Chapter 36: Just Happened

They paused in front of a door, the name Dorah clearly visible on the placard. Jace hesitated for a moment before gently turning the doorknob. As the door creaked open, they stepped inside. Dorah lay on the hospital bed, her skin pale and her face drawn. The sterile white hospital gown only emphasized how vulnerable she looked, and the beeping of the heart monitor was a constant reminder of her condition. 'She looks pale," Jace said quietly, his voice tinged with worry. He turned to Ronald, who stood silently beside him, his face stoic but his eyes betraying his concern. 'She'll be fine," Ronald replied, though his tone lacked the usual confidence. His gaze lingered on Dorah, a shadow of doubt creeping into his expression. 'I know... I just hope she's not in pain." Jace couldn't pull his eyes away from her. He gently reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against her cold skin as he sat beside the bed, his worry turning into a protective instinct. Ronald's phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling his attention away from the bed. The screen displayed Madison. With a resigned sigh, he stepped away from the bed and answered the call. 'Hey," he greeted, his voice slightly more casual than he felt. 'Have you guys gotten to where you're going?" Madison's voice was light, but there was a hint of curiosity beneath it. 'Yeah. Thanks for earlier," Ronald replied, slipping a hand into his pocket. He moved toward the window, staring out for a moment as his thoughts swirled. 'Anything for you. So, where did you go?" Madison pressed, sounding more interested now. 'Just somewhere important. Don't worry about it," he said quickly, not wanting to divulge too much. 'Let me know when you're done. I'll come pick you up." 'Okay, baby. Gotta go," she said, and the line went dead. Ronald exhaled deeply, tension rising in his chest. His gaze returned to Dorah, the memory of the phone call mingling with the thought that if Madison had known they were heading to the hospital to visit Dorah, she would've made it difficult for them. FLASHBACK Ronald had walked out of class with Jace just before the teacher arrived. 'What's wrong with Dorah? What happened to her?" Ronald asked, his voice low and filled with concern as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. 'She's in the hospital," Jace explained, his voice tight. 'Can you help me get out of school? Maybe talk to your dad? I can't just leave." Ronald groaned, running a hand through his hair. 'Talking to Dad is going to be a pain. He's going to want to know where we're going, why we're leaving…" Before they could continue, Madison appeared in front of them, her heels clicking sharply on the hallway floor. 'Hey, Ronald. Hey, Jace," she greeted them with a smile that seemed a little too bright, considering the situation. 'Where are you going? Shouldn't you be in class?" Ronald asked, frowning, while Jace remained silent, his mind clearly elsewhere. 'Duh, didn't you know I have a modeling shoot today? Or didn't Mom tell you about it?" Madison rolled her eyes dramatically, her tone suggesting she thought Ronald had forgotten something important. 'Oh, right. Where are you headed now?" Ronald asked, his curiosity piqued. 'I'm going to Dad's office to get a pass," she replied nonchalantly, as though this was a normal part of her day. 'Okay…" 'I'll be going now," she said, already turning away from them. But then, as if a thought struck her, she paused and glanced back. 'Wait. You guys need something?" Ronald stepped forward and gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her. 'Actually… can we come with you? Jace and I need to leave, but we can't just go to Dad. Can you help us out?" Madison raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the request. But after a moment, she shrugged, a small grin tugging at the corners of her lips. 'Okay. Let's go." 'Just like that?" Jace asked, his tone a mix of surprise and skepticism. 'I don't know," Ronald shrugged, giving a soft chuckle. They followed her down the hallway, neither one fully understanding why she had agreed so easily. FLASHBACK ENDS 'What are you guys doing here?" The voice came from the door, snapping both boys out of their thoughts. They turned to see Agnes entering the room. She closed the door behind her, a tired but relieved expression on her face. 'Good afternoon, ma," they both greeted, standing up out of respect. She gave them a quick nod, her gaze flickering from them to Dorah on the bed. 'You two shouldn't be here. Shouldn't you be in school?" she asked, checking the time on her wristwatch, her brow furrowing. 'We're here to check on Dorah. We couldn't just leave her," Jace explained, his voice quiet but firm. He returned his gaze to the bed, his eyes lingering on her pale face. 'Do you know what the doctor said?" Agnes took a deep breath and sat down beside Dorah's bed. 'It's just a high fever. But the doctor mentioned her blood pressure was higher than normal. I don't understand why. What's been going through her head?" Her voice was filled with concern. Ronald stepped closer to Jace, his own eyes fixed on Dorah. He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 'She'll be fine," he muttered, trying to offer some comfort, though his words felt a bit hollow. 'I hope…" Agnes started to say, but she was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She excused herself, stepping a few paces away to answer the call. Jace and Ronald exchanged a glance, both of them silently waiting for her to return. When Agnes came back, her face was full of worry. 'What's wrong, Aunty?" Jace asked, noticing the change in her expression. 'I forgot I have a meeting in twenty minutes. What am I supposed to do? I can't leave Dorah here alone." Agnes's voice cracked slightly as she tried to hold herself together. Ronald stepped forward. 'We'll stay with her. Don't worry." 'Yeah, Aunty. You can go. We'll stay here until you get back," Jace added, offering a warm smile. Agnes looked at them, her expression softening. 'Aww, thank you, boys," she said, relief washing over her. She quickly grabbed her bag and handed them a black card. 'Here. In case Dorah wakes up and needs anything. And get yourselves something too. You deserve it." 'Okay, ma," they said in unison. 'I'll be back soon," Agnes said, hurrying out of the room. Ronald sighed and sat down on the edge of Dorah's bed. 'By the way, there's an inter-school music contest this weekend. Mr. Alfred already got us registered earlier today." 'So, we'll be performing on stage?" Jace asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. 'Yeah. You okay with that?" Ronald asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the expression on Jace's face. 'I… I don't know," Jace admitted, his voice faltering. 'But we can't back out now, can we? We've already been registered." Ronald could see that Jace was struggling. His legs were shaking slightly, and his usual confidence was nowhere to be found. A few hours later... Dorah's eyes fluttered open, and she groggily blinked at the ceiling. 'Water…" she murmured, her voice hoarse. Jace immediately stood up. 'You're awake!" His voice held a mix of relief and concern as he stepped closer to the bed. Ronald quickly poured some water into a cup and handed it to her. She drank it slowly, then passed the cup back to him. 'Where am I?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as she looked around the unfamiliar room. 'You're in the hospital," Jace said softly, his hand brushing her hair away from her face. 'How are you feeling now?" Ronald asked, his hand gently touching her forehead. 'I'm okay. Just a headache," she replied, trying to sit up. Jace immediately adjusted the bed, raising it so she could lean back more comfortably. 'Where's Mum? How did I get here?" Dorah asked, glancing at the IV drip in her arm. 'Your mum brought you here," Jace explained, his voice soothing. 'She had to leave for a meeting, but she made sure you were settled first." 'Why are you guys here and not at school?" Dorah asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion. 'What does it look like we're doing here?" Jace replied sarcastically, his tone light, though the worry still hung in his words.