Taming the Bitch (COMPLETED) Wattys2018

Chapter XXXV - THE PROMISE

The plane ride has been very silent between Gabrielle and Vincent. Both of them are sitting opposite each other beside the window that overlooks the thick cloud in the skies.

They are 3000ft above earth and one could easily say that their minds are also floating in air. Vincent looks at Gabrielle once more trying his best to approach her as she has not been herself since this morning when they were told to go back to London as soon as possible. He already had an idea that this would happen...but Gabrielle had no inkling about her father's condition that the news that woke them up this morning became a blow on her. She had been silent and shocked...and lost.

He so much wanted to console her but right now, all he could do is let her breathe. To let her think...and feel.

The sudden shaking of the plane catches her attention and she immediately rises from her chair with a dim and desperate expression written all over her face. She was quick to get to the exit of the plane too. Not minding him practically running after her.

"Gabby...!" He tries to slow her down as she starts running out of the plane towards the hospital. They have just landed on the huge vacant plane landing at the back of the private hospital where her father is.

With quick and big steps, Gabby runs into the ICU, with him following her from behind.

"Where is he...?!" She immediately asks her father's physician who is looking so much older now.

"Where is dad...?!" She repeats, her face flushed red because of fear and stress. Vincent finally holds her on the arms, afraid that she herself will pass out which he knows can be very much possible as she has just been in the hospital herself.

"H-how is he...?!" She asks with her shoulders dismissing his touch.

"Gabrielle... I'm very sorry, but the cancer has affected most of your father's vital organs..."

"C-Can...cer...?!"She felt sick! She felt so sick that she wants to throw up right now! Her father has been battling cancer?! Since when?! And why didn't she know?! Why didn't he tell her for God's sake?!

"I'm so sorry you had to learn about it this way. Your father didn't want you to know..."

"You've got to be kidding me... dad is healthy..." she is trembling right now, she can feel the bullets of sweats on her forehead as well as on her palms.

"Your father has colon cancer Gab... it was already at the last stage when we found out last year..." the doctor explains to her and she feels her legs give up, making her slump on the floor if Vincent weren't there to catch her.

"N-no...! This is just..."she sobs looking at the door that reads her father's name.

God she hates hospitals!!! She knew she shouldn't have been sick and confined!!! Why is this happening again?!

"I'm very sorry Gabrielle..." the doctor repeats making her head dizzy. His words and expressions, from a doctor's point of view only means one thing...

And before she knows it, she's already running towards the door, twisting it with trembling hands only to be welcomed by the familiar beeping sound of the life support connected to her father's body.

There goes the most regal and intimidating man she had ever encountered in her life, lying weakly...almost lifelessly on his hospital bed. With nothing on but his hospital gown and the multiple cords that are keeping his heart beating.

"Dada..." she sobs as she reluctantly walks near him. This is a nightmare! This man couldn't be her father! Her father is fit and strong! She was sure of that! It has only been a month since she saw him last! He even looked as handsome as when he married her mother when he walked her down the aisle to marry her to Vince!