Between Us

Chapter 38 : Truths Unveiled

Engfa's pov

I paced the room restlessly while Jax, Nudee, and Leon were seemingly absorbed in their own activities. Every so often, I glanced out the window before resuming my anxious walking. I snatched some food from Jax's plate and continued pacing. Jax sighed heavily, putting down his fork and staring at me.

"Engfa, you're giving me a headache. Can you please sit down and stop pacing?" he pleaded.

I stopped abruptly and took a seat, but I couldn't keep myself from fidgeting. I turned to Nudee. "Have you heard anything from Charlotte?" I asked, my voice tense with worry.

Nudee shook her head, her expression sympathetic but exasperated. "That's the tenth time you've asked, Engfa. No, there's still no message."

Unable to sit still, I stood up again, feeling a surge of urgency. "I'm going to check on her. I need to make sure she's okay."

Jax immediately stood as well, blocking my path. "It's out of the question for you to go back there," he insisted firmly. "Charlotte can handle herself and her father. She's not a child."

"What if something happens to her?" I countered, my voice rising with frustration and fear.

"Nothing is going to happen," Jax said, trying to reassure me, but I wasn't convinced.

I grabbed Nudee's phone from the table and dialed Charlotte's number, desperation creeping into my movements. The call went straight to voicemail, sending a wave of panic through me. I ended the call and handed the phone back to Nudee, my hands trembling slightly.

I tried to distract myself by skimming through some old magazines that were scattered around the room, but it was useless. My mind kept drifting back to her and the myriad of worst-case scenarios that could be unfolding. Just as I was about to give up and resume my pacing, I heard Nudee cough sharply. She was staring at her phone with a look that instantly set my nerves on edge.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice sharp with concern as I rushed over to her. Jax and Nudee exchanged a worried glance before Nudee slowly handed me the phone, hesitating as if reluctant to share the news.

"Just... don't panic, okay?" she said softly, but the tremor in her voice only heightened my anxiety.

I snatched the phone from her hands, my heart pounding as I read the message from Heidi in their group chat. It said, "Charlotte's in the hospital. Don't know all the details, I'm heading there now."

The phone nearly slipped from my grasp as a cold wave of fear washed over me. "Hospital? What happened?" I managed to choke out, my mind racing with terrifying possibilities.

Nudee took the phone back, her face pale. "We don't know yet, Heidi is on her way there. She promised to update us as soon as she knows more."

Without a second thought, I grabbed my car keys from the table, my mind racing with panic. "I'm going to the hospital," I said, my voice trembling as I turned to head out the door.

Jax quickly stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Engfa, wait. It's not a good idea for you to go. We don't know what's going on yet. You need to stay here."

I yanked my arm out of his grasp, my eyes blazing with determination. "I'm not asking for your permission, Jax."

His frustration boiled over, his face tightening with anger. "Damn it, Engfa! You running off half-cocked isn't going to help anyone! You think showing up there in a panic is going to make things better? What if you make things worse?"

His words stung, but my resolve didn't waver. "I don't care. She's in the hospital, and I need to be there. I need to know she's okay!"

Jax's hands balled into fists at his sides, his anger barely contained. "And what if you show up and her father is there? What then? You think he's just going to let you waltz in and see her after everything that's happened? You're only going to cause more problems!"