Chapter - 28 - Bones peeping out !

It was a twenty minutes drive from the hospital to Gianna's apartment. As she neared her apartment she felt more empty inside. She felt the same way every time but it was already a week and she had to go. She parked her car in the basement and entered the elevator with her bags.

"Hey, Doc! It's been a while." greeted a boy in his early twenties as the elevator door opened at the ground floor. "Hey Frank. Can't help with the tight schedule." Gianna raised a brow and looked at the packet in his hand with a serious face and asked, "Hope it is not what I think." Frank chuckled and said as he stepped into the elevator, "I wouldn't dare to! You gotta trust me Doc. These are the tablets for the old man from unit 301."

Gianna nodded her head and asked, "Are you taking your grandma for her check-ups?" Frank put his motorbike key in his pocket and said, "Wouldn't I be ripped apart by you, if I didn't take her for the check-ups, by now?" Gianna smiled and stepped out of the elevator on the first floor. "See you later, Doc." said Frank as the elevator door shut.

Gianna had various options for an apartment as money was never a problem for her. There were many luxurious apartments which were within walking distance from the hospital but she chose this small apartment only because it was located far from the city. Gianna wanted her surroundings to be more peaceful so that she could have a proper break from the hustle she goes through in the hospital. There were two units per floor and her unit 102, the 2 BHK apartment had a balcony view of the not so important river and a few trees surrounding the area which looks great at dusk and dawn but gives an eerie look in the night.

Gianna opened the door and a slight musty smell from the apartment tingled her nose. She hit the lights and took a quick look around the apartment as she placed the bags on the couch. Once she felt that everything was at its original place, she moved around to open the windows and the balcony door to let out the musty smell. She quickly started to clean and completed cleaning the whole apartment in an hour. Gianna was completely exhausted and took a quick hot shower.

As she finished dressing up, Gianna heard her doorbell ringing. Gianna looked at the clock and wondered who it would be. A smile appeared on Gianna's tired face as she looked at the doorbell monitor. She saw an elderly woman arguing with Frank on the monitor. Gianna quickly opened the door and the elderly woman hugged Gianna as soon as Gianna came into sight.

Gianna hugged her back and invited them into the apartment. Frank placed two boxes on the table and said loudly, "Every time I do this, you will have to pay for the delivery service, Doc." Gianna looked at the boxes and asked Frank, "How much are you paying your grandma for the cooking service?" Mrs.Rogers laughed loudly and patted Frank's back and said, "Why are you always interested in digging your own grave, my dear grandson?" Mrs.Rogers opened the fridge still laughing and saw it was completely empty. "Just as I expected."

Mrs.Rogers turned and took a good look at Gianna and continued, "Look at you!! I always tell you to look after your health before taking care of other's health. Look how pale your skin is! Oh my! Look at the bones peeping out!! How do you expect to get a boyfriend in this state?" She continued to nag Gianna, walking around the kitchen taking out the plates while Frank was silently laughing at Gianna from the balcony.

Gianna held Mrs.Rogers by her hand and said, "Don't worry, Mrs.Rogers. I will take good care of my health and promise me that you will take good care of your health too." Mrs.Rogers smiled and said, holding Gianna's hand tightly, "It's all thanks to you that I can still nag you and my 'nothing good for' grandson." "NOTHING GOOD FOR?? Oh ho! Did I hear it correctly?" exclaimed Frank as he walked towards them. "No one said anything like that. Did you hear someone saying that, Gianna?" asked Mrs.Rogers. Gianna shook her head and both of them laughed looking at Frank. Frank sighed and sat at the table, mumbling under his breath.

"It's just like yesterday, when you rushed into the apartment to save me." said Mrs.Rogers as they were eating her signature pasta dish.

One year ago, Mrs.Rogers and her grandson, Frank shifted to unit 101. Gianna, as always, never bothered about her neighbors because she was rarely at the apartment but they would always exchange a smile, whenever they met in the building.

Five months ago, one night, when Gianna entered the corridor of her apartment, she heard muffled noises not far away from her. She turned towards unit 101 and saw the door was slightly opened. She walked quickly towards the door and found Mrs.Rogers lying on the floor while clutching her chest.

Gianna sprinted towards Mrs.Rogers and knew she was having a heart attack. Gianna immediately called for an ambulance and waited as she held Mrs.Rogers in her arms. All of a sudden, Mrs.Rogers started losing her consciousness and her pulse became slower and slower. Gianna checked and there was no sign of a pulse. She immediately started CPR, simultaneously the paramedic team arrived. Gianna tagged along with Mrs.Rogers to the hospital as there was no one else with her.

Mrs.Rogers was found at the correct time by Gianna otherwise she would have lost her life. Mrs.Rogers woke up the next morning and saw Gianna standing beside her talking to the doctors. After all the formalities, Mrs.Rogers told Gianna what led her to this condition and requested Gianna to give a call to her grandson.

Gianna was furious after listening to Mrs.Rogers. She called Frank and informed that his grandma was admitted to the hospital. Roughly after 20 minutes, Frank dashed into the ward and started crying, when he saw Mrs.Rogers lying on the bed. Frank didn't notice Gianna standing right behind him and was crying his heart out.