Go ahead with the test
For a while, she managed to pretend everything was fine, telling herself the argument with Dora was the reason they weren’t speaking. But after a week without any contact, Sienna took a risk. She asked James to pass a message to Dora. The whole week passed, with her, Austin, and Douglas waiting for some sign of Dora, maybe a call or a message to show she was okay. But nothing came.
Douglas, always the calm one, was the support the trio needed. He comforted Sienna whenever she was distressed, while Austin was grateful for Douglas’s friendship. Only Douglas seemed to understand Austin’s volatile mood and was there whenever Austin needed him most.
Ronan, using all his resources and contacts, tried to help find Dora. But even though he pitied Austin’s disheveled state, there was still no trace of Dora. There were no records of her traveling by air, bus, or train, and since they couldn’t monitor the highways, Ronan had no choice but to stop looking there. Every day, Austin would call Ronan, desperate for any new leads. Part of him had accepted that Dora was gone for her own happiness, but another part of him longed for just one glimpse of her, to know she was safe, even if he couldn’t be with her.
Sienna suggested visiting Fiona’s house and checking on Dora through her weekly video call. But this time, Austin stopped her. He was sure Sienna’s presence would only make Dora stop contacting her parents altogether. At least this way, they knew she was safe.
Douglas, who was the most tech-savvy of them all, worked with Ronan to trace Dora’s IP address from the call, but that lead turned into a dead end.
“That’s it. No more,” Sienna sighed. Douglas nodded, then grabbed his laptop, getting up from the table. The last three months had changed Ms. Addison into Sienna.
It took Douglas a long time to convince Austin to stay at his job. Austin had been determined to leave everything behind and search for Dora, but Douglas pushed him to keep going. That was Austin’s routine now, work until his body couldn’t handle it anymore, then sleep wherever he could: at the office, in his car, or even in the parking lot of his apartment. In the beginning, Douglas had forced Austin to stay in his apartment to rest, but after Austin’s promotion to a management position, he slipped back into his old ways.
The only comfort Austin found at home was the quilt Dora used when she stayed with him. He would hold it in his arms, pretending it was her.
One day, after a long meeting, Austin’s phone rang continuously. Assuming it was Paulina again, he ignored it. But the caller kept trying, so in annoyance, he finally answered.
“Mr. Austin Jess, son of Ruby Noah?” a robotic female voice asked.
Hearing his mother’s name made Austin freeze, instantly alert.
“Yes, who is this?” he asked, walking toward his cabin.
“We’re calling from St. Theresa’s Hospital. Your mother’s health has been deteriorating since morning. We’ve been trying to reach Mr. Noah, but he’s not answering. Your number was listed as an alternative contact. Could you come to the hospital right away? The doctor needs to speak with a family member.”
Without waiting for further details, Austin grabbed his coat and car keys and rushed to the hospital.
By the time he arrived, doctors and nurses were surrounding his mother’s unconscious body.
“Excuse me, I’m her son,” he said, stepping forward to get their attention.
“Good, you’re here. Just in time,” one of the doctors said, leading him to a private room.
“Is… is there a problem?” Austin asked, his voice shaky.
“Let’s talk in my office,” the doctor gestured. As they walked, someone bumped into Austin, causing him to stop himself from stumbling. He didn’t even glance at the person, too focused on his mother.
The doctor began speaking, but Austin barely heard him, consumed by worry. “It’s been a month since we transferred your mother here for better care. We’ve reviewed her previous medical records, and we noticed something concerning. There’s a slight bump behind her ear, and her health has been worsening since yesterday. We fear it may be a lump forming inside her brain.”
Austin listened, his mind racing. “What if it’s a lump? Is it fatal?”
“We need to perform some tests to confirm. If it’s a lump, we’ll need to remove it surgically, but it’s a risky procedure. The chances of survival are very low.”
Austin’s heart sank, but he stayed composed. “I need to speak with my father. How long will the test take?”
“We can begin immediately. The results should be ready in about a day.”
“Okay,” Austin nodded. “Please go ahead with the tests.”
As he left the doctor’s office, Austin’s thoughts were scattered. He was still trying to process everything when someone bumped into him again. Already frustrated, he turned around, grabbing the person’s collar.
“Don’t you have your eyes open?” he snarled.
The man struggled to speak, but when Austin’s gaze fell on the stretcher beside them, his anger faded. The stretcher was covered with a white sheet, and it hit him, this person was mourning their loved one. He released his grip immediately, apologizing.
“I’m sorry. I’m just upset about my mother,” Austin muttered, then turned away quickly, walking out of the hospital.
He couldn’t shake the image of his mother lying dead on a stretcher like the one he had just seen. He felt suffocated. Without thinking, he left the hospital, wanting to escape. As his hand dug into his pocket for his car keys, he felt something unusual. Pulling it out, he saw a torn piece of newspaper. At first, he thought it was a prank from some kid, but then his eyes caught a word on the paper: "Help." The re
st was smudged, but it was enough to catch his attention.
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