CHARDEL HOSPITAL
Carl’s car pulled up in front of the hospital and was parked not far from its gate. The trio alighted from the car and headed into the hospital. It was the new hospital which Jasper arranged for Katrina to be transferred to due to the scandal and nature of her ailment.
Since no one showed up at their residence still, he deemed it safer for her to change where she would recover, away from the eyes of the media and the buggy clingy reporters.
Chardel Hospital was one of the Callaghans’ subsidiaries and Jasper had utmost control there.
This time, Carl, Jasper and Drake wore nose masks to avoid another scandal without recovering from the first. It’s not that the hospital was free of attacks, but an additional precaution won’t harm anyone. Moreso, hospital ethics allows a nose mask to be worn if not necessitated.
A nurse met them on their way to the ward and asked who they were. Carl passed a card to her and she left immediately knowing who he was. Jasper’s second-in-command was sure to be known across their group of companies.
He pushed the ward’s door open and they slipped in silently. Drake dashed to the bedside holding his sister’s hand. He called her name severally but there was no response.
“Why is she not talking?” he cried.
“She would don’t worry.”
Just then, Katrina’s index finger flickered. Jasmine saw it first and announced it to those present with her. They all focused their attention on Katrina, but there was no sign of stimulus as Jasmine has proclaimed to have seen.
Carl wanted to turn around and see the doctor and they heard whispers.
“Dra… Drake..?” the voice was cracky.
“Sister Katrina” the little boy was elated and jumped happily almost missing his steps. He held her hand tightly to his chest and she winced in pain. Her body has been numb and unmoving for a while making her joints ache.
“You’re all here?” another feminine voice was heard at the entrance of the ward.
“Caitlyn? What are you doing here?”
“I was here earlier. Who do you think was staying here with her?”
She had followed the ambulance when she saw them leaving the hospital. Fate made her get there before they set off for Chardel. Luckily, the nanny recognized her and let her tag along with them.
“What about Jasmine’s nanny? Jasper assigned her here right?”
“She had something important to do, so she left when I arrived.”
“You didn’t go to work?”
“I got fired remembered?”
“My bad, I didn’t mean to rub it in on you.”
“It’s alright, the doctor would be here soon. She made signs of waking earlier.”
“She’s awake already,” said Carl.
He moved closer to the bed and adjusted the bed screws to ease Katrina up into a sitting position. He poured a small amount of warm water into a cup and fed her. Though she felt insecure in their presence, seeing her brother with her in a good condition eased her nerves making her loosen up to them as she felt they were good people.
The doctor arrived and did a check-up on her.
“She’s alright now. She only needs some time to heal completely.”
“Thanks,” Carl appreciated the doctor’s effort and he left.
“Sister Katrina, what happened to you?” that was little Drake.
“It’s nothing, I was so tired to notice the loose hanging rod. It fell on my head when I passed by, unfortunately, there was no one home.” she lied. Drake crossed his arms across his chest and frowned his face.
“Stop lying sister, Dad beat you again right?” he yelled on the verge of tears.
“What do you mean again? Does your dad beat her frequently?” Jasmine frowned her face.
“Yes, and he shouts at her too much too.”
“Don’t mind him please, he’s only a small boy.” Katrina tried to hide her feelings. She was finding it hard to trust the people in front of her as she doesn’t know them much.
“See Katrina, you don’t have to lie about what happened. The police already investigated the situation. You’ve been here for days now and your dad is nowhere to be found.” Caitlyn explained as she placed her hand on Katrina’s.
“Apart from being hit on the head, you were diagnosed with malaria, low blood count and lack of essential vitamins. The doctor said your cells are weak when you got admitted.”
Katrina looked at the figures in front of her and curled up her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. Panic surged through her. Carl explained the situation to her slowly and carefully as well as informed her about Jasper’s decision to adopt her and her brother if no one comes for them still.
The situation felt too much for her to bear at that moment and Carl excused her together with Caitlyn giving her some space to think things through.
Outside the ward, Caitlyn asked Carl where Jasper was.
“He’s been so busy these past days and hardly has the time to rest.”.
“Was it because of the scandal? I have been trying to reach him and apologize for that day but he isn’t picking up my calls. Every time I call him, he never picked it nor did he call back. I didn’t mean to put him in the limelight”
“He has so much on his plate than you think.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t he the CEO of the company, what could be so much for him to handle and not pick my calls?”
“You don’t understand him, Caitlyn. If you know what’s going on with him, you won’t be here ranting about him not picking up your calls. You’re still so selfish all this while.” Carl lashed out at her. He wasn’t against Jasper and Caitlyn but he detest Caitlyn for the self-centred attitude she exhibits.
Back in their high school days, she was always so rash and mostly cared about herself, putting Jasper at the receiving end most time.
“Do you have to get so harsh? If I don’t understand him, then make me understand.”
“There’s no use for me saying anything to you. You should see him yourself if you want to know what went wrong or why he isn’t picking up.”
“What do you mean with all this you said? Can’t you just explain instead of going on and on about things that passed already?”
“Excuse me, I can’t say more.” Carl excused himself and left. He went to get Katrina something to eat.
Caitlyn was left on the spot thinking. She stood there trying to figure out what was wrong but couldn’t until she concluded on going to the company to see Jasper herself.