Send Me In Orbit

Broken

It was the phone call you didn't want to get.

Clark was in his office because he was expecting a phone call from one of his suppliers. Instead it was his kids' school.

"Mr. Medina, an accident happened to your daughter, Claire. We had to transport her to the hospital for immediate medical attention."

His world stopped spinning.

He fought his rising panic and called Leah, who had already received the same phone call. There was never a time where Clark was more grateful for his wife because where he floundered, she could keep her cool in the face of life-altering emergencies. She had already called someone to watch Ceres and she would meet him at the hospital. Her instructions were clear, Clark would probably get there first and he was not to leave their daughter's side.

He was barely aware of anything as he sped through the streets, honking his horn profusely and willing to run over anyone that gets in his way. Clark can recall vividly the top three worst moments in his life: when his dad rejected him, when his mom died, and the day when Leah broke up with him and left for Dubai again. All of those moments paled in comparison to this. His precious little girl, his baby...if anything happened to her...Clark couldn't even fathom the thought.

He raced into the emergency room. Claire's teacher was there waiting to meet him, CJ standing beside her.

"Mr. Medina..."

"Where is she? What happened?" He demanded. He felt anger rising in him and tried to tamp it down. She had been in school. They paid a ridiculous amount of money for their children to attend that small, elitist private school. They should be safe!

"Mr. Medina, humihingi ako ng tawad pero aksidente po ang nangyari. Umakyat si Claire sa puno sa kabilang bakod ng school, tapos nahulog siya. Mukhang broken arm po pero wala pang sinasabi ang Doktor. I-pina-x ray na po siya."

Clark's chest tightened. His Claire...his wild, little monkey Claire. They couldn't keep that girl out of trees. Leah had, on many occasions, threatened to cut down the tree in their yard when she wouldn't come down.

He couldn't even look at the teacher. He would have words for the school later. Right now he wanted to see his baby. He turned to the nurse's station.

"Nasaan ang anak ko? Claire Medina."

A nurse walked out from behind the desk. "Dito po."

Clark kneeled down in front of CJ, who had tears running down his cheeks. "Stay here, okay, bud? Mommy will be here soon. I just have to check on Claire."

CJ nodded and Clark followed the nurse. She led him to a curtained off area and there she was...his baby. She looked so tiny in the big bed. Her right arm was bent at an odd angle beside her and she had dirt in her hair and all over her school uniform. She was only six years old. Clark fought back tears.

"Binigyan po siya ng painkillers," the nurse said softly. "Kaya po nakatulog."

Clark stroked her hair. "Where's the doctor? I want to talk to the doctor."

"Tinitingnan pa po ang mga x-ray niya. Pahintay na lang po."

The nurse left and Clark bent down and pressed a kiss to Claire's forehead.

"You're going to be okay," he whispered. "I'll make sure of it."

He didn't care where he had to go or how much he had to pay to make sure his daughter got the best care possible. Whatever she needed. If he could give her the bones out his body, he would.

The curtain opened again and Leah came rushing in. "Claire? Claire!"

Clark stepped back to make room as she ran to Claire's side. The nurse didn't bother sticking around this time, giving them their privacy.