[STORY] FATED TO DIE (Episode 29)

Episode 29.

MEL’S POV

My whole world stood still as I saw him collapse on the floor. I rushed to his side, my hands on his chest, as I felt his heart beat stopping, his eyes locked in mine as I watched him struggle to say a word, his lips trembling. Was he struggling to breathe? Why would he struggle to breathe? What’s wrong with my Jason?

The tears in my eyes just wouldn’t stop flowing no matter how hard I tried. Our classmates had already gathered around us, providing different first aid treatments they could think of.

A stretcher was brought in, as the school’s medical staff already rushed in to the scene.

“His pulse is dropping real fast” The nurse said to her colleague. I could sense the fear in her voice and that heightened my own fear.

“One two three” the nurse counted as she pushed her hand onto Jason’s chest. She repeated the gesture again and again, but Jason’s eyes still looked weak as I stared into them. I could hear the silent whisper from them. They were begging me to help him.

“Get the ambulance. We need to get him out of here now” The nurse screamed at her colleague who scurried out immediately, as she continued the first aid treatment that didn’t seem to be working.

I watched as my Jason was carried out of the hall into the ambulance. I wanted to come along but the medical team won’t hear of it as I was not a relative. I just stood at the front door of the building, staring at the moving vehicle till it was out of sight.

“What’s going on Mel? What happened to Jason?” Alicia asked, as she stood besides me. From her tone, she must have been running as I could still hear her panting.

“I was at the lab when I started hearing the news that somebody fainted but of course it wasn’t my business not until someone mentioned Jason Smith. I ran to your class but nobody was there. I was told you were all at the theater hall and I headed there immediately but… What is going on?”

“One minute we were rehearsing for tomorrow. Then, we went on a five minutes break and we were eating. He suddenly stopped eating and I asked why. He said he was fine and wanted to head to the restroom, that he would be back in a bit. He took two or three steps from me and the next thing I saw was my Jason on the floor, struggling for air. His eyes were looking at me before they finally shut close. I need to see him Alicia” my voice was shaking as the tears flowed more

“Its okay Mel. Jason would be fine, I’m sure of it. Its probably stress and all, he would be fine” Alicia said, pulling me into a hug

“You think so?”

“I know so. Jason is a very strong guy and he’s going to pull through whatever that this is” She said, patting my back comfortingly

“I hope so”

“Let’s go back in” She said, leading the way back into school.

TASHA’S POV

Watching Jason fight for his life in front of us was heartbreaking for me. I couldn’t help but feel the pains Mellisa must be going through right now. I offered the much help I could by calling the school’s medical staff as they did little or nothing to resuscitate Jason. Jason was finally taken out of the school to a hospital, to receive quality and emergency treatment, I just hope he would be alright again.

I was about going to meet Mel when I saw Alicia run up to her. I watched them converse and finally held themselves in an embrace, tears falling from their eyes as mine flowed quietly.

Nothing must happen to Jason!!

WRITER’S POV

Jason was taken into the emergency ward, as doctors and nurses got to work immediately on him, trying their very best to bring life into the halfdead body before them.

Mrs Smith has already been contacted and she could be seen in the lobby impatiently waiting, as Anna tried calming her down.

“Mum, remember your blood pressure and sugar level”

“My son is in there struggling for his life Anna” Her voice was shaky and laced with tears.

“He’s my cousin and I love him so very much but I can’t loose you because of all this. You need to be strong for him. Aunt Mabel and Uncle Damien would be here by tomorrow, so please just calm down”

“Okay” She said with a nod as she took Anna’s outstretched hand

“Let’s sit and wait” Anna said, pulling her into a seat.

????????????????????????

The door to the emergency ward pushed open after several hours of waiting, as a man in his late fourties or early fifties walked towards them.

“Can I talk to you in my office ma’am” He said calmly to Mrs Smith

“Okay” She said, as both her and Anna made to go with him.

“Can we talk alone?”

“She’s family, doctor”

“Alright. If you say so. Let’s go”

??????????????????????????

“Ma’am, do you happen to know if your husband suffers from any heart disease?”

“Heart disease?” She asked, lost in thoughts, as she ransacked her brain for some details

“Yeah”

“No” she replied after two minutes of deep thinking

“Are you sure about that ma’am?”

“Very sure. My husband had no heart issues, neither does any member of my family”

“And you, young lady? Can I know the relationship?” He asked, his attention on Anna

“My dad and Jason’s dad are brothers”

“Then I can ask you the exact same question. Does your dad have any heart disease or health issue?”

