Chapter 39

**Bella-Rose POV**

Life passed on a sea of dreary mundanity for a couple of days. My day starts with a new routine now. I check the mailbox first before doing my chores. I'm still a jobless wannabe entrepreneur looking for millions and one thing I need for my startup. But then, Rome is not built in a day. And we are talking about lifelong dreams here.

Talking about James...we don't talk about anything important or share our deepest secrets. We are still at a phase where he teases me with some innuendo mixed in and I bullshit my way out of these situations. It's like that flirty look you give to someone you are interested in before you make the move.

I don't know what to name our weird relationship, frenemies? But then, he is not my enemy, nor a friend either. He is becoming something more than the thoughts of the elevator guy. I made up my mind that the elevator guy was some weird fantasy my overtired brain conjured up for me.

I was about to get into my bed to tick away another stressful day that leads one step closer to achieving my dream when my phone starts ringing. Ahh...late-night call. Who might it be? Why do all the calls that come at night are an indication of some sort of premonition? My heart started to beat faster. My mind conjured all kinds of worst-case scenarios by the time I reached the phone.

Before I gave myself an anxiety attack, I answered it. It is mom. Strange, she never calls this late at night.
"Hello, Mom? Is everything alright?", I asked anxiously, forgetting about my resolution to let the family grovel first before making amends.

"Bella... honey, we are at...we are at the hospital", mom sounded as if she was crying.

"Mom, what are you saying? Are you ok? Is dad ok? Talk to me", I asked her, anxious to learn what might have happened to make her cry like this. Goosebumps pricked my skin as my heart started pumping faster.
It's not like Mom to cry this hard. The incident that happened two years ago came to my mind. No!! Surely, it's not that. Mom couldn't relapse again. She is already fragile. Dad wouldn't be able to bear seeing her like that again.

"No... no... not us...it's...it's ", Mom hiccupped while she sobbed.

"Mom, please, you are making me nervous", I pleaded with her. Something must have happened to Scott. Oh no... he must have finally eaten something that didn't agree with his metabolism and now Mom is shedding tears over his stomach upset. I placated myself with this scenario.

"It's Nana, Bella", mom finally spoke after calming down a little.

My breath left a whoosh from my body. My brain analyzed the message my mom conveyed and anger built inside me. How could she? My heart almost stopped thinking it was something serious.

"Mom! Stop kidding me. It's not funny. It's 10 pm and I'm really tired, mom. I have to wake up early. I know you guys are knocked sideways with my resolution, but come on people, what else do you expect when you planned the abduction? Planning another scoop is not the way to appease me. And that too using Nana? You should have picked someone else. Since when did you start caring about her? It would have been more believable if it's dad or Scott, mom. Nice try. Now, let me have my beauty sleep and you guys rest your brains too. I will come around when I want to. Not before that", I said in frustration.

All that stress for nothing! I should let them on the hook for a week more for this stunt.

"Bella, wait. It's true. Nana is ill. Georgia...she collapsed at her home. Mathew called us. We all are at the hospital, Bella. It looks like serious honey. We don't know what's wrong with her. No one at the hospital is answering anything. Come quickly, Bella. I'm afraid...that Nana might-", Mom broke down in tears, unable to speak the rest of her thoughts.

"Mom, you are scaring me. Promise me you are not joking about this? If you guys are trying to pull my leg again, I'm telling you I will be really pissed at you. Please tell me it's a joke, mom. Please", I clutched my phone harder as I warned her, hoping it to be another of their pranks. My anxiety came crashing back at jet speed.

"I wish, honey. It is not a prank, I swear. Nana is in ICU. Come quickly to the hospital", Mom said with a wobbly voice.

"Oh my god...oh my god!! Nana. How? When? She was fine two days back, Mom. You saw her. How could something happen in between this time?" I questioned her as panic began to set in. My hands started to shiver as I pictured Nana helpless and connected to the machines. This time I really want my imagination to be just that...an imagination. The mind is crueler when you are in a panic state.

"We don't know Bella. We are waiting for the doctor's report", mom sobbed as she said it.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I hurriedly cut the call with "I'm on my way".

I don't know how I reached the hospital with my blurry eyes but I did. I might have broken a rule or two on my way but I was beyond caring.

All those rude words I talked about Nana came back to haunt me. I wish I could dump her with some faraway cousin. I cursed myself for the insensitive remarks I made about Nana to Sarah. Maybe god thought to teach me a lesson, but I couldn't bear thinking about something happening to Nana.

How could I? She is the strongest woman I ever saw. She is that undeterred pillar that holds our bakery together. I never thought even pillars can wobble when times get tough. Please god, I beg you. Please don't let anything happen to her.

I clutched my keys in my hand tight enough to anchor me to the present and not let my imagination run wild. I entered the hospital, scanned the waiting room area, and made a beeline to my family sans Nana who was waiting anxiously.

Mom is in her pajamas sobbing, clutching onto dad's t-shirt. Dad has his hands wrapped around her trying to console her. I can see that he is struggling to control his own emotions but not giving into them because of Mom. I never saw mom this broken down.

Scott is pacing back and forth with his hands inside his pockets. It's his nervous gesture. Mathew is leaned towards one side with misty eyes. His face is more pronounced with the marred lines showing his true age. The Mathew I knew never goes by without giving a smile. Seeing him like this is a first for me.

I ran towards them and enclosed myself in their hug. "Mom! Dad! How did it happen? What caused it? Did they tell you anything? How serious it is?", I asked as the uncontrollable tears rolled down my cheeks.

"We too are waiting for the diagnosis, Bells. It's going to be ok. You will see. She will come barging out of that room any minute now and yell at us for being messy criers. She is one tough cookie. Nothing will happen to her", dad fervently said.

"I hope so, dad. I really hope so. I can't imagine my life without Nana. How could something like this happen to her? I never saw her as anything but fit. She eats healthy even though she is a bakery owner. She has the stamina of people two decades younger than her. Why would God do something like this to her, dad?" I asked my dad looking at him with teary eyes. I may be 23 years old, but at this moment I want that assurance only parents know how to give.

"It's going to be alright Bells. You just watch. She will saunter through that door any minute now. She has to", dad said pointing towards the door through which Nana has been taken.

Just then a doctor came out of it looking around before fixing his eyes on our clustered group. He looked apologetically towards our huddled group and addressed my dad. "Are you related to Georgia Rose Murray?"

"Yes. She is my mom. What is it, doc? What's wrong with her?"

"Can I talk to you personally for a minute?", the doctor asked pointedly, looking at mine and mom's tear-stained faces.

"We all are worried about her. Please doctor tell us here", I pleaded with the doctor.

The doctor looked uncomfortable for a second before he composed himself and addressed dad, "it's better if you hear it privately".

"Sure", dad said just as the remaining group protested "no".

"I'll be in a minute", dad said as he untangled himself from our clutches and went with the doctor. Mathew, who was leaning on the side, slowly rose himself up and joined them at the door. Oh god! Please... please. Let Nana be ok. I will do whatever she asks. Please let her be ok.