Chapter 11
The Cry of Hearts
It had been days and the Vabuerettis were still at the hospital.
Sophia was now comatose.
Philippe stayed at Alex’s room while Elizabeth and Nadine at Sophia’s.
Alex was already conscious at that time and still in shock at what he learned. He was shattered after knowing of Giovanni’s passing, could not believe that his best friend was gone. Then, he asked about Sophia and Zarah.
His father explained that Zarah was fine but his sister was comatose.
Torn apart, Alex lamented all day. He even blamed himself for what happened, for it was his idea to join the contest.
Philippe called his mother and told her what happened to Alex and Sophia.
Very much worried for her grandchildren, Grandma Lucy asked Bea to pack their things right away and to accompany her to Orlando.
Bea was in shock, too, but she coped and immediately packed their things.
It was sunset when they were all set to leave Forest Green but Joey, Grandma Lucy’s driver, was not feeling well.
Impatient to see her grandchildren in the hospital, Grandma Lucy requested Bea to look for someone who could drive for them.
Unfortunately, most of their workers were on-leave that day and had gone home to their families.
Desperate, Bea looked for Reuben, their gardener who happened to be a third-degree cousin of Jericho.
Reuben was hanging out with Jericho when Bea found him at Forest Grill, the town’s popular diner.
“Aunt Bea! You seem so tense!” Reuben was startled to see Bea in panic mode.
“Alex and Sophia had an accident. Alex is fine now but Sophia is comatose and we need you to drive us to Orlando,” Bea explained, aware of Jericho’s presence. “Lucy is terribly worried for her grandchildren.”
Shocked and worried about what he just heard, Jericho, all of a sudden, grasped Bea’s shoulders, looked her in the eye, and asked where Sophia was admitted.
“Orlando General Hospital!” Bea answered, shaking.
Jericho screamed his heart out. He wanted to see Sophia right away, but he knew he couldn’t.
Then, Reuben and Bea left him and went to Grandma Lucy.
It took them twelve hours to arrive in Orlando General Hospital. Straight away, Grandma Lucy and Bea entered the hospital, while Reuben was left in the car.
Very soon, Jericho called Reuben and asked him about Sophia’s condition.
“I honestly have no clue yet but by the sound of Grandma Lucy’s voice, I can tell Sophia’s kind of critical.” Reuben exerted his best to deliver it, uncomplicated.
Jericho grew weak and almost shrunk to the ground. “This must not happen to her,” he howled, and threw his cell phone to the wall, crashing it. “I love her. I never had the chance to tell her how much I love her! How I planned my life around her and with her!” Jericho, falling into the pool of his own sorrows, grew worn out.
Inside the hospital, Philippe’s and Elizabeth’s heavy loads were lessened when they finally saw Grandma Lucy and Bea.
“Oh, thank God!” Elizabeth dashed to receive Grandma Lucy’s embrace.
Immediately, Grandma Lucy asked for her grandchildren.
Straight off, Philippe and Elizabeth led her first to Alex’s room.
Seeing Alex, Grandma Lucy cuddled him intensely. The moment she let go of the tight embrace, Grandma Lucy, without preamble, asked where Sophia was.
Consequently, Philippe accompanied her to Sophia’s room.
Setting her eyes on her pitiful granddaughter, Grandma Lucy cried at once. “I never thought this would happen to her,” she expressed, and broke down into words of prayer.
Bea followed Grandma Lucy in Sophia’s room with shivering knees. Upon witnessing how her dearly-loved Sophia looked, with numerous bruises and a distressing number of tubes attached to her, she was thrown to the heights of her own worry.
Father… she prayed silently.
Endlessly, they were all praying for Sophia’s condition and fast recovery from coma.
