(3rd POV)
The Waiting Room Marley leaned against the cool wall of the hospital corridor, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her jacket. The smell of antiseptics mingled with the faint scent of coffee that wafted from a nearby vending machine. It was an odd mixture, one that felt almost suffocating in the tense atmosphere of the emergency room.
She glanced at the flickering fluorescent lights overhead, their buzzing somehow matching the anxiety thrumming through her.
Jonathan sat in the chair across from her, his chiseled jaw set tight. He wore a crisp, tailored suit, the kind that might seem out of place in a hospital setting if it weren't for the dark circles under his eyes. They were the first signs of a vulnerability he allowed anyone to see. Marley had worked for him for just over a few years, but she had never seen him like this frayed at the edges, raw, and exposed as if the world beneath his meticulously constructed facade had crumbled away.
"Do you want some water?" Marley asked, her voice softer than she intended.
She hesitated for a moment, contemplating the words that came out of her mouth. Jonathan's expression didn't change, his gaze fixed on the door that led to the emergency department. He hadn't said much since the doctor told him the news, his silence filling the air between them like a heavy blanket.
"No," he replied curtly, his voice low and filled with tension.
Marley nodded, aware of the inner turmoil within him, even if he preferred to keep it buried. She could see the way his fingers twitched, tapping rhythmically against the armrest of his chair, revealing an inner turmoil that starkly contrasted with his usual composed demeanor. This man, who navigated boardrooms with ruthless authority, now felt utterly out of control.
"What's taking so long?" Jonathan's voice broke through her thoughts, laced with growing frustration. He ran a hand through his dark dreadlocks, slightly disheveled now, betraying that uncharacteristic sense of helplessness. The waiting was excruciating for him, and in her heart, Marley understood. His mother was in there fragile, vulnerable, fighting for her life.
"Emergency rooms are unpredictable," she answered, trying to sound reassuring. "Sometimes it can take longer than expected."
He turned his gaze to her, his icy gray eyes piercing through the haze of despair.
"You're too optimistic, Marley." The bluntness of his tone cut deeper than she anticipated, but she refused to get hurt by his sharpness; instead, she'd learned to see it as a shield a way to guard himself against the world.
"I'm just trying to help," she murmured, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. "It's okay to feel scared."
His lips tightened into a thin line. "I'm not scared," he snapped, though the tremor in his voice belied his claim. It struck her then how deeply he felt, how much he struggled to reconcile the stoic image he projected with the natural human emotions swirling inside him.
He had always been a man who carved his path, rarely showing weakness, but here he was, trapped in a situation he couldn't control.
Desperate to ease the tension, Marley took a deep breath and shifted in her seat, gathering her thoughts. "When I was little," she began softly, "my father got sick. I remember sitting in a similar waiting room, feeling like time stood still." She paused, glancing at Jonathan. "But eventually, we got the news. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but at least we knew what we were facing."
His gaze flickered to her, curiosity briefly breaking the facade of cold indifference. "What happened?" he asked, his voice quieter now, the sharp edges dulled.
"My dad pulled through," she admitted, the memory both painful and sweet. "It was hard, but we made it. My mom taught me that hope is all you have sometimes. That and being there for each other." She offered him a reassuring smile as if hoping some warmth might seep through to him.
Jonathan sighed and leaned back heavily in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to massage away the knots of worry.
"I don't know what I'll do if…" The words hung in the air, heavy and unspoken. An uncharacteristic crack in his armor had formed, leaving Marley longing to reach out, to pull him from the precipice of despair.
"Whatever happens, you won't be alone." Her voice was steady, a balm against the uncertainty looming over them. "You have people who care about you even if you don't believe it right now."
He scoffed lightly, an empty sound that held no mirth. "People care because it's convenient. When it's not, they disappear."
"Not everyone," Marley countered him as she looked at him with a slight smile
He looked at her with a faltered look and looked down at the ground, a few moments of silence went on between them. She watched him as he looked down before just reaching out, and putting a hand on his back. Marley felt him tense up as stiff as a plankboard before slowly calming down. The young woman smiled to herself even as she rubbed his back to comfort him, even in her troubles and pain she still wanted to help.
"I care about you and I'm here for you," said Marley with a smile as the words just came out without a second thought
Jonathan looked up at her and she could swear she saw his eyes water a bit, but he looked back down and gave a subtle nod. Once again silence fell over them as the sound of the clock on the wall ticked. Marley kept rubbing his back and before just embracing him, the man tensed again but let her hug him. She watched out the hospital window looking at the dark gray skies, the rain poured down hard seeming to show how they felt on the inside.
A doctor approached the one from earlier as she smiled at them holding her clipboard. Jonathan shot up making Marley almost fall but was able to stop herself.
"How's my mother, is she okay?" Jonathan said with a worried look and looking down at the doctor
"She's fine we were able to stabilize her and she is in recovery right now, you can visit her soon," said the doctor with a nod and smile and walked off
"I told you everything would be fine," said Marley with a smile and looking up at him
The man glanced at her, bit back a small smile, and walked off to go see his mother, as Marley went and checked on her parents.