It's an emergency

Freya opened her eyes the next morning, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. She stretched lazily, her hand reaching out to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Her heart skipped a beat as she sat up, her eyes scanning the room. Tessy was gone.

Freya's house was a cozy three-bedroom bungalow, but she had insisted Tessy sleep in her room last night. After everything that had happened, she didn't want her friend to be alone. But now, panic surged through her as she realized Tessy wasn't there.

"Tess?" Freya called out, her voice tinged with worry. She jumped out of bed, her bare feet hitting the cool floor as she hurried to the sitting room, hoping to find Tessy there.

To her relief, Tessy was seated at the bar, but the sight that greeted her made Freya's stomach churn. Tessy was dressed in her scrubs, her hands wrapped around a glass of amber liquid. She was drinking—early in the morning—and her eyes were red and swollen, her face pale and drawn. She looked like a shadow of the vibrant woman Freya knew.

"Tess, what are you doing?" Freya rushed forward, gently prying the glass and bottle from her friend's hands. Her voice was soft but firm, her concern evident. "Don't do this to yourself. And why are you dressed like that?"

Tessy blinked up at her, her gaze slightly unfocused. "What? I'm dressed for work," she mumbled, her words slurring just enough for Freya to notice.

Freya's heart ached as she sat beside her friend. "You took today off, Tess. Besides, you can't go to work like this. You're drunk, for heaven's sake. Why are you drinking so early in the morning? Francis isn't worth this pain you're putting yourself through."

Tessy's shoulders slumped, and she let out a shaky breath. "I changed my mind. I don't want to take the day off anymore. This is the worst birthday ever, and if I stay home alone, I'll fall into depression. If I don't go to work, I'll die. I need something to distract me from this pain. I feel like my life is falling apart right before my eyes. All my sacrifices, my patience, my hope, my family—everything is ruined. My mom will be so disappointed."

Freya reached out, placing a comforting hand on Tessy's shoulder. "Your mom will understand. The only person who'll be disappointed is your dad, and you know why? It's because he's using you to keep his business afloat without caring about what you're going through. If something happened to you today, your dad would just find another way to keep his business running."

Tessy nodded slowly, as if the words were sinking in. Her face softened slightly, and for a moment, Freya thought she might be feeling better. But then Tessy's expression crumpled, and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I lost my baby," Tessy whispered, her voice breaking. "Is it because I lost my baby that Francis and his mother decided to treat me this way?"

Freya's heart shattered at the words. She knew Tessy was diving into a spiral of regret and self-blame, over something she had no control over. Getting pregnant with Francis's baby had been the reason for their rushed marriage, but losing the pregnancy a few months later had left Tessy broken in ways Freya couldn't fully understand.

Freya wrapped her arms around Tessy, holding her tightly. "Alright, Tess. We'll go to work together. But I'll make sure you're not assigned any active duty today. And you need to sober up before we leave. No more of this," she said firmly, gesturing to the drinks on the bar. "Let me get you some breakfast and coffee to help you stay alert."

Tessy shook her head weakly. "I already had breakfast. I made some for you too. It's on the kitchen counter. Coffee would be nice, though. My mind was too preoccupied to think about it."

Freya nodded, her heart aching for her friend. She moved to the kitchen, preparing two cups of coffee and handing one to Tessy. Then she quickly got ready for work, her mind racing with worry.

A few minutes later, Freya was dressed and ready to go. She glanced at Tessy, who was standing by the door, her face pale but determined. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Freya asked, her voice gentle.

Tessy nodded, forcing a small smile. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine in a few hours. The coffee helped. I feel more alert now. I'll be okay."

Freya handed her a minty candy, hoping it would mask the smell of alcohol on her breath. "Here, take this. It'll help."

They climbed into Freya's car, the silence between them heavy but comforting. Freya drove them to the hospital where they both worked as nurses, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. She couldn't shake the worry gnawing at her, but she pushed it aside, focusing on being there for Tessy.

As soon as they stepped out of the car, another nurse approached them in a hurry, her face etched with concern.

"Good morning, Nurse Freya, Nurse Tessy," the nurse greeted them warmly, her voice carrying a hint of urgency. She shifted her focus to Freya, her expression serious.

"Good morning, Nurse Corey," Freya and Tessy replied in unison, their voices steady despite the weight of the morning's events.

Nurse Corey's gaze lingered on Freya, her tone growing more urgent. "Nurse Freya, your attention is needed in Emergency Ward Three. The chief nurse sent me to get you immediately." She announced, looking like the world was about to end.

"Alright. I'll be there in a minute. Let me take care of a small problem first." Freya responded, but Corey shook her head.

"It's an emergency. You need to come with me immediately. High profile people are involved." Corey disclosed and Freya became torn.