Chapter 59

Athena opened her eyes and had to close them immediately because of the blinding light, she reached up her hand to touch her temple but had to stop when she felt someone hold onto her, saying, "don t, you are going to disconnect the IV," she tried opening her eyes again after recognizing the voice as TB s, seeing his red hair first before his face, she closed her eyes again just after she saw him smile. Her head hurts and she want so badly to knead her temple, but with TB holding her hand, she had no choice but to use the other. "Should I call the doctor?" he asked and she shook her head, "I m so glad you are back, you gave me quite a scare."
She chuckled softly then and opened her eyes again, "I m sorry," she said but couldn t hear her voice and had to clear her throat and repeat, "I m sorry." Her voice was hoarse and her throat dry. "Can I have water?"
"Yes," he let go of her hand and stood up, he walked to the table and brought a water can then pouring it on a glass, he said, "it s a good thing Fred brought this water last night, I would have had to rush out now."
His words brought Athena s eyes to him; she was shocked at the flowers lying around everywhere, on the table and on the floor, "wow, so many flowers."
"Yes, I bring a bunch everyday as well as Fred. Gloria brought some as well, she left a while ago but she said I should call her when you wake up. That remind me, I will do that now," he said, walking back to her with the water, "here," he sat beside her head then helping her up a little, he held the cup on her lips and she gulped down the water.
"Thank you," she murmured after and he smiled to her.
"You are welcome," he gently laid her head on the pillow before standing up to return the cup, "Frank brought flowers as well, but he hasn t visited you in while."
"Oh," was all Athena said.
"Well, I don t really blame him for that, he has a lot on his plate now but still, he should make out time to see you, at least to show his support, he only send flowers, he sent this rose yesterday," he pointed at a rose bouquet before going back to sit on his seat.
"What s going on with him?"
"With Leo firing him and restricting him from being employed elsewhere, it s a lot to take in, I also think it s too much on Leo side but no one can talk to him these days, not even Gloria," he shook his head.
It took a while for her to digest his words and when she did, her eyes went wide, "Leo fired him? Why?"
TB looked at her and sighed, "a lot has been going on Athena, I don t even think I know the exact reason he fired him. He just did."
"How long have I been out?"
"Five days."
"What?" she whisper shouts, "five days?"
"Yes, it s longer than everyone expected, but it s good you are okay now. I hope Sean is too," he sighed, his eyes revealing sadness.
Athena frowned when she heard that, "Sean?" she asked and it was like her memory was jagged then as she remembered everything in a flash. She, lying on the floor in the bathroom after accepting her fate that she was going to die in the fire, then she heard him. He was calling to her, there was urgency in his voice. She didn t believe it at first, for why would he risk his life entering the fire just to save her? But it was true, she heard him call her again and using the last strength in her, she crawled closer to the door and hit her shoe on the door, with how tired she was, she prayed that he would hear her weak knockings and God heard her prayer for the door opened and there he was, standing there, staring at her.
Her eyes had watered seeing him; she knew then that if she was to die, she would be happy for she got to see him one last time. And then he rushed to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her like he doesn t want to lose her. If she had died at that moment, she would have been happy, having him hold her like that had given her so much happiness and hope that she wished the world would stop, so that she would stay in his arms forever. But then she had coughed and made him leave her. She had wanted to call him back but she was so weak that she had forgotten how to speak, and all she could do was watch him take care of her. How he wrapped her in his clothes and carried her out of the fire. Then she remembered seeing the stick falling and how he had protected her with his body. She remembered hearing him grunt in pain and that was the last thing she needed for she sat up on the bed so quickly that TB jumped in shock.
Her head was throbbing in pain and her strength was weak but she didn t care, she has to see him, she has to make sure he is okay. She looked at TB then, "where is Sean?"
TB sighed and closed his eyes, he said nothing.
Athena could feel her heart thudding, fear rising in every pore in her body, "TB, where is Sean?"
"I don t know," he whispered.
She frowned, "what do you mean by you don t know, where is Sean?" the last thing she remembered was Sean refusing to let her go and then at the end he did, she had lost consciousness then and can t tell what happened after and now he is telling her that he don t know? What kind of language is that? "Where the hell is Sean, TB?" She could hear sobs in her own voice.
TB closed his eyes, "honestly, Athena, I don t know, nobody does. One minute he was in the hospital and the next minute he was gone. He has been missing since yesterday. The hospital s camera showed him leaving. He woke up, detached all the wires on him and limped out of the hospital. He was so careful not to be seen as he left, no one knows where he is. The cops are looking for him."
Athena felt the world swirling around her, soon, she was holding her head with both hands in order to stay focused, it can t be, where could he be? Where did he go to, why did he leave the hospital? The questions bothered her and she couldn t think clearly. All she knew was that she wants to see him and seeing him she shall, she decided as she removed the IV and climbed out of the bed. Her legs were weak that she fell immediately she stood up.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, Athena?" TB screamed before rushing to help her up, "stop this nonsense right now," he added as she forced herself to her feet and started moving towards the door.
"I need to find him, he is wounded, he needs to be treated," she was crying then.
"I know, Athena, I saw him, he was in the hospital, he was receiving treatment till he left yesterday s morning. Don t worry, the cops would find him," he tried to grab her hand but she wriggled away, she could feel her strength returning back to her.
She looked at TB and said, "you don t understand, he needs to be treated, I saw a wood fell on him, he is hurt, TB, he needs medication."
"I know, but where do you know you can find him? No one does, he didn t leave the country neither did he come home, no one knows where he is."
"I have to find him, I have to find him, TB, I will never rest until I do," she turned and opened the door.
"But you just woke up, you need to recover first," he was saying but she was already out the door. "Jesus, what is wrong with these two people? Why are they waking up and leaving the hospital?" he asked, looking up at the ceiling before running after her, "Athena," he saw her being held by the nurses and had to thank God for that, "please bring her back to her room."
"You don t understand, I need to find him, I need to find him. TB, talk to them," she was wailing as the nurses tried to stop her from going to the elevator.
"Please ma am, you need to rest, your body is not up for this," a nurse said.
"What s going on here?" Someone asked and they turned to see Fred with a bunch of roses, "why is Athena being held down?"
"Oh, Fred, thank God you are here, perhaps you can talk some sense into her?" TB asked.
"What s happening?" he asked.
"Fred, Sean is missing, I need to find him, you will support me won t you?" Athena asked with hope in her eyes.
"Of course I will support you," he said.
"What?" TB asked.
Fred looked at him before Athena, he walked up to her and nodded at the nurses to leave her, "come, you can t go looking for him in a hospital gown, let s get you into a better cloth then we will go look for him, we would use my car."
"Promise?" she asked, looking at him and then at TB and the nurses, "you are not lying to me?"
"Have I ever misled you?" he asked and she shook her head, "good, so let s go back to your room," he grabbed her hand to lead her back to her room. Just then, the elevator dinged and they all looked back to see Leo, he was a little surprise to see them but unlike before when he would smile when he see her, he stepped out of the elevator and walked past them. He didn t even greet TB who was trying to hide his face or asked her how she was feeling.
"Leo," she called, reaching out to touch him but TB grabbed her hand immediately and they all remained silence till Leo diverted to another hall. Athena looked at TB with a frown, "what are you doing, that was Leo."
"Athena, we are not Leo s favorite people now, I will suggest you avoid him whenever you see him. He is mad at everybody associated with what happened to Sean and you topped the list."
"Oh," was all she said as Fred led her to her room. Her spirit was dampened, she couldn t help but wonder if Leo was angry with her then Sean would be furious, right?