The Greatest Showman #875 – Helpless

"Renly! Renly!"

The frantic voice cut through the haze, a call that seemed to echo from far away, shattering the stillness like thunder on a calm day. The whole world trembled as if the sky itself was cracking open. The fog that had been shrouding him slowly dissipated, revealing the wreckage of shattered walls and scorched earth. With a sudden, overwhelming force, Renly was yanked awake.

Maybe it was the cold he caught the previous night, or maybe exhaustion had finally caught up with him, but Renly felt heavy, his head fuzzy and disoriented. The grogginess was suffocating, like he was trapped in a thick haze, his mouth dry, chest tight.

"What's wrong?" he muttered, struggling to sit up.

His hand fumbled for the water glass on the bedside table. He took a long gulp, the cold water easing the dryness in his throat, though his head still felt foggy. He rubbed his temples, trying to clear the confusion.

"Renly, something happened." Nathan's voice was laced with panic, trembling with urgency. Renly could almost picture the wild expression on Nathan's face without even looking.

Calmly, Renly raised a hand, motioning for Nathan to breathe. "Nathan, breathe," he said, trying to steady him.

Then came another cry—this one wasn't Nathan. It was Roy.

Renly blinked, surprised. He opened his eyes fully and saw three figures at the foot of his bed. Nathan, Roy, and Andy. The sight was disorienting, as if he hadn't expected any of them to be here.

"What's going on? You all here? Did I oversleep and miss today's event?" Renly asked, a faint chuckle slipping out despite the chaos.

"Wait, today's party is at eight, right? Or did I sleep for nearly twenty hours?" He rubbed his temples again. His voice was hoarse, and he spoke slowly, as if his brain wasn't functioning at full speed. "No wonder my head feels so heavy. I must have slept too long."

But there was no answer.

Renly looked at Andy, waiting for some clarification. "Andy, you're hesitating. This isn't like you."

Andy glanced at Nathan and Roy, then took a deep breath. He let it out slowly, as if preparing himself for something difficult. "Heather Cross's condition took a sudden turn for the worse," Andy said softly. "She might not make it much longer."

Renly's breath caught in his chest. His mind froze, struggling to process the words. His smile—stiff and unnatural—lingered for a moment before it vanished, replaced by confusion.

"No," Renly shook his head in disbelief. "That's not possible. Her condition was better last night... she was improving, talking more."

His voice trailed off as he tried to make sense of what Andy was saying. "No... this isn't right. We witnessed a miracle yesterday. This has to be a joke. A prank."

He opened his mouth to speak again but stopped. Words swirled in his mind, yet none seemed to make it past his lips. He felt an absurd rush of laughter bubble up, but it only made the nausea in his stomach worse. He bit it back, the laughter turning into a shallow, hollow exhale.

"Renly..." Roy's voice was worried, but he didn't know what to say. The words hung awkwardly in the air.

Andy's usual calm demeanor was now tinged with sadness, though he maintained his composure. "This morning, Heather's condition deteriorated rapidly. Her respiratory system is failing. The doctors have no more options." His words hit Renly like a slap.

The absurdity of the situation gnawed at Renly. It was as if the world had been ripped from beneath him, but nothing in his body was reacting. His brain was spinning, his emotions stuck in limbo, unable to process the weight of the information.

Helpless. That was the word. A word that laid bare just how small and fragile people really are.

Renly paused, his mind racing but also strangely still. "Give me five minutes," he said, his voice slow but steady. "I'll wash up, and we'll head to Mount Sinai Hospital."

He swung his legs off the bed and stood, then added, "Nathan, remember to grab the suits from the dry cleaners. They were delivered by Eaton earlier. And we need to keep the media away from the hospital. Their presence will only disturb the patients."

After a moment's hesitation, Renly walked to the bathroom. The three men remained silent, their presence heavy in the room as the door closed behind him. The stillness was deafening.

Inside the bathroom, Renly stood under the cold water, trying to ground himself. His thoughts were a blur, and his emotions were a storm he couldn't control. But the calm in his demeanor never wavered. Even when the world was falling apart around him, Renly maintained the appearance of composure.

Roy's head turned slowly towards Andy. "Is he really okay?"

Andy exhaled softly, a weight in his chest. "We can only pray."

In that moment, it wasn't Heather Cross they were worried about. They didn't have a deep connection to her, not in the way that Renly did. They could empathize with her illness, but it wasn't the same. They were worried about Renly. His calmness was unsettling. They could sense the storm brewing beneath the surface, but it was hidden so well that they had no idea how to approach it.

The minutes passed, and soon Renly reappeared, freshly showered and dressed in a crisp white shirt, navy blue suit pants, and a blue and green Scottish plaid cardigan. He looked effortlessly put together, like nothing was wrong.

"I'm ready to go," Renly said with a soft smile.

He grabbed his dark blue trench coat and royal blue knitted scarf, draping them over his shoulders as he walked to the door. He glanced back at the three men, who were still standing there, frozen in place.

"What's wrong? We need to hurry, or we'll be too late."

Roy's voice broke through the silence. "Renly, are you okay?"

Renly chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Why is everyone asking me that? It was like this at the airport, and it's the same now. I'm fine. Just a little cold and a bit too deep a sleep last night."

He paused, looking at each of them seriously. "I know you're worried. But it's not me who's sick. Heather's illness has been a long time coming. We knew this day would arrive, but none of us expected it to come so suddenly." Renly smiled, the faintest glimmer of warmth in his eyes. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

The calmness in his voice didn't reassure them; it only deepened the unease. But there was nothing to do. Renly was right. There was no changing the course of events.

"We need to move," Renly reminded them with a light smile. "I want to go to the hospital. Maybe I can make up for the regret from last night. We never got to sing her favorite song together."

Nathan, who had been trying to hold himself together, could no longer stay still. He hurried towards the door. "I'll go start the car."

With that, he rushed off, leaving the three men standing in the still, empty room. Their thoughts were scattered, but they knew one thing for certain: the storm had arrived, and there was no stopping it now.