Page 47 of Goodbye To Tomorrow

Chapter 14

Karine

Call the doctor

Things had improved between Jiraiya and me. He was so sweet, and I loved every single day with him. The pains had returned, only more so. It made him act callously sometimes. At those times I just blamed it on the pain, but this particular night was different.

I had been in my room, going through the arrangement of his medication for the next day when I heard a knock on the door. I walked to the door, opened it and was surprised to see Jiraiya's father. He completely ignored me, walking straight down the hallway into Jiraiya's room before I could stop him.

I thought he was going to wake Jiraiya who was, by my calculations, fast asleep. The sudden sound of crashing bottles had me running for the bedroom door. It was obvious that Jiraiya was drunk.

“Get the fuck out!” Jiraiya’s slurred words reached me just before Mr. Sampson slammed the door in my face. I walked towards my room, shocked and amazed by my drunken patient. I stopped at the kitchen to grab a bottle of when I heard Jiraiya’s father’s voice call out to me.

“Miss Banks, call the doctor at once!” Sampson Sr. came out of Jiraiya’s room with a terrified expression on his face.

“What’s happened?” I asked but he had returned to Jiraiya's room.

I was terrified. My heart started beat faster. I jumped into motion as I fought off sheer panic. I called the doctor.

About fifteen minutes after making the call, the emergency team arrived.

I rushed to Jiraiya’s side as the paramedics tried to stabilize him. I was looking at his face; his eyes were closed. I climbed into the ambulance and we sped to the hospital.

“Why the hell didn’t you keep a closer eye on my son?" His father asked me while we sat in the waiting room. Mrs. Sampson had joined us, sobbing into her husband’s chest.

“But…” I tried to say something but quickly decided against it. I just closed my mouth.

“Alcohol is forbidden to him. You knew that, right?” He asked me pointedly.

“I did.” I said, not caring about my job because I was at a loss for words. I had no idea that Jiraiya had alcohol in the house, no less was drinking. I was still here just because I cared about Jiraiya. Deeply.

“Consider your employment terminated. I was against hiring you in the first place. Jiraiya wouldn’t fire you, but I will,” he said to me, visibly angry at Jiraiya’s decision.

“I am sorry Sir,” I said, trying to come up with anything better but that simply wasn’t happening.

“That’s enough, Honey,” Mrs. Sampson said as she looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “I...,” she started to say but her words were cut off as we heard footsteps coming our way.

The doctor spoke to us; saying the words I had feared hearing. He told us that Jiraiya’s condition had become worse and that he would have to remain in the hospital for proper treatment.

“Get out of here, now,” Mr. Sampson turned on me in a rage. His commanding tone made me jump with panic.

“I don’t want to,” I said, trying not to shout, trying not to say how much I hated myself and how this was my entire fault.

“What?” He asked.

“Maybe he’ll want to see me. I need to be here for him,” I said.

“His mother and I are his family. Who the hell are you?” He asked, his eyes filled with both hate and worry. Mrs. Sampson remained silent, her shoulders heaving with sobs. This was their only son, and he was fighting for his life.

The doctor brought an abrupt end to our conversation.

“Jiraiya is calling for Karine. Is that you, young lady?” The doctor asked, looking at me.

I nodded.

“Come this way,” he directed me, and I went with him, leaving Jiraiya’s father spewing malicious words as I walked away.

The room was white and Jiraiya was lying on the hospital bed.

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