Angel Face

Did It Help?

LXIX

Evangeline's POV

I couldn't walk fast enough as I shoved the door open to the VIP ward. I had driven like an insane person through the New York traffic as fast as I could, and it still took me way longer to reach the hospital.

The VIP ward of the hospital, on entering, had the nurse's station on the left and the waiting area on the right. While there were two corridors, one straight ahead and another on the right bypassing the waiting area, that housed all the private patient rooms.

But in my current state I wasn't able to see anything or comprehend anything other than my tunneled vision directing me to Duncan's room. All I could think was that I needed to be there. I needed to see him.

"So, you finally decided to show up."

I froze, the suddenness of the voice snapping me out of my focus. "I... ah..." My eyes bounced between Brian lounging in the waiting room and the corridor where I knew Duncan's room was. "I... I was stuck in traffic." I managed to stumble out. My mind was still racing and it was making me extremely jittery. "Wh-- what are you doing here in the waiting room in-instead of being in his r-room?"

My eyes kept bouncing, he should be in Duncan's room and not here outside. Why is he outside? I didn't want to wait for his answer, I needed to check for myself. I started to head towards the corridor, but was pulled back my arm. I stumbled and crashed into Brian's hard chest.

I was already on the edge and that just pushed me over. "What the fuck are you doing?" I snapped loudly, shoving Brian away. Brian looked taken aback as he stepped away with his arms raised. I knew I had just caused a scene as I felt the usual buzz of activity disappear.

"I'm sorry." Brian said softly as if coaxing a spooked animal. But to me it sounded mechanically, as if he had done this before a hundred times, and maybe he had. "Evangeline, let's first sit down and talk. Duncan is fine, we can go see him in a bit. Let's first calm down. Sit and I'll get you some water."

I wanted to yell at him to not tell me to calm down. I'm as calm as I can be given the situation. But I didn't want to disturb the other patients again.

Plus, there were far more concerning things. "Why can't I see him now?" If Duncan is fine then why did he call me here? There has to be more that Brian is not telling me. "Just please sit, Evangeline."

"No, I will not sit down, unless you tell me what the heck is going on." I gritted out, trying to keep my volume low. "You wouldn't have called me here if Duncan was just fine. So, just spit it out already." He let out an exasperated sigh as he inched closer. "Evangeline--"

"And don't you dare tell me to calm down. I'm calm." I warned, cutting him off. Brian looked up at the ceiling, seeming to be cursing his misfortune for being stuck with me. Meanwhile, I considered ditching him and just going where I was headed.

"Look," I jumped, surprised by his voice. He looked serious as he stared at me, which only made me even more nervous. "You can't see him right now because he's getting checked, and you'll scare the nurse if you just barge in. Especially, in the state that you currently are in." He paused as if to make sure that I was listening. "And, I called you here because Duncan is more than fine." He gave me a sympathetic smile. "He's awake."

At that moment, it felt as if the world stopped like we were frozen in time. And I realized, I had stopped breathing. I could faintly hear Brian telling me to breathe as he maneuvered me into one of the chairs in the waiting area.