Where Do Broken Hearts Go? | Unexpected Series Book One

Chapter 76: Asking Forgiveness & Earning Trust

Harry's POV

It's amazing how many sounds you can hear when you're sitting in silence, waiting for any news on someone you love.

Every little sound I hear has me on edge, waiting for a nurse or a doctor to talk to us.

Waiting for Beth.

My knee is bouncing up and down as anxiety courses through my body and occasionally Robin pats my thigh in reassurance.

Mum and Robin arrived virtually at the same time as we did and I'm so grateful as both Nick and Jamie seem to have gravitated towards her and she's doing her best to keep them calm considering what they've witnessed this afternoon.

I take my phone out of my pocket and see that I still haven't heard from Beth or Gemma.

What the hell are they up to that at least one of them doesn't have their phone switched on?

What if something's happened to them?

Harold.

Relax.

Don't let your mind run away from you.

A movement from the left snaps us to attention and a man appears, stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard in his hand.

"Is Chloe's mother here?" he asks.

I immediately stand and walk over to him.

"No," I reply, running my hand through my hair, "we can't get onto her still."

"Right," he replies before holding out his hand, "I'm Dr. Wynter and I've been assigned to treat young Chloe."

I shake his hand and feel some semblance of relief, knowing this is the man that will be able to give me some answers about her condition.

"My name's Harry, Harry Styles," I say.

"Are you next of kin Mr. Styles?" he asks me.

Well.

Not really.

"I'm her mother's partner," I explain, "that's probably as close as you'll get until she gets here."

"Ah," he says, "well we've done an initial assessment of her and we really need to get an MRI scan done as soon as possible."

I look over at mum.

This...am I responsible for what he wants to do?

"An MRI..." I begin.

"Just a medical scan, but will give us a clear indication of what we're potentially dealing with and if there are any life threatening injuries, or anything requiring immediate treatment that we can't detect from the outside," he explains, "there's nothing invasive in it."

I look around again to mum, needing reassurance.

"Are you asking permission from me to do that?" I ask him.

"Yes," he says, "we'd rather not wait and if you are her mother's partner, we'll take your consent in this instance."

"Oh," I say, feeling the enormity of what he's asking me to do sink in, the responsibility to this little girl.

"Go on Harry, Beth will understand," mum gently urges me.

"Okay," I say and Dr. Wynter hands me the clipboard with the consent form.

I quickly scan it, looking for anything that might give me cause not to sign.

Not finding anything, I run the pen over the paper, signing my permission for them to treat her.