3: 3
I threw on my clothes and rushed straight to the hospital.
"The patient's condition has suddenly worsened. It's very serious."
"Isn't there anything else you can do?"
The doctor thought for a moment. "Harding Pharmaceuticals recently developed a new drug. If we could get hold of it, there might be a chance. But it isn't on the market yet, so it would be difficult."
I called Percival right then, hoping he'd ask his uncle, one of their researchers, for help.
It took five calls before he finally picked up.
"Percival, can you call your uncle? I need that new drug they just developed. My grandmother isn't going to make it."
It was loud on his end. I thought I could hear Deidre laughing.
After a while, his voice came through, impatient.
"Laurel, since when did you learn to play the pity card?"
"Just because Deidre had a rough family, now you want to do the same thing to get my attention? How childish can you be?"
"Besides, your grandmother's been at death's door plenty of times, and she always pulls through. If you're going to mess with me, at least use your head."
Before I could say another word, he hung up.
I called again. His phone was already off.
Not long after, the doors to the emergency room opened.
The doctor, his face full of regret, handed me a death certificate.
I looked at my grandmother under the white sheet, and everything went black. I fainted.
When I came to, I followed the funeral home's car in a numb daze to make the arrangements.
It was already past noon the next day when I got home.
I tucked my grandmother's memorial portrait into the deepest corner of my suitcase.
My phone buzzed. Deidre had posted something.
In the photo she leaned against Percival, surrounded by the Harding elders.
So that was where they'd been last night. Celebrating Percival's grandmother's seventieth birthday.
I opened my chat with Percival.
The last message still sitting there was from a week ago, saying he had to work late.
My fingers started shaking on their own.
So while my grandmother was fighting for her life, he was taking Deidre home to meet the family.
And I, his fiancée, hadn't known a thing.
My finger slid down, and I blocked him and Deidre everywhere.
Then I quickly wrote up my resignation and sent it to my boss.
He replied with some regret. "Finish this project and I was going to put you on the next round of promotions. Leaving now isn't worth it."
I smiled and turned down his kindness.
I'd stayed in this city because of Percival.
He was the first person willing to give my grandmother and me a home.
But now my grandmother was gone and Percival's heart had moved on, so there was no reason left to stay.
My boss nodded, resigned.
"All right. Three days to hand things over, and then you can go."
