. When she could no longer bear to stay in the room, she left the hospital, feeling drained and exhausted.
.....
Dexter reached into his back pocket and pulled out the glasses. He carefully wore it on Treasure's face and her vision became clear again as stared at his handsome face.
"So does this mean you feel something for me?" Dexter said to Treasure. They were still holding hands, standing in front of NYPD.
"Umm Maybe," Treasure shrugged, trying to sound casual but she was unable to hide the warmth in her voice.
"You really know how to scare me, you know that?" Dexter laughed lightly. "Well, to be honest. I've liked you for a long time, but I was too afraid to say anything in case you only saw me as a friend," He confessed. His gaze was sincere and earnest, and Treasure felt her heart skip a beat.
She couldn't stop smiling at Dexter's heartfelt words. She has been patiently waiting for this moment when Dexter will tell her his feelings about her. She felt a warmth spread through her body. It was a feeling of happiness and contentment, knowing that her feelings were reciprocated.
"I've liked you too Dexter," she said softly. "And I couldn't be happier to know that you feel the same way," She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and he felt a jolt of electricity run through him.
Dexter couldn't help but beam at her. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he felt lighter than air. His heart was full, and he couldn't stop smiling.
"I'm so sorry for startling you when you first tried to kiss me. I was just really nervous, because it was my first time," Treasure admitted, feeling a little embarrassed. She felt her cheeks flush and she bowed her head, trying to hide her reddening face.
She couldn't believe that she was confessing this to Dexter, but she knew that he deserved to know the truth. She had never felt this way about anyone before, and she didn't want to keep anything from him.
Hearing that he was her first kiss, Dexter felt a rush of emotion. He felt so lucky to have this special place in her life, and he was determined to live up to her trust.
"I'm so honored to be your first kiss, and I'll do everything I can not to let you down, I promise. You're such an incredible person, and I'm so lucky to have you in my life," He said sincerely.
Treasure was happy to know that the person she shared her first kiss with was someone as kind and genuine as Dexter. She trusted him with her whole heart, knowing that he would never betray her or hurt her in any way.
Dexter was her first love and she was his first love too. And that made the moment more special.
Treasure suddenly let out a gasp, her eyes wide with panic.
"What's wrong?" Dexter asked with a lot of concern.
"Oh no, Dexter I'm going to be late for class!" she exclaimed.
Dexter let his hand run through his hair. He felt a pang of guilt for keeping her with him till she was late for class. Seeing her worry reminded him of his own experiences as a student when he would panic about being late to class. He could relate to the anxiety that came with being tardy, and it was clear she was feeling the same way.
"You need to get going. I don't want you to miss your class," Dexter said and Treasure nodded her head.
"I'll see you later, bye," she said and turned her back to leave.
Dexter watched her walk away, then suddenly she turned back around like she had forgotten something. He opened his mouth to ask if something was wrong, but before he could speak, Treasure leaned in and surprised him with a quick peck on the lips.
Dexter's heart pounded in his chest, and his eyes grew twice their size. Before he could process what was going on, Treasure had left him and hurried off to hail a taxi.
Dexter stood there in a daze with a goofy grin on his face. He touched his lips with his fingertips and his heart seemed to be beating faster than he could ever remember.
Is this what love feels like? He wondered because he had never felt this way before.
Dexter couldn't get the image of Treasure's face out of his mind, or the sensation of her lips against his. He kept replaying the moment over and over in his head, unable to shake the memory.
He knew that once this difficult time was over, he would ask Treasure to be his girlfriend, and they would be official.
He couldn't wait.
****
Anne was seen walking down the street, her heels clicking on the pavement as she made her way to the huge hospital where Carl was admitted. She was dressed in a blue v-neck blouse and black skinny jeans, but even in her best clothes, her face was expressionless.
Despite her best efforts to appear put together, the worry and anxiety were clear in her eyes.
As Anne made her way down the long corridor of the hospital, she thought about how much she had missed Carl. It was as if a piece of her was missing, and the only way to feel whole again was to see him.
She was so focused on her thoughts that she almost bumped into a doctor and a nurse coming the other way.
"Pardon me, ma'am," the doctor said. "Can I help you?"
"No, I'm just here to visit a patient," Anne replied.
"Oh, I see," the doctor said with a knowing look. "Ms. Stewart right?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied feeling surprised that he knew her name. "Is something wrong?" she asked the doctor.
The doctor paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry to say this, but you're not allowed to see Mr. McAlester," he said.
Anne let out a scoff in disbelief "Why? Why am I not allowed to see him?" She demanded, feeling frustrated already.
Meanwhile, The doctor's expression remained neutral and his voice was calm. "It's Ms. Natalie's orders. She made it clear that under no circumstances are you to visit her grandson, Mr. McAlester"
Anne felt as if her heart had sunk into her stomach. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Does she hate me that much? Anne wondered to herself.
"Ms. Natalie has also requested that you can't visit this hospital at all. So, I'm afraid you to leave right now," the doctor added.
A drop of tear rolled down Anne's cheek and her voice broke as she spoke "Please doctor," she pleaded. "I won't take long, I just wanna see him even if it'll take a minute please," Anne begged like her life depended on seeing Carl. She had missed him so much that it was suffocating her.
The doctor was moved by Anne's pleading, but he couldn't risk his job by letting her see Carl against Ms. Natalie's wishes. The hospital was funded by the McAlester family, and he didn't want to risk losing his position.
"I'm sorry ma'am but you have to leave right now or else, I'll have to call security to take you out," the doctor said firmly.
Anne felt defeated like there was nothing else she could do. All she wanted was to see Carl, nothing more. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she felt like her whole world was crashing down around her. She had never felt so helpless and powerless. She wanted to scream, cry, and beg the doctor to help her, but she knew it was pointless.
The world seemed to be turning against her, and she didn't know what to do.