5: The Call to Duty
1831 Words
Javier felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jeans while he was fast asleep. He woke up and blinked. He watched his mother on the hospital bed; she was merely waiting for complete recovery; she was secure from harm. He had not realized he had nodded off on the couch there. His father had said farewell earlier, stating he was changing clothes at their villa and heading home.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he looked at the time. It was five in the morning. He answered his friend's call, still groggy. "Jordan, is there a problem? Why did you call?” Despite his mother still unconscious, he lowered his voice.
“Javier, you need to come here. It’s about the woman. The doctor wants to discuss something with you.” Jordan started gravely. “He told me he wants to talk with you,”
Javier sat up straight, immediately aware. “W-Why? Something happened? D-Did she die?”
“She is not dead yet, but you must see the doctor. He wants to tell you something quite significant. Could you perhaps come right now? How was Auntie?” Jordan answered.
He hipped his head. Given that he could not inform Jordan, what must the doctor tell him? “Mom is secure from harm. She remains unconscious, though. She should wake up soon so she would know I'm here.”
"That's good. Since the doctor needs you, could you go over here? For now, I will take over monitoring Auntie. I want to see her condition too, you know,”
He nodded even if he couldn’t see him. The suggestion was reasonable. “Okay. I’ll head over there now. See you later, man.” He said goodbye and ended the call.
He went to his mother and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m here now, Mama. Wake up. I miss you so much. Jordan will take care of you for now, okay? I’ll be back soon.”
He believed his mother was aware of his presence. He prayed she woke up, wanting to assure her that they would never be parted again.
After half an hour, he arrived at the hospital, where the stranger woman had been brought. He spotted Jordan, and they both patted each other on the shoulder. "You seem quite tired, Jordan. My mom's private nurse will arrive soon, so you can go directly to the Villa later. Get some sleep. I know you're still jetlagged," he added, concerned.
Jordan nodded. "Yes, that is what I will do. I'll check on Auntie first. You should also rest after talking with the doctor."
Jordan was not accustomed to calling him Alpha Javier or addressing his parents by their titles since Jordan had been his childhood friend. He'd known him since they were little. Jordan was usually present at their villa as they were growing up together.
He went immediately to the emergency room, where they'd taken the stranger woman. How was she doing? He was concerned about her condition.
The nurses quickly noticed him. "Sir, you are here. Our doctor has something important to tell you."
He nodded. "Alright."
Before long, the emergency room door opened, and he saw the doctor. "Mr. Romanov, please follow me to my office."
He didn't ask any further questions and simply followed. It appeared like what the doctor had to say was important. They entered a cozy and secluded office. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Romanov."
The frigid temperature of the room heightened his anxiousness. Damn, why was he feeling like this? He didn't know the woman very well, and they were not the same kind. She was human, whereas he was a werewolf. But why was he so nervous about her?
"Doctor, how is the patient? D-Did she make it?” He stuttered when he asked.
He couldn't tell what emotion the doctor was displaying or what thoughts were going through his head; all he knew was that the doctor was serious.
"Mr. Romanov, she has moved out of critical condition. When you brought her here earlier, her heartbeat was weak. We tried several times to revive her till she had a regular heartbeat again. The patient is fighting and wants to live."
His thoughts were correct. The woman still did not want to die. She still fought for her life. He can’t help but do it, but he was impressed.
"That's great to hear, doctor. Thank you so much."
The doctor's expression was emotionless. "But, Mr. Romanov, we shouldn't celebrate yet. Although the patient's life is no longer in danger, she remains unconscious. Nobody knows when she will wake up. We don't know whether she has amnesia or not. Besides…" The doctor left his final point dangling.
"B-Besides…?" He repeated.
That's when he noticed the doctor sighing. "Besides that, we have a major issue that we need to address."
"Explain it to me, Doctor."
"She has multiple displaced bones that need to be repaired. Once she regains consciousness, she will require physical treatment."
He nodded, fully anticipating it. "I understand, Doc."
"And there's a major problem—her face. The patient's face has sustained the most damage. All of her remaining wounds and fractures may be treated. Unfortunately, we cannot repair the harm to her face.” The old man's expression indicated disappointment.
He was stunned. "What do you mean? Is her face injury so severe that there is no possibility of recovery?”
