The Hot Doctor

Chapter 53

ALEXANDRIANNA POV

After Daniel had a moment with Emmanuelle, Brendan and Vanessa, the man sedated him. He died about an hour later, and we all sit in the car after saying one last goodbye.

Nobody says anything, and we remain in the parking lot for a while. The silence is calming, but at the same time it's tense. Rian sits next to me, and his body is slouched and shakes his head in disbelief. Suddenly, a loud sob comes from Emmanuelle, and the tears that have obscured my vision finally escape my eyes.

I feel so bad for her.

Vanessa sits in the passenger seat, and she leans over to hug her mom, and I can tell that she's on the verge of tears as well.

Brendan is in the back of the car by himself, just closing his eyes while shaking his head as if he wishes that this is a dream and not reality. 

That's exactly how I felt after my father died.

That it couldn't possibly be happening and that it was just a nightmare.

I think about the times I've spent with Mr. Peterson as he told me about Rian. I remember meeting him at the party and how he instantly complemented me on how I looked, when we went to brunch and how he told me about how he met Emmanuelle at that restaurant, just everything.

All of the thoughts swirl around in my mind, and I feel sad. Mr. Peterson was a wonderful man who still had so much more in front of him, but the damn cancer had to come and rip that away from him.

Not only did the cancer take away what else that life had in store for him, but it also took away his independence.

Mr. Peterson spent his last days constantly relying on the doctors and nurses to help take care of him. He had become so weak that he could barely move, and when I hugged him, it felt like I was holding a bag of bones.

I remember that bright smile on his face when I met him, but then there's a split image of his body stuck in the stuffy hospital room, not even able to force a smile.

That's such a cruel way to die.

Back at the mansion, I make my way up to Rian's room. I grab the blanket and wrap it around myself, using it to dab away some tears. Rian comes in, looking like he literally just got hit by a train. His facial expression, his posture, everything.

I've never seen him look so crumbled.

The corners of his lips are pulled down, and his eyelids are droopy and his eyebrows are slanted. In his eyes, so gaunt and melancholic under the sheen of water, looks like he's been hurt so much that he'll never be the same. The sadness has built up for so long that it seems like it will permanently gray his spirit and taint any kind of joy.

My poor Rian.

"Alex," Rian says quietly.

"Come here." I say while beckoning to him.

Rian walks over to the bed, sitting next to me and placing his head on my shoulder. I hug him again, and he sighs heavily before sniffling again.

"I'm so sorry about your dad." I whisper, and his head hangs low as he nods.

"Yeah, I just still can't believe it got to the point where he decided to take himself out of this world." Rian says in disbelief, and he wipes his eyes.