“My dad has an heart issue but he’s under medications and he’s very healthy”

“What is the heart condition?”

“Its a really funny name. I don’t quite recall the pronunciation but dad is very fine. How does this got to do with Jason?”

“Cardiomyopathy?” The doctor blurted out

“Yes doctor. That’s the name of the condition”

“What’s all this about?” Mrs Smith asked

“Well, madam. Cardiomyopathy also called heart muscle disease is acquired or hereditary. It makes it hard for the heart to deliver blood to the body, leading to heart failure”

“Don’t tell me my son has Cardiomyopathy” Mrs Smith said with a gasp

“It would have been better if he did because cardiomyopathy can be managed with medications” the doctor sounded sad

“What exactly are you saying doctor?” Mrs Smith was getting really scared now

“Your son developed cardiomyopathy. He must have inherited it from his grandfather because it skipped a generation and unfortunately, it was not treated or given the right attention at the onset. The Cardiomyopathy caused a kind of arrhythmia known as Atrial Fibrillation. Atrial Fibrillation is an irregular, often rapid heart beat that commonly causes poor blood flow. This is why he couldn’t breathe and almost died” the doctor explained

“But he can be treated right? You can give him drugs and he would be fine right?”

“Its much more than that ma’am. His case is now extremely critical and drugs is not even going to help one bit. He needs to go into surgery and fast too”

“Money is not an issue doctor. Spare no costs in trying to save my son please”

“Money is of great help but also it is not the important thing here. Your son needs a transplant urgently”

“Transplant? The donor doesn’t survive these kind of stuff right?” Anna asked

“Unfortunately yes. We already sent word out to the world bank and other hospitals to get a compatible match for him. All we have do, is hope, pray and wait. We are doing our best to stabilize him whilst we wait”

“Thank you doctor. Can we see him now?” Anna said as she squeezed Mrs Smith’s hand gently

“He’s in the ICU. Let me take you there myself”

MEL’S POV

Time seemed to be frozen as I just couldn’t wait to leave this prison of a school.

Finally, it was over and I rushed out of school with Alicia, headed for home. We tried Jason’s number several times but it was not going through and my fear heightened.

Dinner was extremely quiet as I couldn’t get my mind off the events of earlier. Mum noticed and Alicia confessed all to her. Mum encouraged me to cheer up, that everything would be fine but that was just what everybody seemed to be saying. All I wanted was to see my Jason, to hear him call my name, to fight with him, to see him smile and hear him laugh. I just want him.

I decided to call him again and as fate would have it, the phone rang.

☎ Jason!

Hello. This is Anastasia

☎ Anna. Where’s Jason!?

Mellisa!? Its Mel

☎ Yes, its me. Where’s Jason please? Can I talk to him?

I can’t lie to you Mel, Jason is far from fine

☎ What’s going on?

Jason has a heart disease and its critical now

☎ Oh! My goodness!!

He’s stabilized now though but he is very weak. The first name he called was yours, Mel.

☎ (sobs quietly as tears flowed)

Mum wants to talk with you Mel

☎ okay

Mellisa!

☎ Good evening ma’am

Good evening Mel

☎ Mum what’s going on?

He wants to see you dear. He’s been asking of you since he gained consciousness.

☎ Should I come tonight?

It would be deeply appreciated dear

☎ I’ll be there in an hour ma’am. Just text me the address

Thank you dear (hangs up)

“Did you get through to him?” Alicia asked. She must have walked in whilst I was still on the phone.

I nodded a response as I opened my wardrobe to pick a dress.

“Where are you going?” She asked with her arms folded across her chest

“To the hospital. Jason needs me now”

“Its late Mel. You can go tomorrow morning”

“I need to be there with him Alicia”

“And mum? What happens to her? What will you tell her? Hope you are not planning on sneaking out tonight because if you are, am not going to help you this time”

“If sneaking out is the only option I have, I’ll take it and if you won’t help me, its fine also”

“What’s gotten into you Mel? You are not the type to sneak out or lie to mum”

“I love him Alicia”

“Sneaking out won’t be necessary” I heard mum’s voice from the door.

I looked over at her with pleading eyes as her expression was blank.

“Mum! How long have you been standing there” Alicia asked a question I wanted to ask myself

“Long enough to know that Mel is right. She needs to be with him and that’s the only way for her to feel better” mum said after a deep long sigh, walking into the room as she stood in front of me

“Am sorry mum” I said, as the tears flowed

“Nothing to be sorry about dear. I understand what you are going through right now and am willing to support you both” She said, cupping my face in her palms.

