JUNE'S POV
"What do you mean she just passed out?" I struggled to keep my composure, feeling my body shiver with fear, rattling me to my core. My head suddenly developed a minute migraine, causing me to rub my temple in an attempt to soothe the ache.
"What do you mean you don't know?" I asked, my voice quivering with intense fear, clutching the phone closely to my ear as I listened intently to Lily's teacher.
"Is everything alright?" Miguel whispered, diverting my attention to him. I shook my head negatively, panic tightening its grip on me, making my movements feel constricted. Bryan rested his head on his palm, casting me a worried glance. Kathlyn's expression softened slightly.
"What hospital?" I asked, my lips trembling in fear as I noted the hospital she was taken to.
"I'll be there," I announced, ending the call. Tears began falling from my eyes, and panic clouded my thoughts.
"What happened? Is Lily okay?" Miguel asked, rushing to my side. I melted in his touch, breaking down completely.
"Lily fainted in school and was rushed to the hospital," I reported between sobs, my breathing heavy and erratic.
"Let's go," Miguel insisted, wasting no time.
"Uh Miguel, you have the meeting with the CEO today that I scheduled, you can't leave," Bryan pointed out, causing Miguel to groan exasperatedly.
"Reschedule it!" Miguel declared, grabbing his coat and linking my hand with his.
"Come on brother, you know how hard it was to get this meeting. You can't miss it," Bryan insisted.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and glanced at Kathlyn, who had been unusually quiet for a while.
"I will go with her just to ease your discomfort," Bryan offered, prompting me to give a nod of confirmation.
"Are you sure about this?" Miguel inquired, worry etching the corners of his brows.
"I am sure," I replied, holding back tears that threatened to spill.
"Alright, please do not hesitate to call me if there is any new development," Miguel said, planting a quick kiss on my forehead. Despite the fear and turmoil inside me, I felt a bit assured Miguel would be by my side. His hope made me fall in love with him a little more.
"I will. I love you," I called out, my heart clenching at the thought of Lily's critical condition.
“I love you too, take care,” he waved, bidding us goodbye as we ventured into the unknown. With every step I made, I could feel my heart become heavier, dragging its weight along. My feet echoed loudly as it clicked against the polished floor.
“This way,” Bryan directed towards his car once we were out of the building. I kept mute, silently following him as he opened the door for me.
My mind reeled with so many thought, my migraine increased and my vision blurred with tears as I struggled to compose myself.
"Everything is going to be fine, Lily especially," Bryan reassured as we drove to the hospital, my mind swirling with fear and memories of past tragedies. The only time I had ever been this scared was when I came back home and met my sister's body lying lifeless on the floor, Lily asleep beside her, chewing on her pacifier.
As we sped towards the hospital, the trees blurred past us, my mind racing with worry. What if Lily was unable to...
I shook my head vigorously, trying to dispel the dark thoughts creeping in. "Lily will be fine," I whispered to myself, a mantra on repeat as I rocked back and forth in the car.
Upon arrival, I leaped out of the car before Bryan could even park properly.
"Be careful, June." Bryan's voice trailed after me as I sprinted into the hospital.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" I called out to a nurse rushing past with a stroller, but she didn't hear me. I hurried to the reception desk, desperate for information.
"I'm here for Lily Ryan, my daughter. Please, where is she?" I pleaded with the lady at the desk, tears welling in my eyes.
“And who are you?” She requested, acknowledging me with kind eyes but I was too agitated to reciprocate.
“I just said she’s my daughter, shouldn’t that tell you I’m her mother?” I retorted sharply, causing Bryan to step in abruptly, preventing me from hurling sharp remarks to the innocent lady.
“Sorry about that ma’am. Please kindly check for June Ryan,” Bryan requested kindly. She quickly checked her computer and provided us with the necessary details.
With Bryan beside me, I raced to Lily's ward, struggling to contain my panic.
"Lily!" I cried out as I approached. A doctor was already attending to her, and the room felt stiflingly hot.
"Are you her mother?" the doctor asked, to which I nodded firmly, reaching out to touch Lily. The chill of her skin amidst the room's heat sent shivers down my spine. Her pallid complexion and redness alarmed me.
"What's happening to my daughter, doctor?" I demanded, fear gripping my heart. Bryan tucked his hand in his pockets and observed Lily with kind eyes.
The doctor's eyes bore into mine, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of concern. “Has your little one recently been exposed to the chill of cold waters or similar conditions for an extended period?” he inquired, his professional demeanor unwavering.
“Yes, she was swimming, and there was a scare... a near-drowning incident,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my actions settle heavily upon me, echoed by the doctor's disappointed exhale.
“What have I done wrong?” I questioned, using the the handkerchief Bryan provided me with to absorb my anxious nose-blowing, while the heat in the room painted my skin a splotchy hue, beads of sweat forming. A fleeting glance at Bryan revealed his discomfort, mirroring my own.
“Mild hypothermia,” the doctor diagnosed, his words a blend of reassurance and gravity. “The untreated chill led to lung numbness, briefly constricting her breath, causing her collapse,” he explained, each word a drop of anguish that welled fresh tears in my eyes.
