Revenge

chapter 5

Diana rushed into the room where her father laid on the hospital bed with several tubes adjoining his body to several machines. The beeping sound produced rang in the entire room. Her mother sat on the side chair holding her father's hand in a tight grip. She could see the faint lines of tears on her mother's cheeks.

"Mother?" Diana walked to her side, waiting for her mother to fill  her in the details about the incident.

"Diana, my God! Look what happened!" Her mother blabbered , her hand still clutching her father's ones.

Hearing the commotion her father opened his eyes.

"Diana, my child." He said looking at her with utmost love and care.

Her father seemed weak, his body frail, with his eyes sunken and cheeks hollow, he looked ill. Tears streamed down her cheeks seeing the condition her father was in.

"No child, do not cry or fret. Its nothing, this old man can't handle." He jested.

Diana looked at her mother,  her eyes searching hers ,wanting to know more about her father's condition.

"The doctor informed us about Harry's slow heart. The valves have clogged increasing the amount of cholesterol in his system. He needs an immediate operation otherwise..." Her mother's voice croaked at the end.

Diana knew the operation would cost more than a fortune, seeing that she had no money left in her account, sweat beaded down her back.

"How much?" Diana dare ask her mother about the total cost, knowing well that they had no penny left with them after the business takeover.

"30 thousand dollars." Her mother clipped wiping the tears with her handkerchief.

Diana knew even if she admitted her father in any government hospital, she couldn't pay the bills.

"Diana, I.Is that Nikos standing outside the door?" Her mother asked.

Diana turned around and looked in the direction where her mother had pointed and saw Nikos busy on the phone through the gap between the doors. She had forgotten about him after seeing her father's weak and frail body lay on the bed.

"Yes." She whispered dreading her parents outburst.

Nikos sauntered into the room coolly, with his hands swiftly tucked in his pockets he administered the situation he walked into. He saw Harry lay in the bed wearing the horrendous hospital gown. He walked up to him and stretched out his hand for a shake.

Diana was shocked seeing her father without an ounce of resistance met Nikos hand and gave it a firm shake. Then she saw Nikos chatting jovially with her parents without any grudge like they had not disliked or insulted him long before.

To say she was shocked would be an understatement. She feared her parents would insult him again but here the condition was totally opposite to what she had thought.

"Diana, let's head back home. I need to prepare lunch for your father according to this new diet chart recommended by the doc." Her mother voiced analyzing the new diet chart in her hands.

"Yes, mother."

"If you don't mind Lara, I can drop you both home." Nikos interrupted,his eyes focused on her mother, his voice firm and heavy  giving them no chance to argue.

"Why not if there isn't any inconvenience to you." Her mother said.

Being a gentleman he was, he opened the door of his car for the ladies to enter. In the entire drive Nikos ignored Diana and initiated a few talks with her mother. The 15 minutes drive to her house was exhausting and troublesome for Diana as she had to endure hearing them speak like lost friends.