Unerasable Mistakes

Veinticuatro

"Hi, we were wondering if Daniel Lockett was being treated in this hospital facility? We're... Um, friends of his and we wanted to go see him if that's okay," Tiffany greeted the lady at the front desk.

The petite blondy gave them a small smile before responding with a curt, "Let me check."

Soon enough she'd revealed to them that Daniel was, in fact, being treated there. However, she refused to tell them his current address even though they insisted that it was an emergency.

"Please, lady. We don't know how much longer our friend may have, and we didn't just come all the way from across the other side of the world for nothing," Carter persisted.

The woman, now somewhat annoyed, repeated what she'd said many times before, "Sorry, but it's the hospital's policy to not reveal our patient's personal information. Besides, if you are indeed his friends why don't you just call him so that he can tell you the information?"

Tiffany could tell that Carter was beginning to get agitated by the woman's refusal to help them out.

Before he could retaliate, Tiffany spoke up, "That's the thing, we kinda lost his number so we're not able to get a hold of him. Please, all we know is that our friend has cancer- We gave no clue on how much time he has left. Please."

It seemed as though her pleads for help were futile. The woman wouldn't budge on her decision.

"Cassandra, what's the problem here?" a man who appeared to be a doctor made an entrance from one of the closed doors.

"Doctor Sanchez, the couple here wants to know where their friend, Daniel Lockett, resides, but no matter how many times I repeat that I cannot disclose that information to them, they won't listen."

"Daniel Lockett you said?" recognition of the name showed clear on his face.

They nodded.

The doctor then made a 'it'll only be a minute'  gesture at Cassandra and then gave the young people a small smile, "Come to my office."

+++

Tiffany didn't know how to react to the news Dr. Sanchez had given her.

She was completely speechless.

She wished that the Earth would somehow swallow her up whole because, no, this couldn't be happening.

Not to her, and especially not to Daniel.

"It's okay, Tiff, let it out. It's good to cry once in a while. Don't let yourself bottle up your emotions," Carter murmured as he gave her a tight hug.

They were at a small rundown sandwich shop- the nearest place she could take a moment to compose herself after hearing the news rather than at the dreaded hospital.

Tiffany wanted to cry, she truly did, but for some reason she couldn't. She  immediately realized why the news didn't seem as shocking as it should have.

Call her pessimistic, but the fact remained that she'd already expected it.

Expect the unexpected they'd once told her.

Unfortunately, Dr. Sanchez hadn't been able to disclose the information about Daniel's whereabouts that they'd so desperately yearned for, but he had been able to tell her his health.