Doctor Love

Chapter 25

DAVID’S POV

I sat in the Hcar, fingers drumming the steering wheel like it owed me answers. My eyes flicked to the front doors of the house every few seconds.

Any minute now, I expected Dr. Bennet and my dad to walk out with smiles and confirmation that Kate had agreed to the treatment. That was the plan. I’d already opened the flight booking app. All I needed was the green light.

Instead, chaos burst out the front door like a wave crashing into concrete. Dr. Bennet was sprinting, Kate limp in his arms.

My heart stopped.

No. No. No.

I flung my door open and ran toward them, legs moving faster than my thoughts. Her father was right behind, his face crumbling as he stumbled after them, screaming her name.

“WHAT HAPPENED?!” I shouted.

No one answered.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?!”

Her dad was crying. No—sobbing. I’d never seen an older man unravel like that, not even during the worst emergencies in the ER. He looked like his soul was being pulled from his chest.

My father rushed out, took one look at the scene, and grabbed Mr. Mason, practically shoving him toward the other car.

“Get in,” he barked. “We’ll follow.”

Kate was loaded into my backseat like a fragile porcelain doll. Her head lolled to one side.

I didn’t wait, I just drove.

Every red light got ignored. Every car that dared slow me down earned a blast from my horn.

“Come on, Kate,” I muttered under my breath. “Don’t do this. Not now.”

I kept glancing in the rearview mirror, checking if she was still breathing. I couldn’t see clearly. Tears were blurring my vision.

“You don’t get to go out like this,” I said, voice cracking. “Not after everything. Not after I said I love you.”

When Meridian Grace came into view, I floored the gas.

I barely parked. The car door was wide open when I leapt out and rushed to the back, scooping her into my arms like she weighed nothing.

Her body was too still. I ran through the automatic doors. “I NEED A DOCTOR!”

Rita was at the front desk, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else.

“RITA!” I barked. “GET THE DOCTOR!”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move fast enough. I rushed into the emergency room myself, laying Kate gently on the nearest bed.

Her lips were pale. Her skin clammy. But her chest… it rose and fell.

Barely.

I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding and rested my forehead against hers.

“Still breathing,” I muttered.

I turned, eyes wild, scanning for help.

Where the hell was everyone?

“RITA!” I stormed back to the reception desk. “I TOLD YOU TO GET A DOCTOR!”

Before she could answer, the doors burst open and Dr. Bennet ran in, followed closely by my father and Kate’s dad. Joana was right behind them, throwing on her white coat, stethoscope already around her neck.

“She’s in Room Three!” I yelled.

Dr. Bennet rushed in. I followed him, breath ragged, giving him a full rundown of what I’d seen. Her pulse, her breath, how long she’d been unconscious.

He nodded quickly, assessing. “Out. All of you. Now.”

We stepped out.

Dad sank onto the waiting bench, placing his hands on his knees.

Mr. Mason was trembling.

I took his arm and gently guided him to sit next to my father. He didn’t resist. He just kept mumbling, “My daughter… my baby… please…”

I swallowed hard and began pacing, Back and forth.

“Come on, Kate,” I whispered. “Come back to me.”

Just then, Rita walked past.

I snapped. “Rita!”

She paused. I marched toward her, jaw clenched. “Didn’t I tell you to get a doctor when I brought her in?”

She rolled her eyes. “I forgot,” she said, with the kind of tone that made my blood boil. “Sorry, lover boy. If she dies, remember—I’m still here.”

My jaw dropped.

Her father stood up so fast his chair screeched backward. My dad’s eyes narrowed as he looked up from his seat. Rita finally noticed him, and. her face drained of color.

“P-Prof…” she stammered. “I didn’t see you there—”

He raised a hand to shut her up. Then my father said quietly. “You’re fired.”

Rita gasped. “Please—no—I—”

The door opened, at taht moment and Dr. Bennet stepped out. We all turned to him like sunflowers chasing light. He looked exhausted, but his lips curled up ever so slightly.

“She’s awake now.”

A wave of relief knocked the air out of me.

Mr. Mason broke down in sobs, falling to his knees and thanking God. My dad placed a hand over his heart and exhaled loudly.

And me?

I just stood there, frozen, with tears burning behind my eyes.