NOVEMBER GOT ME YOU

Chapter 22

STEVE'S P.O.V

I somehow was now in Heathrow. Spent almost 30 hours in the plane and I couldn't even sleep for one minute. My fingers kept typing on both laptop and phone, tried to gather every information that I needed to ask to anyone in London once I arrived.

Look at this mess. People were screaming everywhere. I bet they just found out that their relatives were the victims of the crash. Some others were sitting on each corner of the airport with their desperation look. I'm so sorry. But I also probably lost a sister too.

"Uncle Reynold? I'm already at the arrival gate."

"On your left." He spoke through phone.

I cut the call and have my eyes scanned the crowd to find him. There he was. I hugged my uncle tightly because after all it's good to see him again, though I disliked the situation.

"What you've found so far?" He asked.

"Not much. News stations release that it's not an accident, but suicide instead. Almost 50 people dead because couldn't process to wear the life vests fast enough."

"Calm down..." He put his arm around my shoulders. "If she is as you think she is, she'll be somewhere and alive right now."

"I really hope so."

"Go call her parents and let them know you're here."

"Alright."

Uncle Reynold helped me to get my caffeine shot because most likely that's the only thing that kept me alive. I've had almost 10 shots of it during the flight. That's how I stayed awake.

"Here." He handed me a cup of coffee.

"Yes Mom, I'll be right here. This is my local number for you to reach." I still spoke to her mother. "Let me ask some people in here first, okay? Hang in there. Stay strong."

"How's that?" Uncle asked.

"Not much." I shrugged and sipped my coffee. "Where should we start?"

"There." He pointed to an information desk with so many people queue-ing.

I approached the tail of the lane and waited patiently. But suddenly my uncle went straight to the information table without I could stop him, because cutting the queue line was never polite. He didn't hear me. I said sorry couple times to people around me. This old man couldn't hold himself sometimes.

"Done." He walked back with a happier face.

"Dammit, you almost ruined my life! Look at how piss they are!" I whispered. "What you think you're doing?"

"You think I don't know how to queue?" He showed a necklace to me. And I smiled relieved. "Of course."

"Perks of being a veteran." He smiled. "I know the next place we should go."

I didn't ask for more question. He drove me to the street I didn't much familiar with. I only visited London quite couple times in my life. And it was only for vacation so I didn't think I should memorize the streets' names and directions like I did in Jakarta.

"Go make your way to the nurse table and ask about her. I'll be standing by. If you find something, just beep me and I'll park the car then catch up."

"Wait. Is she alive?" I almost teared up.

"About to find out. Go!"

I jumped, literally jumped out of the car. Ran as fast as I could to the nurse table that I almost missed it because too eager to do the sprint in the corridor.

"Excuse me, I'm Steve, American, but holding an international Visa as I flew from Indonesia." I took a deep breath to continue my words. "I'm here for Dina Sapitri. You have her?"

"Kindly wait as we're checking, Sir." The British nurse typed her name on her computer. "Can you tell me anything about Ms. Dina Sapitri?"

"Okay. Sure. She's Indonesian, Southeast-Asian look, a former student of photography school, and her passport... Oh! She should have the Visa stamp on her passport from two weeks ago. Like on December 8 or 9? Seriously I forgot."

"That's it. Thank you for your confirmation. Make your way to the elevator over there, to 8th level. You'll find a nurse that will help you showing her room."

"My goodness! Thank God! Thanks so much nurse I really really love you!" I jumped around like a kid with a candy in his hands.

But before that, I called two numbers. First, Uncle Reynold, so that he could park the car and go upstairs with me. Second, her parents. I didn't care if they could or not have a ticket to Heathrow because chaotic situation til the following week, but at least they needed to know she's alive.

And oh, Connor.

"She's alive? Thank God." Uncle walked toward me.

"Yes she is. Let's go! She's in 8th floor."

I expected to see her cute little face again. That smirk again. I had my eyes almost couldn't hold the tears any longer. We're here. It's her room.

"Dina?" I slowly knocked.

"Hello." A British girl around my age, politely stood and shook my hand. "I'm Carol from Crime Scene Unit London. I've been with her for the past two days."

"Thank you so much for your help. I'm Steve." I replied.

"Oh, you're Steve. She gave me your number but I guess I figured out why I can't reach you." She smiled. "Of course, you're now having local number when I tried to call you to your Indonesian number."

"That's one weird fact that I'm here before even you called." I blushed. Hey she's cute. "Thank you so much. How's she, by the way?"

"Bone fractures in almost every part of her body. She still has breathing trouble sometimes at night, because too much water in her lungs. Doctor's still trying to clean her body system, especially lungs, so she can breathe normally again. She also coughes too often, which I'm really saddened to see her struggling. But other than that, she's in much better condition than first we found her floating."

"Oh gosh..." I whispered. "How long had she been in the ocean?"

"Quite overnight. Our lab's now processing her clothes, watches, and everything to measure the exact time the plane hit the ocean." Carol stared at sleeping Dina. "She's very tough though."

"She is... She really is." I nodded. "You can never imagine how many problems she carries in that tiny kiddy little hands."

"Haha. I feel grateful to know her, though it supposed to be in a better condition."

I nodded. Couple times. Couldn't be happier and more relieved knowing she's alive. She needed to recover. But no worries. If her parents couldn't make it to London, I would take care of her 24/7 and never leave her side anymore.

"Excuse me." Carol snapped me back. "I'm very sorry to ask you this, but are you her boyfriend?"

I chuckled. "No I'm not. We're best friends. I consider her as my sister already. And why is that you're asking?"

"Because she keeps calling the name Conner-?"

"Connor." I sighed. "He's her boyfriend."

"Oh..." Carol shut herself in deep sadness. "I'm so sorry. I was just trying to analyze and fix the puzzle. That everything she has spoken, I tried to keep up."

"That's okay. I'm gonna fix that one." I smiled at her. "Thank you so much Carol you've been really helping."

"Not a problem."

"Well I'm gonna be outside for a while." I nodded to Uncle Reynold.

I swear I couldn't stop smiling. She wasn't in her best shape but being alive was already good enough.

Connor deserved to know.