Sweet Surprise

Chapter 10

"You both look so good together," Rosa exclaimed at the picture in front of her, Dia was so excited about her trip that she did not waste time in printing out the pictures and getting them in an album. Dia smiled at the picture in front of her, it was taken right after their snorkeling experience, underwater diving was a one-time opportunity, and looking at the vivid colorful shoal of fishes was breath-taking,  Adam's face captured that experience. When he emerged from the aquamarine depths he had  fist pumped, and declared to Dia, that since he had bravely managed to submerge himself underwater for two hours successfully, he deserved a princely treat. 

Mrs. Morris had managed a candle-light setting, while Dia prepared the Red Jambalaya, and strawberry semifreddo for dessert. The romantic setting was awkward at first, but the aroma from the food, ensured that they did not speak much and drive head-first into food. Adam had asked for a dance to the faded romantic strains of Hero from his smartphone, under the night sky. Dia blushed as she imagined that dance, it was magical, they did not speak much that night, but Adam's embrace reassured her, that he would try to make this marriage work as much as she did.

A finger snapped in front of her face, and she was visibly startled, and found Rosa smiling at her with that mischievous smile, and said, " You are so in love with him."

"No I'm not.", she managed to reply after blushing more at the thought of being in "love" with him.

"Please, you didn't even behave like this when you were with Harry,", Rosa countered, that however brought a frown to her face. Did she really forget about Harry so, soon ?

"Dia, even though your marriage with Adam was like all of a sudden, give your marriage  a chance, Ok?", Rosa asked sincerely, she had recently seen Harry with Karen, although it was a blink-and-you -miss encounter, but she was quite sure of them being together.

"I will Rosa", Dia squeezed her hands gently. As they were about to go to the ice cream parlor, a black BMW parked in front of them haphazardly in a hurry and Adam emerged with his phone on  the right ear speaking in a foreign language and moved in her direction, clasped her hand,and with a slight nod, indicated Rosa to follow them. Once they were inside the car, Adam looked at Dia and said, " Uncle Lawrie ..."

"Is dad alright ?", Dia questioned as she tapped her leg nervously, Adam held her hand a notch tight and said, " He had to be hospitalized. Major heart attack."

She was frozen with disbelief, until she remembered the medical reports that Rosa had handed her three weeks back, she had forgotten about all of that in her honeymoon bliss. The tear gates opened, and she managed to say  , "Mom, does she ?"

"Dad is with Uncle Lawrie right now, Chris is picking up your Mom as we drive to the hospital.", Adam replied stiffly. Hospitals and good news did not get along with each other, most of the times. 

They reached City Hospital, Rosa's workplace in five minutes. Adam asked them to get inside, while he would join them after parking the car. As he got out, lit a cigarette, he saw a gorgeous brunette wearing his favorite color royal blue. He squinted to look closer, and saw the celebrated war hero Harry Anderson speaking with the lady rather intimately, he smiled and just as he decided to give them privacy he heard Harry calling out, "Karen, please listen." 

Adam turned around so quickly , he was quite certain he had a whiplash, but that was inconsequential, when he saw Karen, walking towards his direction, in anger. He stubbed the cigarette and turned towards to admire the door, luckily he still had the bluetooth ear piece and adjusted it. Once they were out of sight, Adam wasted no time, he called the private investigator, and said, "Information on Harry Anderson." The hospital did not seem appealing at the moment , Adam drove off.

Dia was frantic, she paced along the waiting room. Fortunately for her, Rosa could pass on information, intermittently. Lawrence Richmond had three major blocks in the arteries, and the recent stress upto Dia's marriage seemed to worsen his health further, and then he managed to operate the restaurant, for two weeks without taking a break. Dia felt guilty, Rizzo was seriously understaffed, but they managed to trudge along, as she had been assisting her father since her high school days. Holidays were rare, and far in between, and the time she had enrolled for community college, she had morning classes, therefore she could work full time at the restaurant for dinner service.

"Piglet, coffee ," Chris's blue eyes smiled softly at her, she was momentarily entranced, and then she shook her head in refusal,  "It will help you calm down, ok". Finally she  took the plastic cup and sipped the watery coffee, her face scrunched up in distaste, but she sipped. 

"Christopher Robin. Did you see Adam  ?" She  asked him, but she knew the answer from the lost look on his face, and mumbled, "What's taking him so long ?"

"I think he is smoking. He is not a big fan of Hospitals.", Chris replied and then offered, "I'll just go and check outside. You have my number right ?", Dia nodded in affirmative. Adam had created a "Carson Family " phone list on her not so upgraded version of smartphone. She smiled at his thoughtful nature, if he was alarmed at the obsolete version of her phone, Adam did not show it and plugged in the numbers effortlessly. She looked at her mother who was reading the small holy book, and was engrossed in it. Her mother was definitely had a different style of praying, when most people wish for something to god, her mother read the holy book as many times as possible. 

She sat beside her mother and squeezed her hand, her mother gently held her hand. Dia knew, the tough times would pass.