The Heiress’s Love Story

Chapter 4

As I ventured into the hospital I could see nurses running helter-skelter, patients here and there, loud ambulance noises. I was stunned by the view, I can’t even remember the last time I was in a hospital and here I am coming to see my father whom I heard was dying.

“Your father is dying” were the four words that kept echoing in my head on my way to the hospital. I lived only four hours away but I only came to see my dad when he fell sick. How do I forgive myself?

“Ward B2” I muttered beneath my breath as I heaved a sign. At the first step, I could see my father and a strange woman, my father’s P.A nonetheless.

My father smiled at me as I ran to him with my arms stretched out for a hug. I didn’t know when hot tears started streaming down my cheeks, my father looked frail.

“My beautiful Sofia, how have you been?” He struggled to speak, and it only made me sad as tears kept streaming down my face. He didn't let them pass my cheeks as he kept stopping the tears with his hands.

His hands were so warm and his eyes, piercingly sad; it was as if the more I stared into his warm blue eyes, it dawned more on me that I was going to lose my father.

I managed to stop crying and just held him to my chest. “I'm so sorry daddy, I just wanted a little time alone. I didn't know, I'm sorry” the tears I thought stopped, started rolling down my eyes again, and faster this time.

He looked up at me and resumed the job of cleaning my tears. “It is not your fault, you need to stop beating yourself up. I'm just sad that I won't get to see you past this year. I'm sad that I’ll be leaving you all alone in this world.”

“I’ll be fine daddy, I promise. Don’t worry about me.” It was a bitter thing to admit openly. I had thought about it but I just spoke it into life and it broke my heart even more.

A commotion from the next bed disrupted our father-daughter moment as we realised the patient needed medical attention; doctors and nurses kept going back and forth until a sheet was raised above the patient’s face, he was dead.

Life is fickle indeed and I wasn’t ready to let go of my dad just yet. Who am I going to matter to as I matter to my father?, a lot of thoughts kept running through my mind as I ran out of the room because of the pressure I felt.

“Hey!” I heard as I bumped into someone. “Please, ma’am watch where you’re going, this is a hospital” the lady said calmly. I didn’t know when tears started to rush down my eyes again and next thing I felt the warmest hug ever.

I had never felt that type of warmth in my life, it was like it mended my broken heart and I heaved the biggest sigh of relief. “What’s your name?” She said, looking down at me, “Sofia” I held her tightly. “My name is Sofia,” I repeated.

“Everything’s going to be fine Sofia” she let out a soft smile showing her beautiful dentition. “How?, I really don’t think so” I released her from my firm grasp and she led me down to the reception where we took a seat.

She held my hands and looked directly into my eyes “I promise you, you will be fine.” I don’t know what it was but I believed her.

It’s probably because she was stunning and I’m a sucker for beautiful people. How could I doubt those soothing grey eyes?. “But my dad is dying. How do I move past that?. If he dies, that makes me an orphan. I’m not ready.”

“I’m sorry you’re going through this, and I won’t tell you how to feel because you’re the only one that knows how deep the grief goes but I’ll tell you this, you will be fine if you let yourself be” she said as she squeezed my hands in affirmation.

“Thank you” I said as tears built up in my eyes. My heart wasn’t heavy and I wasn’t hyperventilating anymore.

She smiled at me “ You’re welcome. You’re lucky to have a few moments to spend with your dad, make it count and don’t make it a sad goodbye for him, help ease his passage ”. She let my hand go and placed both hands on my cheeks “you'll be fine”

She was right, I'd somehow managed to make the passing of my father about me and not once did I bother to think about how my actions may have affected him.

“I need someone!!” We heard a scream from outside and she ran to the person's aid.

I didn't know the name of the stranger that helped me handle this impending loss, I knew that was the end for us so I walked to my dad's room.

“Sofia” he whispered as he set his gaze on me. I smiled and rushed to him “forgive me for being a brat even on your dying bed, I love you dad” I kissed him on his forehead.

“I know and I have loved you before I even knew you. You're my daughter, my beautiful daughter” I could see tears build up in his eyes.

He stretched out his hands and I hugged him tightly “forgive me for leaving so soon”, he whispered in my ears as he let out a soft gasp.

“Beep beep” the machine repeated, and I screamed to get attention, as I didn't know what was going on. The nurses and doctors rushed in and pushed me aside. Barely three minutes later, they covered my dad with a sheet like they did the other patient.

I fell to my knees and wailed at the top of my lungs, he was gone, my father was dead.