The doctor let out a deep sigh. “This hospital is small and located in the countryside, Mr. Romanov. We don’t have complete equipment, and the facility is limited. The patient’s facial injuries are severe, and I’m sorry to say that we don’t have a qualified doctor who can treat her face. The patient requires the expertise of a cosmetic and plastic surgeon. No plastic surgeon is available at this hospital, and she must receive care from a highly skilled doctor.”
His mind was filled with disbelief. His voice was rendered silent. He hadn't fully grasped the gravity of the situation involving the stranger woman, who required the expertise of an exceptional surgeon. However, considering the condition he witnessed when she was being transported to the hospital, her face was completely unrecognizable.
He nodded without much thought. "I'll find a highly skilled plastic surgeon for her,”
“The surgery can only be carried out once she wakes up. This matter is highly sensitive, and we must obtain the patient's consent. Meanwhile, we'll attend to her remaining bodily injuries and broken bones. So when she wakes up, we can promptly proceed with her reconstructive surgery. I'll gladly offer you suggestions for surgeons, Mr. Romanov.”
"Thank you,"
Javier couldn't shake the feeling of his mind still spinning after leaving the doctor's office. His mother should be his main concern, but with the current circumstances, he became even more distressed about the stranger's well-being. From a technical standpoint, his help may no longer be required. He had fulfilled his duty. He rescued her from the clutches of death.
However, a lingering sense of duty compelled him to believe his responsibility towards the woman remained unresolved.
What is it about this woman that makes him want to help?
Pity? He felt that wasn’t it.
There’s more to it. And he couldn’t explain it.
With a heavy heart, he made his way to the rooftop of the hospital. He yearned for a breath of fresh air.
When will the woman regain consciousness? What should he do? What if she remains unconscious for months?
And how did she find herself in this predicament? Who was plotting her death? Was she a morally questionable individual, prompting someone to desire her demise?
He had numerous questions swirling in his thoughts, desperately seeking a resolution that only the stranger woman could answer.
His mind was on the verge of bursting, prompting him to reach out to Jordan. He believed Jordan was still by his mother's side, and he was sure he still hadn't returned to the villa.
Jordan picked up the phone. “What’s up, man? Is there any news?” he asked right away.
“I spoke with the doctor,”
“Did he tell you what he needed to say?”
“He did. The woman is out of danger. But…”
“But what?” Jordan sounded curious as well.
He let out a deep breath. “It remains a mystery as to when the woman will regain consciousness. Besides that, her face is severely damaged.”
“That’s very obvious, Javier. When we brought her to the hospital earlier, her face was barely recognizable. I doubt even her family would recognize her! Now, what seems to be the problem?” Jordan’s tone was exaggerated.
“The hospital can’t fix her face. It’s a small facility with no modern equipment. They don’t have a plastic surgeon, and in her case, we know she needs a skilled surgeon to work on her face,” he said with concern.
“You know, if I didn’t know you didn’t know that woman, I’d think you’ve known her for a long time. You’re worried! To think she’s just a stranger. A human,” Jordan teased.
He rolled his eyes at Jordan’s comment. “Oh, come on, Jordan! Even the devil would be ashamed of the crime done to that woman. You saw her condition. It’s truly pitiful.”
"Well, you're correct. "The crime committed against her is worse than anything the devil could do," he said.
"If the woman wakes up, how can we help her restore her appearance? Money is not an issue, but... Who can repair the face that a monster has destroyed?"
Jordan laughed aloud on the other end of the call. "What the hell, dude? Are you trying to be funny or annoying?"
He bit his lower lip. "What do you think? Do you think I'm joking in this situation?" he asked, angry.
Jordan laughed again. "Come on, Javier. You understand the solution to your question. Why are you seeking a doctor to treat the woman's condition? You do not need to look anymore; the search is over. Just simply look in the mirror. You, Javier. You are the one who will fix her face." Despite his laughter, he spoke in a serious tone.
"I'm not joking, Jordan."
"And I am not joking either. Why are you making things difficult for yourself? You understand that you are the top plastic surgeon in our country. You may have retired from your career as a doctor since it was no longer worthwhile to you now that Luna Beatrice is not in your life. However, there is a new reason for you to return to what you love, which brings you happiness. You are the only person who can help restore that woman's face. Help her. She needs your help... Alpha Javier," Jordan's serious remarks left him in deep consideration.
Can he truly restore the face of this stranger woman?
- Writer
