Chapter 35: Little Problems

OLLIE

“Olivia, we have your results,” Dr. Kumar said.

~Finally!~ After two excruciating hours of exams—starting with an echocardiogram, a blood test, an electrocardiogram, and finally a chest X-ray—I thought I must be ready to be featured on an Emergency Room TV show.

I’d never experienced anything like this.

I’d been to a hospital before, but the last time, I’d had to wait the whole night for a young resident to look at my foot after my toe got smashed by a metal toolbox.

This was different.

They had everything ready and available for me, with different types of specialists and nurses guided by Dr. Kumar.

Knowing I was in good hands was reassuring, but that didn’t stop me from feeling nervous and tense about my results.

I passed from exam to exam with no wait, and Darius stayed with Dr. Kumar the whole time, which was strange.

Was that even allowed? Darius walked with him like he owned the place.

“You have a paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, Miss Summer,” Dr. Kumar said, “It is a heart condition. That is why you have an irregular and often rapid heart rate.”

A what?

“You lost me at pa-aro-roxysmal,” I replied, trying to understand the word.

“That basically means that it is an atrial fibrillation that comes and goes. For example, this episode you had in the bathroom stopped on its own, but sometimes medication is needed.”

“I don’t follow. You are saying I have a heart condition?”

“Yes, you do. It is what causes your irregular heartbeat,” he explained.

“The good news is that it is an early stage for A-fib, meaning it hasn’t damaged or affected your heart too much.” He paused for a second, letting me take in the information.

“I don’t understand. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“I am only missing your blood test results, but other than that, we have finished your diagnosis.”

“How much are the exams I just had?”

“The echocardiogram is around three thousand, I’ll have someone in the billing office provide you with the cost of the other procedures.”

~Crap!~

“Olivia, you have the best treatment options available to you. We are talking about a high success rate here. This early detection possibly saved your life.”

Possibly saved my life?

“Um…medication? Procedures? Could you stop for a second?” I asked.

~Shit, shit, shit.~ I didn’t have the money for all of this!

“And you are telling me I will need medication?” I continued.

“Yes.” He watched me as I covered my face with my hands.

“Just tell me, can I live without medication?”

“With untreated AFIB? Yes, it is not life-threatening on its own, but this condition can worsen if not treated… And it can certainly cause serious consequences.”

“So I can stay like this for a while, and nothing will happen?”

He frowned this time. “Probably, yes, but only for a while.”

Okay, we can work with this for a little while until we get everything in order.

“Is that all? I want to think about it.”

Darius finally spoke. “You would like to think about it? What is there to think? You would be at a higher risk for stroke or heart failure.”

I ignored Darius’s comment.

“Doctor, thank you for your assessment. I think I am ready to leave. If you would be so kind as to send the bill to the address on my ID.”

“May I have a moment with Miss Summer, Dr. Kumar?” Darius asked.

The doctor nodded and left without a word.

Darius closed the door and walked back to where I was seated.

“Why are you not accepting treatment, Olivia?” He watched me with a hardened expression.

“Thank you for this, I really appreciate it, but it’s too much for me to handle.” I tried to get up from the hospital bed, but he held me steady.

“Why are you so reckless? Why are you sabotaging yourself?”

“I am not sabotaging myself. I just…cannot handle this right now.”

“Being sick?” He raised my chin to meet his intense eyes. “Because you are.”

“I have other problems, Darius. You don’t understand because your life has always been easy. So back off.”

“Where did you get the impression that my life is easy, Olivia? I have more responsibilities on my back than you can imagine, hundreds of families relying on this enterprise to keep going.”

“You are so stuck in your little problems that you avoid the big elephant in the room.”

“Little problems?” I replied angrily.

How could he be so mean?

He nodded, watching me seriously.

“Have you ever been broke, cheated on, or unemployed? Are your parents dead? Do you have any idea what struggling feels like?” My blood was boiling. “You have no fucking clue what real life is like, so stop lecturing me.”

I hated myself for sounding like such a victim, but he had no idea what my life was like.

“Don’t let your ego step in the way. It’s a matter of perspective. Those problems you are drowning yourself in are temporary. Your heart condition could be permanent,” he said harshly.

His words sliced me open, and before I could change my facial expression, tears were already pooling up in my eyes.

That was impossible. I hadn’t cried in years.

~Oh, no, Olivia. Don’t cry in front of him.~

“You are sick and you need to face it.” He spoke so coldly that I lost it, and then I was definitely crying.

~Fuck.~

He watched me cry, and for the first time, his eyes softened.

He closed the gap between us, pulling me into his arms.

I stiffened at his touch.

“Do you pity me? Stop watching me like that! I am a big girl. I can handle my problems.” I pushed against his chest.

He was like a rock, holding me, and no matter how hard I tried to push him away, he held me, hugging me until I surrendered, crashing into a desperate, ugly cry, leaving tears and drool all over his shirt.

“Breathe, Olivia. I can feel your heart.” One of his hands caressed my hair, and the other made small circles on my back, comforting me.

My arms reached around his back, feeling his warmth, breathing him in, hugging him back for the first time while closing my heavy eyelids.

In a minute, I was feeling better, but I knew I looked like a big mess, probably with red eyes and a pink nose.

Once I calmed myself, he pushed my chin up, but I resisted meeting his eyes.

I screwed my eyes shut, ashamed at how much I’d shared with him.

I was never this vulnerable.

“Olivia.” I opened my eyes to meet his stare.

He was staring brazenly at me with those silver eyes, and before I could stop him, he brought his lips to mine in a soft kiss.