So hope you won't mind if I come by the hospital later today to check how Isabella's doing?" Ryan asked as he helped Cora climb into the helicopter.
"No of course not" Cora replied
"Great, so I guess I'll see you later then. Take care." Ryan said and immediately started walking back towards Zach, meeting him halfway and they both walked back to the helicopter again.
"Her name is Isabella... I already sent some of her pictures that I copied from Corazon to your phone...
"Yeah, thanks, man..." Zach replied
It's too early for old man Mancini to find out anything about them for now, so don't think about the old fart, just concentrate on taking care of your girl."
"Yeah... Please help take Samantha to your mom's... I'll call her tonight myself"
"Yeah sure," Ryan said as they arrived at the helicopter.
Even with headsets on, normal communication flow inside a helicopter is not usually pleasant which gave Zach and Cora the perfect opportunity to ignore each other's existence. They sat opposite, but away from each other, each sitting at the end of their various seats, trying as much as possible to avoid each other like a plague.
Apart from when he made sure her seat belt was safely fastened, he didn't speak a word to her during the short journey to the hospital. He was extremely angry with her, barely keeping his temper in check.
He never knew she could be so petty she would keep his child away from him because of the way things ended between them. Not telling him he had a baby on the way and giving him a chance to be in the baby's life was spiteful and cruel to both him and their daughter. He wondered if Isabella always asked about him and what excuse she has been giving her.
He reached inside his jacket pocket and brought out the photo Cora gave to him earlier at the conference room. The photo was obviously taken at a cooking competition for kids and his face showed a hint of a smile for the first time that evening. because of her oversized chef hat that would have covered her entire face if not for her ears that prevented that from happening. She was standing behind a table that had a plate of delicious-looking sandwich on it, as was two other kids about her age who were also standing behind the food they prepared.
He felt proud of his daughter when he noticed the first position blue ribbon that was attached to her table. All of the contestants had both their parents behind them but his own daughter had her mom and grandfather standing behind her. That could have been him standing with his daughter but she denied him that and gave his parental duties to her own father.
The helicopter landed on the St Bernard hospital roof and when they got off, he spoke another word to her ... "Floor?" making just two words he's said to her in the entire evening. The first word was "seatbelt" When he reminded her to wear her seatbelt. She knew 'Floor' means 'Which floor is she on?'
Cora didn't get the reason why he was cold to her since she knew he was excited to see Isabella. Or could it be he was trying to keep her at arm's length? She wondered to herself. She just wished she could let him know the feeling was mutual. She would be glad to get out of his life the minute her daughter gets the blood she needed from him.
"It's the children's ward, which is on the third floor." She replied with the same tone of voice that he used for her without even spearing him a glance, walking ahead of him. Then all of a sudden she felt herself being yanked against his hard chest, his face furiously bearing down on her. Cora didn't care. After all, he wasn't the only one angry, who the hell does he think he is? She was angry too!
"Just pray to all the saints you know that would best answer your prayers that nothing bad happens to my daughter, otherwise, I'm going to sue you so fast your head would spin!" He finished talking and immediately released her as if she was tainted somehow and he didn't want his skin to be in contact with her any more than necessary.
He was many feet away and almost disappearing into the entrance that led to the stairwell before she asked herself what just happened? Did he just say he would sue her if anything bad happens to his daughter or is it that she didn't hear him properly!?
Cora didn't know what to make of his threat. Of course, her daughter would be okay. She had that belief but she felt she needed to point out his mistake from the statement he just made when he said Isabella was his daughter.
'No! Isabella is my daughter while your daughter is Samantha, don't get it twisted!' She saw his receding back and ran to catch up with him so she could tell him just that. The fact that he helped save her daughter's life does not automatically make her his daughter. Cora determined that she would pay whatever payment he required from her but would never ever share her daughter with him.
However, she wasn't able to tell him what was on her mind. She had almost caught up with him when they were met halfway into the building by some doctors and nurses.
The hospital director smiled warmly and immediately started talking as soon as he arrived in front of Zach and Cora. He wasn't aware that the daughter of one of the richest men in the country was admitted to his hospital. He was already at the car park about to leave for the day when his secretary called to inform him about the call she just got from Zachary King's assistant.
The director knew most of the richest families in the country but wasn't conversant with the gossip that surrounded their lives. No wonder he happily committed a blunder when he greeted Samantha and Zachary...
"Mr & Mrs. King. I'm Dr. Anderson, the Director of this great institution, and these are Dr. Taylor and Dr. Miller. Doctor Taylor is the one in charge of your daughter and he would be in the best position to explain everything to you." The director said as they walked with quick steps into the stairwell and towards the elevator.
One of the perks of being a rich man, even the hospital director, doctors, and nurses would come to welcome you personally. Cora thoughts. She didn't appreciate the director lumping them together as Mr & Mrs. King. She didn't want to interrupt the doctor over what appeared to be an honest mistake, otherwise, she would have immediately called his attention to his mistake.
Cora listened intently as Doctor Taylor took over and started explaining Isabella's situation to them in layman's terms as best as he could. She thought they were going towards the elevator before but when they walked past it, she started wondering where they were going.
"Although we already found a match for her" Doctor Taylor continued "we might not get the blood on time, we're already time constraint as it is. As her father, your blood is the best for her as long as you tested negative to all the tests we will carry out on you. There will be no risk of her showing adverse effects after the transfusion either now or later in the future.
"Uhmm, excuse me..." Cora said when the doctor paused from talking and all eyes turned towards hers.
"Yes Mrs. King, you have a question?" The director answered Cora with his bright smile
"Actually, it's Miss Ruiz... Mr King and I are not married..." She said and was surprised when Zach's countenance that was pleasant towards the doctors suddenly turned hard and cold.
"Oh, I'm sorry! It's my bad..." The director apologized
"Don't bother about it doctor, I know it was an honest mistake..." Cora assured the director "Uhmm... I'm just wondering since my attention wouldn't be needed where Mr. King's test will be carried out, can I at least see my daughter?" She asked, trying as much as possible to ignore the penetrating and hateful glare Zach was shooting towards her.
"Yeah, sure! You can have some minutes with her but I'm afraid she might not be able to talk to you and..."
"I understand doctor, I won't be a bother" I just wanted to look at her. I promise I won't take more than three minutes'' Cora interrupted the doctor mid-sentence and pleaded.
"It's alright..." He signaled to one of the nurses who has been following behind them
"Right this way ma'am...' The nurse said and led her towards the elevator. Cora breathes a sigh of relief. She was glad to escape the atmosphere that was already getting too stifling for her.
Lisa and the babysitter stood up from their seats immediately they saw Cora approaching them.
"Miss Ruiz..."
"Cora... You're here." They both said at the same
"Where's Zach?..." Lisa asked. Her eyes looked towards the elevator, with questions in them, wondering why Zach was not with Cora.
"We came together. The doctors said he would need to be tested first. They wanted to be sure if it's okay for him to donate to Isa."
"Oh... thank God!"
"I'm glad everything is progressing" The two women replied Cora
"Nurse can the three of us see her together then?..." Cora asked, "I promised we won't talk and we won't touch her..." Cora quickly added when she thought the nurse might refuse her request.
"It's okay Miss Ruiz. As long as you don't disturb her and it's just for some few minutes then no problem"
They enter the room. Cora was barely able to stifle the sob she felt coming when she saw her daughter, while Lisa and the babysitter hugged her from both sides. How could she look so frail now when was jumping on the bed earlier that very morning?' She wondered.