“Thank you mum” I said hugging her as she held me in a warm embrace.

“Get dressed, I’ll take you to the hospital myself. Alicia, you would stay home and wait for your dad. When he gets home, give him his food and explain things to him. I’ll be back home tonight okay”

“Okay mum” Alicia said with a smile

“I’ll go get ready. Get ready too Mel” She said, kissing both our cheeks as she left the room.

My mum is the absolute best and I am forever grateful for the gift and privilege to have been raised under her.

She borrowed a neighbor’s car and together, we drove to the hospital. Both mothers exchanged pleasantries as they got along quite well. We were led to meet Jason but he was already asleep and we were advised not to disturb his sleep.

“Mum, you should rest” Anna said to Mrs Smith

“How can you be talking about rest when my child is fighting for his own life”

“Your blood pressure and sugar level is important right now mum”

“She’s right ma’am. You need to rest” I said

“And who would stay here with Jason?” She asked no one in particular

“I am here” Anna said with a smile, hoping to calm the worried mother

“You are sick child. You need to rest for your drugs to take effect. I promise to take things easy but I’ll spend the night here”

“Let me do it. I will spend the night here with Jason” I offered

“I can’t possibly ask that of you”

“I want to do it please”

“Mellisa, we should head back home now” My mum said

“Please mum. Please” I begged

“Alright. You can stay but promise to take good care of yourself”

“I promise mum”

“I’ll call you so always pick up”

“I won’t hesitate to do so” I said with a reassuring smile

“Thank you dear. Its quite sad and unfortunate that we had to meet under such conditions. I was really looking forward to this weekend but life played a fast one on me” She said with a tone of deep sadness that I had no option but to hold her in a warm embrace as a tear drop slipped from my eyelids.

???????????????????????????

After about five minutes of sitting quietly in Jason’s room, my mum excused herself as I walked her out of the hospital to the parking lot. We said our goodbyes and hugged before she stepped into the car and drove off.

I was back at the room, sitting closely besides Jason as Mrs Smith was on a phone call and Anna was using her phone to chat as she smiled at intervals.

They soon left for a hotel closer to the hospital, leaving me alone with Jason.

The doctor walked in some minutes after they left, to check up on Jason’s vitals, saying he would be back by tomorrow morning to see how well he is doing.

I sat on a chair besides the bed, my heavy head rested on the bed besides his hand as my eyes closed gently to sleep. No sooner had I dozed off that I felt someone caressing my hair. I waved that feeling away as I was alone in the room with a sleeping Jason.

“Mellisa” I heard a voice I can never forget in my life called out. The voice was soft and low, coming out almost as a whisper.

I raised my head up immediately to see Jason looking so pale and weak. A very weak smile curved on his face as he looked at me with those beautiful eyes of his. His eyes closed for a second but reopened again. He was fighting hard to keep them open. I stared at him speechless, as my brain couldn’t process anything at the moment. I didn’t even realize my face was getting flooded by a stream of tears. I saw him shake his head in the negative, as though telling me not to cry. I wiped off the tears with the back of my hand, rising to my feet as I moved closer to him. I bent down, till my face was directly above his, smiling as I stared into his eyes.

Slowly, I pushed my lips against his, as our tongues came crashing against each other’s. His arms were now wrapped around my waist as he pulled me into himself, savoring my lips, causing me to chuckle in his mouth. I have missed this. I have missed him.

“How are you doing?” He asked after we disengaged from the kiss

“I should be the one asking you that. You are the one on the sick bed and not me” I said teasingly, as he chuckled lightly

“Babe” he called out softly, patting the bed, asking me to come sit besides him

“Yes love” I replied, obliging him as I sat besides him, my hands on his chest, caressing him as he held it firmly in his own hand.

“Promise me one thing” he said with his eyes locked in mine

“What is that” I said, desperately trying to hide the fear from my voice

“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid for me. No matter what happens to me, be selfish and think of just yourself first okay”

“Think of just myself? We are a team Jace, you and I, together forever. I love you”

“I know you do but I would be really happy if you could promise me this”

“I promise to love you forever. To fight for our love and to protect you always. You will be fine. We will be fine”

“Babe”

“Doctor said you must rest. You are fighting the drugs and it ain’t good” I said, lying besides him on the bed as he wrapped his arms around me

“Goodnight baby” I said kissing his chest as I closed my eyes

“I love you Mellisa” he said kissing my forehead and that was the last thing he said as he was fast asleep again.

“I’ll do everything for you Jason”.

To Be Continued….. ..  .