Page 60 of Interning For A Billionaire

I couldn’t imagine anything happening to my aunt.

The last few months in San Francisco felt like a dream, a happy dream from which I had been woken up, rudely.

Whatever I had been thinking, I had to be with my father and my aunt now. I owed them so much. Since I had moved to San Francisco, I had only been back home once, for a quick weekend, before I signed the permanent contract. Yet, this was where I had grown up, this was where my life had been shaped, where my roots were. As much as I enjoyed my life in the city and my romance with Michael, I knew my father and my aunt needed me in Kansas now.

I was instantly reminded of the evening my mother died.

I was at home with the neighbor. I’d had a fight with my mom that day, saying I was too old to have a babysitter, that she and my father could go to their meeting, and I would be all right by myself. My mother insisted that the elderly Mrs. Rosenzweig come over and keep me company. I was in a bad mood all day and before they left that evening, I would not say goodbye. She had kissed my cheek, but I wouldn’t look at her. She grabbed me and tickled me, I laughed so much and had to beg her to stop. My father called her from the front door, saying they were going to be late. She put on her coat and blew me a kiss and that was the last time I’d seen her.

I now thought of my last conversation with my aunt, which was about two weeks ago. I had missed our last call on Sunday because of going sailing with Nathan and Michael. Now I regretted it terribly. The thought that this could have been my last chance to talk to her was cutting me up inside. Feelings of guilt churned through me.

I tried calling Michael again, leaving a message for him, saying I’d call him later that there was a family crisis at home.

There were no more messages from my father, and I thought he was probably driving down to Wichita to be with my aunt. I wondered how things were going with his lady friend and felt terrible when I realized I hadn’t asked in weeks. I had been so absorbed with myself and Michael, I had completely neglected to ask about my family and how they were doing.

The flight to Kansas took forever.

At least, it felt that way.

I couldn’t sit comfortably; I kept checking my watch and fidgeting. At the airport, I wanted to rent a car and drive out to the airport, but to my surprise, I saw Sven waiting for me.

“Sven!” I had not expected to see him there. We had not spoken since our breakup months ago. He came up to give me a hug.

“Belle! So glad you could make it.”

“Why are you here?”

“I told your father I’d come pick you up from the airport.”

“But… I could rent a car?”

“This is better, don’t you think? I mean, you shouldn’t have to drive.”

“But… don’t you have to work?”

“Please, I work for my dad, Belle! It’s not like we have thousands of air-conditioners to install!”

“Thank you,” I said.

Even though I wasn’t exactly happy to see him, I was glad that I didn’t have to find a car and figure out directions on my own. Sven said he could take me to the hospital straight away.

“Your aunt is in the ICU at the moment,” he said. “Your father is with her.”

“Do they know what happened yet?”

“There is still no news, but the doctors are running tests,” Sven said.

“I’m so sorry, Belle.” He reached out a hand and squeezed my leg. He let his hand stay there and I gently took it and squeezed it, taking it away.

I wished Michael could be here with me instead of Sven. I didn’t even know if he’d heard my message yet.

As soon as we got to the hospital, I called my father, and he met us outside the intensive care unit.

He opened his arms and I fell into them, tears streaming down my face.

“She’s stable now and awake, do you want to see her?”

I nodded. “What happened?”

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