CHARLOTTE'S BIRTHDAY

       Faith almost cried her eyes out when the doctors rushed into the room and she was led out of the room by some male nurses. Just like a cue, Ethan came out of the elevator and saw them leading her out of the room and she was crying profusely. He rushed towards them and tried to break into the room, but the nurses held him back. His eyes were already bloodshot as he struggled to go in. 

      When his efforts to go in proved abortive, he rushed over to Faith, held her shoulders, and jerked her.   "What happened?!" he asked staring at her face.  But Faith wouldn't answer, she only jerked in spasms of tears.  "Tell me what happened to her!" he yelled, the tears now falling from his eyes. 

        A few people threw glances at them, but they all went their ways. Ethan went over to the door and looked in from the transparent opening on the door, but he didn't see anything. The doctors and nurses were blocking the door and blocking Charlotte's bed. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He went back to the weeping Faith and held her again. 

       "Can you tell me what happened?" he asked more calmly now. 

        But Faith only answered with hiccups from crying, he drew her into his arms and consoled her. They stood there for a while. He consoled her and she sobbed. After a few minutes, when her sobs has subsided, he led her to a nearby seat and sat her there. He sat beside her, put his arm over her shoulders, kept her head on his chest and crossed his legs. She stayed there in his strong and comforting arms having hiccups and sniffing. 

       He parted her shoulder until she calmed down. He bent his head and looked at her face. 

       "Are you alright?" 

       She nodded slowly but didn't say anything else. He raised his head and looked forward still patting her shoulder. When she was finally settling, he slowly disentangled himself from her. 

          "You look like you could do with a drink." He said. She nodded.  "Coffee?" 

        She shook her head.  "I want something strong." Her voice was hoarse. 

      He stood up from the chair and stared at her.  "Are you really an alcoholic?" 

     She looked at him and narrowed her eyes.  "Have you not noticed my hands shaking?" 

         "This is not a joke right now."

           "Who said I was joking?" 

    He stared at her for a while.  "Well, this is a hospital environment and alcohol is not allowed. Aha! You feel better now and can talk. What happened in there?" he asked pointing towards Charlotte's ward's door. 

        She glanced at the door and looked at him.   "Well, do you want me to start crying again?" 

        "Why? Why would you start crying again?" 

          "Because you are reminding me of a topic I wish to forget." 

    He stuck his hands inside his pants' pockets and doubled over, peering into her face. She looked away looking at every other thing but not him. 

         "Don't you think that I should at least get what went wrong with my girlfriend?" 

        She sighed, stood up and eyed him.   "I will go look for what to drink myself." 

     He grabbed her wrist as she was about to leave.  "Stop running." 

       "Who is running?" she retorted. 

       "Then let's stay until the doctor comes and say she is alright or she is dead." 

        "If she's dead then I won't be able to drink nor eat, you craz..."

        The door to Charlotte's room opened and the doctor and nurses came out of the ward. They rushed towards the doctor with curious faces. The doctor looked at them confusingly. 

        "Which one of you is responsible for her…?"

          "Me!" the both of them chorused and looked at each other. 

          "What are you doing? I'm her boyfriend," Ethan said. 

          "I'm her best friend," Faith retorted. 

           "So? Who brought her here?" 

             "We both did..." 

              "Excuse me,"  the doctor said looking from one to the other. They kept quiet.  "Since you both are responsible for her I will talk to you both." 

             "Go on, doctor," they said in unison and shot each other sharp looks. 

         The doctor motioned them to follow him. They followed him into his large office that reeked of disinfectant.  Well ventilated and beautiful wallpapers adorning the walls, plain white drapes covered the window, different postcards with drawings of the human body and other health issues. A well polish oak table served as the doctor's desk with chairs in front of it, some books neatly arranged, a globe of the earth sat there and different files, a long shelf filled with medical books stood at the north side and a bed for checking patients by the window. 

        He went over to a basin and washed his hand, wiped them in a neat towel and headed back towards them. 

            "Alright," the doctor said bringing Faith back from her wandering thoughts. They focused on him. "She is stable now, she has developed hemoptysis..."

           "What is that?" Faith asked. 

         "She is coughing up blood from her respiratory tract. It's one of the symptoms of lung cancer." 

