Dahlia jumped out of the Uber before it fully stopped. She sprinted through the sliding glass doors of Seattle General Hospital. She slammed her hand against the elevator button for the eighth floor.
The doors opened. The harsh smell of bleach and rubbing alcohol hit her face. The ICU hallway was terrifyingly quiet.
She ran to the nurse's station. She gasped out Augustine's name. The nurse pointed to the last room on the left.
Dahlia looked through the glass window of the door. The old man from the park lay on the bed. Tubes snaked out of his mouth and arms. His skin was translucent.
A tall man stood next to the bed. His back was to the door. He wore a faded, dark hoodie.
Dahlia pushed the door open. The hinges squeaked.
The man turned around slowly.
Dahlia froze. All the air left her lungs.
The man had a sharp jawline and deep, exhausted eyes. It was Caleb Barnes. He was the genius upperclassman from her high school. Nearly every girl had been in love with him at some point.
Caleb stared at her. A flash of shock hit his eyes, but his face quickly hardened into a cold mask.
"Dahlia," Caleb said. His voice was rough and low.
"What are you doing here?" Dahlia whispered.
"He is my grandfather," Caleb replied. He shoved his hands deep into his hoodie pockets.
The heart monitor next to the bed started beeping faster. Augustine's fingers twitched against the white sheets.
The old man forced his eyes open. He looked at Caleb, then at Dahlia.
Augustine lifted his trembling hand. Caleb immediately pulled his hands from his pockets and grabbed his grandfather's fingers. Dahlia stepped forward on instinct and reached out too.
Augustine grabbed Dahlia's wrist. With surprising strength, he dragged her hand over Caleb's.
Caleb's palm was rough and burning hot. Dahlia tried to pull back, but the old man's grip was like a vice.
Augustine pulled his oxygen mask down.
"Marry her," Augustine wheezed. He stared directly at Caleb.
The room went dead silent. Dahlia's brain short-circuited.
Caleb's jaw clenched so hard a muscle jumped in his cheek. He looked at his grandfather, but he didn't say no.
Augustine turned his head to Dahlia.
"You need a husband," the old man gasped. "Caleb is a good man. He will protect you."
Tears welled in Augustine's eyes. "My only regret... is not seeing him married."
Dahlia opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. She couldn't reject a dying man.
Suddenly, Augustine's chest heaved. He started coughing violently. White foam spilled from the corner of his mouth.
The heart monitor screamed. The green line zigzagged wildly.
The door burst open. Doctors and nurses rushed in.
Caleb grabbed Dahlia's arm. He yanked her out of the room and into the cold hallway.
Dahlia stood against the glass. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she watched the doctors pump the old man's chest.
Caleb leaned against the wall. He shoved his hands back into his pockets. He dropped his head, staring at the linoleum floor.
Ten minutes later, the doctor walked out. His face was grim. He told Caleb the old man wouldn't make it through the night.
