PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 54: Day Two: Post-OP 2

Maya's eyes flickered with gratitude, her trust in her team apparent. She nodded, her voice a whisper, "Thank you. Please...Please bring her back to me."

The team nodded silently, their hearts heavy with concern but also determination. They knew how much Carina meant to Maya and they were committed to finding her and bringing her back.
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When the team entered the waiting room, they were shocked to find Carina sitting there, tears streaming down her face. They noticed that she was crying because today was supposed to be her one month anniversary with Maya, but due to the accident, Maya was stuck in the hospital.

Andy was the first to speak, her voice soft and filled with empathy, "Carina... What's wrong?"

Carina looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and watery. She sniffled and wiped away her tears before responding, her voice choked with emotion.

She spoke, her voice breaking a little, "It's...It's our one month anniversary. But...But Maya...Maya is stuck in the hospital. We...We had so much planned for today, and now...now it's ruined."

The team's hearts ached for Carina. They knew how important this day was to her and how devastated she must feel.

Ben spoke, his voice gentle and understanding, "I'm so sorry, Carina. I...I can imagine how hard this must be for you."

Among the team's conversations, Carina's phone suddenly rang. She looked down and saw it was the hotel she had planned to surprise Maya with. Her heart felt like a heavy stone in her chest as she picked up the call.

Carina spoke into the phone, her voice trembling, "Hello?"

The person on the phone spoke, their cheerful tone completely ignorant of the emotional turmoil Carina was experiencing.

They asked, their voice bright, "Hello, this is the Beverly Hills Hotel calling to confirm your reservation for this weekend?"

Carina's heart clenched even more, hearing the question about the reservation. She took a deep, shaky breath before responding, her voice thick with unshed tears.

She spoke quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, "I...I'm so sorry, but...but we won't be coming. There's... There's been an accident, and we won't be able to make it."

There was a pause on the other end, as if the person on the phone was taking in the news. Then, their voice carried a hint of concern.

They spoke, their tone shifting to one of sympathetic understanding, "I'm... I'm very sorry to hear that. Is... Is everything alright?"

Carina swallowed hard, trying to compose herself. She forced herself to speak, her voice still betraying her emotions.

She spoke, her voice tremulous but trying to sound somewhat collected, "No...No, not really. There's... There's been an accident. My... my girlfriend...she's...she's in the hospital. And... And we can't be there this weekend."

The person on the phone seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Their voice softened, understanding now.

They spoke, their tone a mixture of sympathy and kindness, "I...I see. I'm so sorry to hear about your girlfriend. I...I hope she recovers soon. And please know that we understand, and there's no penalty for canceling last minute in this circumstance. We...We wish her a speedy recovery."

Carina tried to steady her voice, feeling a surge of gratitude for the understanding.

She spoke, her voice shaking a little less, "Thank you. I... I appreciate your understanding. And...And thank you for being so kind. I...I'm just...I'm just really struggling right now."