Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 75 - Misgiving

White, long and sterile, the hallway was quite appropriate for a city hospital. Also immaculate was the dark haired woman wearing a high, sleek ponytail and oversized round glasses. Their thick black frame stood out against her light skin. She was sipping coffee from a plastic cup and separating the paperwork on her desk into neat piles, each pack bound by a magenta clip. 

Her annoyance was obvious when the Chusters, followed closely by Ishikura and Agnes, burst through the automatic doors. They reached the counter all at the same time, leaning forward with their heavy breathing and flustered looks. 

"I'm here for Nicholas Chuster," Carolina panted. "We got a call. We're his parents."  

Nicholas touched her arm. Carolina looked at him confusedly, then added quickly, "Oh, yes, and Leonardo Treville." 

The receptionist stared at them from over her glasses. 

"One moment, please." Agile fingers thumbed through registration cards until the woman pulled one apart. "Ok. Can I see some ID, please?" 

To her displeasure, ids showered in a messy heap over her desk.  

"Just the two of you, please," she said, pointing out Nick's parents.  

At the flick of a switch, the microphone came to life.  

"Doctor Susana at the reception, please." Her nasal voice blared from wall-mounted black speakers. She turned off the microphone and reverted to Carolina. "The Doctor will be with you in a moment. Please take a seat." Her long finger indicated two cream leather sofas across the corridor. 

Carolina did not budge. "How is he? How is my son?"  

"I apologize, but I'm not in a position to give you any information. The doctor will be here soon. Please take a seat," the receptionist repeated. 

Five minutes later, Joana and Jean-Pierre passed through the same doors. Despite being visibly distressed, they approached the counter much less thunderously than the Chusters had.  

Carolina sprung up to meet them and curtly latched onto Joana, who stood reactionless while Carolina began chattering. 

"Oh my God! How's Virginie? Did the doctors tell you anything?" 

Without as much as a greeting, Joana tilted her head down to Carolina's hand on her upper arm. Theo's mother loosened the grip and, mildly embarrassed, took a step back. 

"I'm sorry," she said, touching her forehead with the back of her hand. "They won't tell me anything until the doctor arrives."  

Joana gave her a sympathetic nod.  

"They wouldn't tell me anything over the phone either. I'll do my best to persuade them into letting me see Virginie, but since I'm not family, I'm afraid only Jean-Pierre will be cleared." 

"That's preposterous!" Carolina shook her head vigorously in a mix of shock and disapproval. "They absolutely must let you see her! I'll go talk to them with you." 

At first, Joana felt ambivalent about the offer. Given Carolina's unrest, her intervention could prove either helpful or harmful. Eventually, she agreed.  

They were amid a heated argument with the receptionist when Escobar came walking down the hall. A tall, slender woman accompanied him. Her crisp white jacket announced who she was with no need for introduction. Her hair was light blond and her skin remarkably freckled. A plethora of wrinkles framed her large blue eyes and her thin, pale lips.  

"Hello. I'm Doctor Susana." She offered a hand to Carolina. Her voice was unexpectedly screechy and did not match the image her body transmitted.