Private Practice Adrienette ( sin🍋)

Chapter 14 - The Truth

As Luka holds me in his arms after his friendly kiss, an engine revs. Even from my upside down vantage point in Luka's arms, I still manage to make out the blur of a motorcycle racing away.

"Oh, shit!" Luka exclaims and straightens us both up as we stare at Adrien's taillights zooming away.

He'll never forgive me now. Luka is tense as he shakes his head.

"Mr. Lucky just raced off into the night. I think maybe he got the wrong idea. Want me to go after him and explain?" he asks.

"I can't ask you to do that...I think it's better if I do it."

"You're not...I'm offering."

"No thanks, but this is my mess." I insist. Luka lightly touches my cheek and then steps away.

"Okay. Let me know how things turn out. I'm rooting for you." He takes a step back and waves.

"I'm rooting for you too, no matter what you decide to do." I wave back. He smiles and heads out into the warm summer night.

Back inside, my phone rings. Picking it up, I see it's an unknown number calling.

"Dr. Dupain Cheng?" She says.

"Yes, this is she."

"Hello doctor. My name is Nadja Chamack. I'm a friend of your father's. I'm sorry to ambush you this late in the evening, but I need to let you know...Lexington memorial hospital admitted him this evening after he became I'll at our meeting."

"Oh God..is he okay?" I hurriedly ask.

"I don't know, Dr. Dupain Cheng. He gave me you name and number before the paramedics took him away and asked me to call you. Can you come?"

"I'm on my way."

20 minutes later I'm  standing in the ER waiting room, staring at the doctor and chewing on my lip worriedly.

"How is he?" I ask him.

"Your father should buy a lottery ticket. Luck was definetly on his side tonight." The young ER doctor shakes his head as he examines Dad's chart. "Somebody called 911 right away, based on his lethargy, confusion and complaints of fatigue and thirst. On top of poor diet and lack of attention to his blood sugar levels, he picked up a flu and the combination brought on ketoacidosis. Thankfully, he's responded positively to treatment. But if he doesnt learn to manage his diabetes better, his luck's going to run out and one of these days hell end up in a coma."

I concentrate on the doctor's tired eyes and try to ignore the nausea turning in my gut. "I know, Dr. Fu. We're working on it." His eyes flash with something close to sympathy. 

"I'm sure you're doing all you can, Dr. Dupain Cheng. He needs to work a little harder. They're just finishing up with him. You can go ahead and visit, if you like."

"Thank you. I'd like that." I retort. I am unsure how to feel. He's a jerk, but he's still my dad. Dr. Fu leads me down the hall to the hospital room. My father lays in the bed, eyes closed with an IV drip into his arm. I step forwrd into the room until I'm at the foot of the bed and check his chart. When I glance back at him,his eyes are slightly open and locked on me.

"Hey." He says in a sleepy voice.

"How do you feel?" I ask him.

"Thirsty."

I pour him a cup of water from the pitcher, hand it to him and wait in awkward silence while he drinks. Finally, he sets the glass down.

"I have something to say to you...." he trails off.