Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
annalise
When I arrive at the hospital, Maddox drops me off at the emergency room, then goes to look for parking. Rushing through the doors, I find Mom frantically pacing around the waiting room and Ollie sitting on a chair with his head hung low.
Since I got the call from Mom saying she found Abuelo lying on the bathroom floor unconscious, I’ve been riddled with anxiety. Images of him lying in a hospital bed hooked up to a machine in a comatose state flashed through my mind on the over here.
“W-where’s Abuelo?” I ask her, my voice trembling. “Is he a-awake yet?”
Mom nods. “He regained consciousness when we arrived at the ER. They’re taking him for a CT scan right now.”
“Oh, thank God he’s awake. I thought he—” I shake my head, tears stinging the back of my eyes. “I was so scared, Mami.”
She pulls me into a hug, caressing the back of my head. “I know, baby. I know. We just gotta pray that the CT comes back negative.”
Maddox walks through the door with the In-N-Out bags in his hands and greets Mom and Ollie. “Do you guys need anything? Water? Snacks?”
Mom gives him a small smile. “No, we’re fine, thank you. I can take Annalise home later, Maddox. You don’t have to stay.”
Maddox settles in the chair next to me. “It’s okay. I want to be here.” He takes my hand and rubs his thumb over my palm in soothing circles.
I rest my head on his shoulder, thankful that he decided to stay. I needed him here by my side.
He takes out my cheeseburger and hands it to me, but I shake my head. “I don’t have much of an appetite right now.”
“Okay. If you get hungry later, I’ll leave and get you some fresh food.”
“Thank you, Dimples.”
A young black-haired woman with tan skin and wide brown eyes approaches with a clipboard in her hands. “Are you Mr. Delgado’s family?”
“Yes. I’m his daughter, and these are my kids.” Mom gestures to me and Ollie.
“His oncologist, Dr. Pham, came by and ordered some more scans. Once he’s done, we will take him upstairs. He has a room on the fifth floor in bed twenty-seven.”
Maddox walks up to the nurse and whispers something to her.
She nods and heads back to the nurses’ station to speak to another nurse, who I assume is the charge nurse. The woman lifts the phone and punches in a series of numbers.
After a few minutes, the charge nurse approaches us. “A room opened up for him on the seventh floor. You may follow me.”
We ride the elevator up to the seventh floor and, unlike the other floors where you can just walk in, this floor is badge-access only.
The charge nurse swipes her badge and we follow her into the room.
The room is larger than the living area in my apartment with Mazi.
It has its own microwave and fridge, with a large sofa by the window.
“Thank you,” I whisper to Maddox.
He smiles at me and gives my hand a squeeze.
Half an hour later, a transporter rolls Abuelo into the room. He has a huge bruise on the side of his face, and looks as though he hasn’t slept in days.
“Mi rosa!” His face breaks into a huge smile when he sees me.
Walking up to him, I wrap my arms around his frail body and place a kiss on his cheek. “Hi, Abuelo.”
He scans the room, his eyes landing on Maddox. “You brought Maddox with you? Don’t tell me I ruined date night.”
Maddox lifts his hand, giving Abuelo a wave. “Hola, Senor Delgado. You didn’t ruin anything. How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling fine. I’m sure they will release me soon. Don’t worry about me. Go back and enjoy your night.”
I shake my head. “I’m not leaving you.”
Ollie pulls up a chair and sits on the other side of him. “Does your head hurt? Do you remember falling?”
“It hurts a little, and no, I don’t remember much. I picked up my toothbrush and turned on the sink, and next thing I know, I’m in the hospital.”
“Do you need me to call the nurse to get you some pain medicine?” I ask.
Abuelo shakes his head. “No, I’m okay, mi rosa. I’ve had worse pain than this before.”
A few moments later, there’s a soft knock on the door. “Come in!” Abuelo calls out.
Dr. Pham walks in, her expression unreadable. She turns her attention to Maddox. “Sir, do you mind stepping outside the room?”
Abuelo raises his hand. “No, it’s okay. He’s family. He can stay.”
Maddox rises from his seat. “Oh, it’s okay. I’ll give you some privacy. I’m gonna go to the vending machine to grab snacks. Y’all want anything?”
Mom and I shake our heads.
“Can you get me some Cheetos and a Coke?” Ollie asks.
“You got it.” Maddox steps out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
“So, you suffered a mild concussion from the fall. But thankfully, the CT of the brain was negative for intracranial hemorrhage.”
“Does that mean he’s going to be okay?” I ask.
Dr. Pham clears her throat, unable to meet my gaze.
The room falls silent, and all I can hear is the pounding of my heart and my labored breathing. I grip the white hospital sheets tightly, my mind racing with endless possibilities about what her answer might be.
“I have reviewed his scans, and they’re showing that the cancer has metastasized to his other organs. There’s a tumor in his brain, which most likely caused him to collapse.”
“No. There has to be a mistake,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief. “I just went to the park with him a few days ago. He was fine.”
Mom stands from her seat. “Can we be more aggressive with chemo?”
Dr. Pham stares at the ground, shaking her head. “I’m afraid chemotherapy isn’t an option anymore. His cancer is far too advanced.”
She walks over to Abuelo and places a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Delgado.”
Abuelo’s throat bobs and his eyes brim with tears. “How much time do I have left?”
“A month. Maybe a few weeks. I’m not entirely sure,” she answers softly.
“There must be something you can do!” I shout.
“We did the best we could,” Dr. Pham says softly, “but his body didn’t respond to chemo.”
“Then we will find another doctor!”
Abuelo gives my hand a squeeze. “Mi rosa, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay!” I shout, my voice breaking as the tears fall from my cheeks. “You can’t die! You can’t!”
I stumble out of the room, feeling as if the weight of a thousand bricks is pressing down on my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.
Maddox spots me as I make my way to the exit, and he chases after me.
“Annalise, what happened?” he asks, his eyes filling with concern as he places his hands on my shoulders.
“The cancer has spread to his other organs. There’s nothing else they can do. I’m gonna lose him, Maddox.”
When Abuelo was first diagnosed, I knew his chances of survival were low, but I held on to hope, praying that he would beat the odds.
He was there for me when I scraped my knee while learning how to ride a bike, when I got my license, and when my father left us. He’s been there for me through every moment in my life.
He was supposed to be the one walking me down the aisle when I get married and to be around when I start a family of my own. The thought of living in a world without his warm hugs and infectious laughter is too much for me to bear.
Maddox pulls me tightly against him, his strong arms enveloping me as I crumble into a torrent of tears. My sobs wrack my entire body, echoing the deep agony inside of me.
“I’m so sorry, Annalise. Your grandpa is such a kind and wonderful soul, and has always treated me like family.
It isn’t fair that this is happening to him.
” He caresses my hair, placing a kiss on top of my head.
I can feel tears of his own falling down.
“I can’t even begin to fathom what you’re going through. I know how much he means to you.”
“The doctor says he only has a few weeks left. What am I supposed to do without him?”
Placing his hand on my cheek, he gently strokes it with his thumb. “Try to make the most of the precious time you have left together. He’ll need you by his side now more than ever.”