“Will she recover?” I implored, seeking solace in the promise of her well-being.
“Relatively, yes. A precautionary vaccination and rest are all she needs. She'll awaken soon,” the doctor's hand on my shoulder provided a comforting anchor amidst the storm of emotions. Gratitude flickered in my eyes, a silent acknowledgment of his care.
'Thank you, Doctor,” Bryan's gratitude resonated, sealing the moment with a handshake of appreciation.
"One more thing, the heat in here has been revved up to warm her up but if you do feel uncomfortable, you can step out a bit, wouldn't want you to develop symptoms of hyperthermia," the doctor joked, casting a playful glance my way.
I took a seat by Lily’s bed, taking her hands in mine. It was still cold but I could feel it warming up.
“We have to go outside June. The temperature in here is too hot,” Bryan suggested but I shook my head negatively. My negligence put Lily in this condition and this was my punishment.
“You go, I just need to spend more time with her,” I stated wearily, glancing at him with tears brimming from my eyes. He looked at me skeptically before obliging.
Hours passed and I was still inside, holding on to Lily’s hand. She had still not woken up and the temperature in the room seemed to have increased. I was sweating profusely now and was only putting on my camisole. My skin was red and my cheeks were burning, yet I remained stubborn.
Bryan's persistent voice cut through the oppressive warmth, his concern evident in his words, "June, you've been here for hours. Come on out." His plea was met with my resolute refusal, a silent vow to remain by Lily's side, my penance for the neglect that led to her current state.
The room felt like a pressure cooker, each breath a struggle in the sweltering air. Bryan's attempts to coax me out of the suffocating heat fell on deaf ears as I clung to Lily's hand, a lifeline in the sea of discomfort and guilt.
"What if she wakes up and doesn't see me here?" I questioned, my gaze pleading for understanding, for validation of my unwavering presence. Another handkerchief offered, a small gesture of care in the oppressive heat, was gratefully accepted, a feeble attempt to combat the relentless sweat that soaked my skin.
Bryan's voice, laced with desperation, tried once more to break through my stubborn resolve, "You're punishing yourself needlessly. The doctor assured she'll be okay." His words, a lifeline of reason in the heat-induced haze, struggled to sway my determined stance, rooted in place by a mix of guilt and devotion.
"Damn, it's like a sauna in here!" Miguel's exclamation echoed through the ward, his sudden appearance breaking the tense atmosphere. The stifling heat seemed to intensify with each passing moment, my skin flushed and beads of sweat forming a glistening sheen.
"Is she alright?" Miguel asked, shooting a quick glance at Bryan. He strode over to me, dropping to one knee beside me. Gently, he clasped Lily's hand in his, his other hand running through my hair.
"Lily's fine, but June isn't," Bryan’s words cut through the air, a stark reminder of my stubbornness in staying put despite the doctor's warnings of potential hyperthermia.
"How did the meeting go?" I questioned, throwing Miguel a brief look.
"The CEO himself rescheduled," Miguel's tone was flat, earning a knowing nod from me.
"Let's step outside, June, come on," Miguel urged, making an attempt to pull me away, but I resisted his efforts.
"It's my fault Lily's in this state. My neglect led to this, and now it's my penance. I won't budge until she wakes up, and I know she's alright," my resolve remained unyielding, blind to reason.
"As stubborn as ever, let's go, boys," Kathlyn's voice rang out, surprising me with her sudden presence. I clenched my jaw, trying to contain my frustration.
"I've had it with you, Mother," Bryan's outburst caught me off guard. Miguel and I exchanged puzzled looks, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
“June has been nothing but calm and docile ever since she came into this family. She has tolerated your bullshit for so long and has endured enough hate from you. Can’t you see she is madly in love with Miguel? Even I saw the love they share and could not compete with it. I had to sacrifice my ego for my brother’s happiness but you… all you want to do is to destroy their lives and make them miserable. Just accept her and end this topic once and for all! The earlier you start accepting them, the better for you,” Miguel chastised his mother, leaving me completely shocked.
I for one did not expect such an outburst from him.
“Alright you two, leave this ward immediately. We have a sick patient here and you two are acting unethical,” Miguel pointed out, causing his mother to scoff haughtily before exiting the building.
“Bryan,” Miguel's voice sliced through the tension, halting Bryan in his tracks. “Thank you,” Miguel's gratitude hung in the air, met with a nod of understanding from Bryan.
“Now, young woman, let's go. This heat isn't good for you,” Miguel's firm grip tugged at me, but I stood my ground, defiance in my eyes.
“What if you collapse like Lily from heatstroke? Have you thought about that?” Miguel's words carried a weight of wisdom, yet I resisted.
“Did you not hear what I said earlier?” I cut sharply, frustration creeping through my veins.
“It wasn't your fault, June. Remember that,” Miguel's reassurance echoed in my ears, his comforting presence a balm to my turmoil.
As he led me out, the cool breeze outside felt like a lifeline. Miguel's embrace enveloped me, offering just comfort.
In that embrace, I found a sense of belonging and a realization that my future might just be intertwined with his.