“Daddy, I miss you.”
In the VIP hospital room, Callie sat by the bed, using a damp towel to wipe her father’s arms. Reuben Marsh had been bedridden for so long that his muscles had atrophied, and his skin had aged prematurely. At just over forty, he looked like he was in his sixties.
Callie’s heart ached as she observed the changes in him. In just three years, he had transformed from a healthy man into a frail old man.
“Daddy, please wake up. I’ve been dealing with so much at work lately. Will you listen to me and maybe pat my head?”
“Things weren’t going well at home either. Joaquin has lost all reason. You need to wake up and manage him. He respects you the most.”
Callie meticulously wrung out the towel in the water, her voice a constant stream of words, always alert for any sign of reaction from Reuben.
After wiping down his body, Reuben remained unresponsive. The only indication of life was the rhythmic movement on the heart monitor. Callie felt heavy-hearted, sitting in a daze.
She hadn’t received a call from the hospital today; she had just felt emotionally overwhelmed and decided to visit Reuben. Since Joaquin’s incident, she hadn’t been to the hospital in a long time, feeling a pang of guilt.
Staring at Reuben’s aged face, she thought, if he woke up, he would surely be proud of her efforts all these years. But he remained asleep, and there was no one left in the world to ask her if she was happy, no one at all.
“Callie?” The door to the hospital room suddenly opened, and Tobias entered, dressed in white, looking elegant and gentle.
Callie immediately stood up. “Dr. Tobias.”
Tobias motioned for her to sit, smiling. “Why do you still call me that? You used to call me Tobias.”
Callie wasn’t sure why, but it seemed that ever since marrying Nelson, she had maintained a distance from the other sex.
“I hope it’s okay that I came unannounced. Has there been any change in my father’s condition lately?”
“Of course you are always welcomed. You are family, and it’s natural for you to visit.” Tobias kept his hands in his pockets, watching Callie with a hint of hesitation. “I’m not your father’s primary doctor anymore, but I’ve been following the medical team’s updates. From what they’ve said, his condition is stable. Don’t worry, Callie.”
“That’s good…” Stable meant no progress. Callie felt a bit disappointed but didn’t show it.
“I heard you were here, so I came to check on you.” Tobias took an orange from his pocket. “The head nurse gave me this, said it’s very sweet. Want some?”
Callie smiled. “If the head nurse gave it to you, I shouldn’t take it.”
Tobias smiled too, peeling the orange to reveal the yellowish flesh. “I’m currently applying to join your father’s medical team. After all, I understand his situation better than most people after spending three years with his case.”
Callie was surprised but also pleased. “That would be great. If you’re involved in my father’s treatment, I would feel much more at ease.” She trusted him implicitly.
“Everything is still in process. I don’t know if it will be approved, but I’ll do my best to make it happen.” Tobias broke off a piece of the orange and brought it to Callie’s lips. “I don’t have time to eat it myself. Can you try it for me?”
Callie hesitated, almost getting lost in Tobias’s tender gaze. She bit into the orange. “Mm! It’s really sweet! You should try some too!”
Seeing her eat, Tobias took a slice for himself.
“You called me a while back, asking me to keep an eye on Joaquin. Then you stopped coming to the hospital. What happened? Did something go wrong?”