Michael felt his heart stop, crack, then break into millions and millions of tiny pieces.
He casually stood up from the bed with his back to her and shook his head as he took in the unbelieving news.
"Denise." He whined, covering his eyes with his hands. He took a deep breath then asked,"It is treatable right? I know there's no cure, but you can get better--"
"It's expensi--"
He spun around."This is your damn life on the line." He interrupts her, sitting back down on the bed and taking her hands in his."I don't care what I have to do or how much I have to pay. I'm going to help you."
"It's too late, Michael." She tries to pull her hands away but he refuses to release her.
"No, it's not. Don't say that." He wraps his arms around her and holds her against his chest.
"I found out I was diagnosed two years after we broke up. I'm not sure if you have it. But I think you should get yourself checked just to be sure." She hated herself for saying that.
Michael knew he didn't because he already had himself tested. Twice.
He pulls away and gazes into her eyes."I'm going to save you, Denise."
She looked down."Michael--"
"I lo—" He is cut off by Lisa entering the room.
"I'm sorry to interrupt..." Her sentence trials off when her eyes focus on Michael's arms wrapped tightly around Denise's body.
She raised a brow at them then cleared her throat."Um, Michael, we do have other patients to visit."
Michael nodded."One second, Lisa." He looked back at Denise."I'll be back okay?" He leaned down and kissed her head."You're going to be fine. I promise."
He turned to leave and she whispered to herself."No. I'm not."
***
A week has passed and Michael kept his word and paid for Denise's medication and treatments.
He would visit her and each time, they would talk for hours; discussing what's been going on in their lives since they've last seen each other.
And since Michael finally knew the real Denise, she told him every cruel thing Nova did to her. How she turned her world upside down. How she trapped her.
He had work business to attend to for two weeks and as bad as he wanted to turn it away, Denise told him not to. That she would be right where she is when he got back.
Michael did go on the trip but instantly returned after a week. And the very first thing he did was go straight to the hospital. He brought Denise flowers, balloons, and sour candy.
He was disguised so well as a middle-aged man that not even his own mother could recognize him.
"I'm here to visit." He spoke in a low, creepy tone.
The young, brunette secretary popped her gum and looked him over."What's the patient's name?"
Michael tries not to smile."Denise Adams."
He found it funny how differently this secretary was acting than when he met her as himself.
Her fingers type in the name on the keyboard and she stares at the computer screen. Her eyes soften then glance up at Michael.
She holds up a finger then turns to whisper to the older woman beside her. Her eyes fall on Michael and she nods, whispers something back, then walks up to him.
"I'm sorry sir," She began and Michael clenched his fist around the stems of the flowers as he dreaded to hear the rest."Denise Adams passed away Tuesday night."
Michael felt his heart fall right out of his chest and shatter into pieces before it could even hit the marble floor.
"I—Uh—" He begins with a cracked voice. He shakes his head, pointing down at the computer."Can—Can you check again? I think you typed in the wrong person."
The nurses exchanged looks.
"Sir--"
"Check again!" He snapped then stopped and looked around at the few people staring at him."I'm sorry." Was all he could say as he turned to leave.
When he first steps outside, he falls to his knees, and finally breaks down. Wilbert immediately gets out the car and runs over to him.
He kneels down in front of him."Mr. Jackson, what happened? What is it?"
Michael stuttered through his tears, attempting to tell him but he couldn't. He didn't need to either. Wilbert put two and two together then stared up at the sky.
"I'm sorry." He murmured.
"I didn't even get to tell her that I love her, Will. I wasn't here to hold her in her final moments. I told her I didn't want to go on that damn trip! I told her!" He yelled, beating his fist into the concrete."No one didn't even bother to call me! No one!"
"I know. I know. Mr. Jackson, we need to get you into the car." Wilbert helped him up and into the SUV.
"Don't take me home." Michael said, his eyes unfocused and cold.
"Sir, I think you need to lie down."
"Wilbert please, resting is the last thing I need to do. Take me to the call girl business you used to work at."
Wilbert was hesitant as he stared at his boss through the rearview mirror.
