In The Darkest Hour

Part Two - Chapter Twenty-Four: Hospital Confrontations

Isla took a deep breath as she thanked Montserrat for dropping her off at the hospital, she had no idea what was going to be waiting for her inside but she knew that she had to do this. 

Gerard had been so supportive since Isla had found out that her father had suffered a heart attack, he had done everything in his power to get her to Barcelona; he hadn't been able to come with her but he had promised he was only a phone call away if she needed him. 

Isla climbed out of the car and hurried inside, she ignored the paparazzi that had gathered outside of the hospital; she hated that they couldn't just leave her alone right now. 

Isla brushed some hair from her face and headed for the desk to find out where her father was, Kieran was still trying to get to Barcelona and he wanted her to keep him posted with what was going on. 

"You," shouted a voice making Isla jump, she sighed turning around to look at her mother; she didn't want to fight with her mother now and she hoped that they could put their differences aside for Theodore's sake. 

Tracy glared at Isla, she didn't know why her daughter had come back after what she had done; she had put her boyfriend first and she couldn't come back to the family after that. 

"This is all your fault. You did this to him," Tracy snapped walking closer to Isla, she would never forgive her daughter for what she had done to the family; she had turned her back on them when they had needed her most. 

Isla crossed her arms and stared at her mother, she knew that she might not have been there for her father but this was not her fault; she had done what was needed to make herself happy. 

Tracy had been the one to drive a wedge between them all, she had been talking to the press and trying to ruin things for as long as Isla had been happy with Gerard. 

"Are you Mr. Cortez's family?" a doctor asked appearing from a corridor, he looked between the two women who looked far from pleased to see one another; he'd had a long day and didn't have time for petty family feuds.

Isla and Tracy looked at the doctor, they both wanted to hear that Theodore was okay and they weren't sure that he was going to pull through after his massive heart attack. 

"How is he?" Isla asked ignoring her mother and walking over to the doctor, she didn't care what Tracy thought; she was here to make sure that her father was okay. 

Tracy huffed and walked over to the doctor, she wasn't going to let anyone know that Theodore had walked out on their marriage; she didn't even know why he had turned his back on her. 

"Mr. Cortez suffered a very severe heart attack... we've rushed him down to surgery but things are still touch and go," the doctor explained making Isla close her eyes, she prayed that her father would get better and she knew that it could still all go horribly wrong. 

The doctor excused himself leaving the two women alone with the promise that he would come back when he had more news; Isla watched him leave before she glanced at her mother, she had so many questions but now wasn't the time. 

"I'm going to call Kieran," Isla murmured not wanting to stick around with her mother, she brushed some hair from her face before she walked away to call Kieran. 

Tracy pursed her lips moving to sit down, she didn't know what to do at that moment and she knew that she had a chance to end things once and for all. 

Tracy smirked getting out her phone, she called a very dear friend of hers and she knew that this could work out for her; she knew that Gerard wasn't in Barcelona to see what was going on.

***

Gerard sighed getting off the phone with Isla, he knew that he could trust his fiancée and he hoped that everything was going to be okay; he couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. 

Gerard ran a hand through his hair, he hated that he hadn't been able to go with Isla but he had training and Manchester United wouldn't let him leave; he prayed that her mother wouldn't pull another stunt. 

Already rumours were starting to pick up about the fact that Gerard wasn't in Barcelona with Isla when she needed him the most; he had already seen one headline that there was trouble between them because Isla was in Barcelona alone. 

"Papa," Milan whimpered walking over to his father, the little boy had been left behind because Gerard knew that Isla wouldn't be able to look after him while she had no idea what was wrong with her father. 

Gerard wasn't even sure what the doctor would have said when Isla arrived at the hospital, he only just learnt how bad things were with Theodore. 

Gerard didn't really know the man, he knew that he was easier to get along with than Tracy who had been so quick to turn on Isla that she didn't even care who was hurt. 

Gerard cuddled Milan, he didn't want the little boy getting upset and he knew this was hard on him; things had been going so well since they had moved to Manchester and now things were a mess. 

"Mama will be home soon," Gerard promised to his son, he could only hope that he was right and that Tracy wasn't able to destroy his relationship while Isla was there. 

Milan cuddled into his father's arms, he closed his brown eyes wanting his mother to come back; she hadn't been gone more than a few hours and he didn't like it.

***

Isla paced the hospital waiting room as she waited for some sort of news about her father, she peeked at the clock every few minutes; she just wanted some good news that her father was okay. 

Tracy watched her daughter pace, she tapped her long finger nails on the arm of the chair and she knew that she had to play this right; she could get her family back if she played this just right. 

"No Gerard?" Tracy asked with a smile, she had no doubts that the footballer wasn't here with her daughter and it gave her a chance to screw things up for them. 

Tracy wasn't blind, she could see the engagement ring that sat on her daughter's hand and she swore that it wasn't going to be there much longer; she would make sure that, that wedding never happened. 

"He had to stay in Manchester," Isla replied uneasily, she was well aware that her mother wasn't Gerard's biggest fan; she had done enough in the past to ruin his life with all these false rumours. 

Isla could only imagine what lies Tracy would realise now that she was back in Barcelona alone, she made a note to call Gerard back later when she knew what was going on. 

Tracy watched with a smile, this was just too perfect and she was sure that she would be able to drive the couple apart while Isla was here with her; she could imagine that Gerard was quite a jealous man when it came to her daughter. 

Isla chewed on her lip, she didn't like the look on her mother's face and it was making her worry; she was here only for her father's sake and she wanted nothing to do with Tracy. 

Tracy opened her mouth to say something when the doctor reappeared, she stared at him hoping for good news; she didn't know what she would do without Theodore. 

Isla slowly approached him, she felt sick as he slowly explained to her what had happened while they were in surgery; her father was alive and he would be okay.