        "So...is she dying soon?" Ethan asked. 

        "Hemoptysis is not associated with any particular stage of lung cancer, but most symptoms occur at the advanced stage, just like hers, but it's not an indicator of life expectancy." 

         "So, she is okay now?" Faith inquired. 

           "She is stable for now and she is sleeping. Let's hope for the best." 

        But prepare for the worst, Ethan thought as he stared at the doctor. He knew that the doctor might be right but Charlotte's condition must be really bad and he was just trying to give them confidence. 

       "You can go and be with her, but you should be quiet so she won't wake you, she needs rest." 

         "Thank you, doctor," Ethan said and stood up tapping Faith who seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

       She looked up at him as if inquiring why he touched her. He smiled and gestured to the doctor with his head. 

          "He said we can leave now." 

     Faith stood up and they left the doctor's office. The doctor watched them until they left the office. He smiled and shook his head. 

          "You should be the real couple, you are perfect for each other." He went back to his work. 

                                       * * *

      Faith walked faster than Ethan in the hallway, Ethan watched her, his hands in his pockets. 

        "Why are you walking so fast?" he inquired.

   She stopped and turned to him.  "Because I am taking the other bed in Charlotte's room." 

        "What? I thought you were going home today?" 

         "I can't leave my bestie here alone, can I?" Faith started walking again. 

        Ethan walked up to her.  "Since when did she become your bestie?" 

         "Is none of your business." 

        "It is my business. She is my girlfriend, remember?" 

      She sighed and faced front.  "Don't talk to me." 

      His hands still inside his pockets, he hunched down and said in her ear.  "Are you sure you want to sleep here because of Charlotte? Why do I feel you want to sleep here because you can't get enough of me?" 

       She shot him a sharp look, that mischievous smirk was on his face. She scowled.  "You like to flatter yourself." 

       "First to get to the room takes the bed," Ethan said and started running towards Charlotte's room. 

     Faith glared at him.  "What are you doing? Hey!" she yelled and ran after him. 

      He ran inside the room and sat on the bed. She came in and made to talk but he placed his finger over his lips. 

        "Shhh, the doctor said not to wake her." 

    Faith eyed him and sat on the chair in the room and pouted. He smiled at her. 

       "Ahh, since I'm generous enough, I'll let you share the bed with me." 

       "I rather lie on the floor and freeze to death than sleep on the same bed with you!" she snapped. 

       He stared quietly at her for a while, then placed his palm on his chest.  "That hurts. Did you say that because you meant it or because you are mad at me for taking the bed?" 

        She sighed and eyed him.  "Leave me alone." 

    He raised his hands.  "I am not holding you, maybe my face is. 

        She snorted and turned to face Charlotte's bed. She shifted her seat towards her bed and placed her head on the bed. 

      "Don't flatter yourself. Goodnight," she said. 

       "Good night? Are you really sleeping?" She didn't reply.  "Hey, are you ignoring me right now?" she didn't reply.  "If you don't wake up I will come over there and kiss the hell out of you." 

       She jerked her head up.  "Hey, can you try to have a little sense of decency in you?" 

         "Can you try not to be so uptight and reserved?" 

         "You are so annoying." 

      "Annoying?" he asked. 

      "Will you let me sleep?" 

    He stood up and went over to her.   "No. We came here to look after Charlotte not to sleep." 

      She stood up.  "I think it was a bad idea coming to stay here. I'll leave now and apologise to Charlotte in the morning." She went to grab her handbag. 

      But he held her arm.  "Hey, hey hey, where are you going? Relax, I was just kidding. Gosh, you are so mean." 

        She broke out of his grip, sat down on the chair, folded her arms across her chest, leaned back on the chair and closed her eyes."

       He stared at her for a while.  "I don't get you. Don't you like company?" 

        "Can you let me sleep?" She was feeling sleepy and could barely keep her eyelids open. 

        "Alright. You can use the bed..."

     She stood up and started going towards the bed, but he held her back. 

         "Don't be so quick, I was not done saying what I was saying. I will allow you to have the bed only on one condition." 

       Faith yawned.  "What is that?" 

       "You will have to keep me company for a while, we would sleep off together." 

         "Whatever." 

      He left her hands and she went and fell on the bed. He sat on the seat she stood up from. 

        "Don't put off the lights before you sleep, I don't like sleeping in darkness." 

        "Are you sleeping right now? I thought we agreed that you would keep me company?" 

     She just had to answer him so he could let her be.    "I'm with you." 

     He looked back at Charlotte not wanting to see her reaction when he said the next thing he wanted to say. 

       "Can I ask you a question?" 

        "Bring it on," she drawled. 

      He waited for a moment.  "Did you go on the date with your ex after he called?" He got no answer. "Are you there?" No reply. He slowly turned to her. She was lying face up, she was snoring softly and her lips were slightly parted. 

      He smiled lopsidedly and moved towards her bed. He stared at her for a while.  "Mean chick," he muttered and drew the bedsheets up, covering her. He stared at her for a while and moved back to Charlotte. 

        Charlotte was sleeping so peaceful and calm, her chest rising and falling slowly. He pulled up her bedsheets to her chest. He put his fingers in between hers interlocked them and looked at the clock, it was midnight.  "Happy birthday lovely," he muttered. 

     He stared at her and recalled all the moments they have shared. The first day they met, her smile, when she pouts, when they talked, when they played, when she wanted to be crazy, when she was annoying or petulant, when she cried. He kept smiling. 

       "And you said I should never fall in love with you." 

       He was in a room with two women he has ever had feelings for, both were sleeping and giving him a chance to take a good look at them. Although he has not sorted his feelings for them yet, he knew that both of them had places in his heart even though none of them wanted him. 

       He sat staring at her for a while, fingers interlocked. After a while, he placed his head on the bed and slept off. 

                                         * * *

                       Happy birthday to you! 

                       Happy birthday to you! 

                  Happy birthday! Happy birthday! 

                        Happy birthday to you! 

      Charlotte heard that in her sleep and she slowly opened her eyes and was marvelled at what she saw. All her friends were there smiling down at her. The room has been decorated with balloons. She looked at the people in front of her and she was overwhelmed with gratitude. Ethan, Faith, Nora, Valentine and her mother were standing there, wearing cones on their heads and smiling down at her and singing her a birthday song. 

       A huge cake sat on the table in front of her bed, her name written boldly on it, and different soda drinks and kebabs were on the table. She made to sit up in bed, Ethan went over and helped her. She leaned against the headboard and clasped her hands together while they sang. She was so overwhelmed that she started shedding tears. 

        "Happy birthday to you," Ethan said once they were done singing. 

         "Thank you," Charlotte cried. She has never celebrated her birthday before, not in this way.  "I'm so happy that I am living my best life in my last days." 

        "Hey, Charlotte you don't have to be like that," Nora cautioned. 

      Faith went over and sat on the bed beside her and gave her a kerchief. Ethan had woken her up so early in the morning. 

        "What do you want?" she had asked him, confused and still filled with sleep. 

          "Shh," he had hushed her and had dragged her out of the room to the hallway. The hallway had been lulled. 

        She had been confused and had glanced back at Charlotte before leaving the room with him.   "What's the problem?" she had whispered. 

       He had had that smirk on his face, that smirk that she hadn't understood. She hadn't known what she had felt. 

      "It's Charlotte's birthday today and I want it as a surprise," he had finally said. 

         She had heaved a sigh of relief.  "So why are you telling me now?" 

         "Because I wanted you to be surprised too. So I have called Nora and she is bringing all the goodies, I have called Valentine to bring Mrs Hernandez over before seven a.m."

        Faith had glared helplessly at him.  "What do you want me to do?" 

          "Just go and get dressed and get us some cone caps." 

        She had glared at him and had left him. She had chatted Nora up to know if she was aware and Nora had said yes and had urged her to be quick with whatever she was doing. They wouldn't want Charlotte to wake up before they did anything. A few minutes later, Nora had arrived with the cake and Valentine had arrived with Mrs Hernandez and the drinks. 

       "When did you all prepare this?" Charlotte asked. 

        "Are you surprised?" Faith asked. 

        "Is there any other  words higher than surprise?! I'm elated." 

        "I'm glad you are," Ethan said, stooping and kissing her forehead. 

         "Let the party begin!" Nora yelled. 

      They ate, drank, danced, and played games until the day was over.