CHAPTER 144: FEAR AND WORRY

Dave quickly stepped out of the car and hurried to open the door for Paris and Egypt.

"Careful.." he said softly, guiding them down.

As he turned toward my side, his hand was already reaching for the handle when I pushed the door open myself and got out.

For a moment, he froze. His eyes dropped to the sleeping Cairo, whose small face was turned away from him, his cheek pressed against my shoulder.

"I can lift him for you." Dave offered gently.

I shook my head immediately. "N-no, I’m fine... I can carry him. Thanks for the ride." I replied quietly, avoiding his gaze.

He hesitated. I could tell he wanted to say more, maybe ask who the child was or what was going on. But he didn’t.

Instead, he gave a short nod and stepped aside, letting me walk past him.

I shifted Cairo carefully in my arms, holding him closer as I started toward the hospital entrance.

"Paris, Egypt, stay close to me.." I murmured without looking back. They quickly fell into step beside me, clutching each other’s hands.

As we entered the emergency area, I approached the reception desk, my heartbeat loud in my ears.

"E-excuse me.." I said, my voice breaking slightly. " P-please tell Dr. Feliz that Cairo Smith is having difficulty breathing."

The nurse behind the counter immediately stood up. "Right this way, ma’am." she said, signaling for a wheelchair.

Dave followed quietly from behind, his expression unreadable as he watched the nurses take Cairo from my arms.

I stood frozen for a moment, my arms suddenly feeling unbearably empty.

"Mommy..." Paris whispered, tugging at my sleeve, her voice trembling. "He’s gonna be okay, right?"

I forced a shaky smile. "Y-yeah, sweetheart... he’ll be fine."

"Sylvia..." Dave’s voice broke through my daze, firm yet calm. I turned to look at him.

"Let’s talk.." he said quietly, stepping closer.

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "Now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dave looked toward the emergency doors where the nurses had just taken Cairo, then back at me. His expression was too serious.

"Yes. Just for a minute. There’s something I need to ask... and I think you already know what it is."

I froze, glancing nervously at Paris and Egypt, who were both watching us. My chest tightened.

"Dave..." I said quietly, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Please... not right now."

’ - ’

Before he could respond, a nurse approached in a hurry. "Miss, you’re the patient’s mom, right? Dr. Felize needs to speak with you. He said he needs to tell you something about your son."

My heart jumped.

I felt Dave’s gaze harden beside me, his eyes digging into mine as if trying to read me.

I could tell he had even more questions now. He stayed silent, but that silence said enough.

"O-okay... I’ll follow you in a moment," I replied, my throat tightening. I turned to Paris and Egypt, who were both standing anxiously.

"Mom, is Cairo going to be okay?" they asked almost at the same time.

I crouched down in front of them and placed my hands gently on their heads. "I—I’m sure he’ll be fine," I whispered, trying to sound reassuring even though my voice shook. "I’ll talk to the doctor for a few minutes, alright? Please stay here and don’t go anywhere. Wait for Mommy."

They both nodded hesitantly, holding each other’s hands tightly.

"Don’t worry," Dave said suddenly, his voice softer now. "I’m not leaving yet. I’ll stay and watch over them."

I lifted my gaze to him. His expression was serious but not unkind, and I could feel the weight of his stare pressing against me.

"But after you talk to the doctor," he continued, "we need to talk."

"N-no," I said quickly, shaking my head before he could insist. "I’m sorry, but... I have more important things to do right now. I don’t think I need to talk to you." I tried to keep my tone calm, but my voice still trembled as I said it.

He stared at me for a few seconds, as if studying my face. Then, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his jaw tightening.

"Alright," he muttered finally. "You don’t owe me a talk, Sylvia—but I believe someone else does. Go on... take care of your son first."

Did he already know?

I swallowed hard and looked away, blinking back the sting in my eyes. "I know..." I whispered, barely audible.

Turning away, I followed the nurse down the hallway. My hands were trembling again—empty now that Cairo wasn’t in them.

When we reached the end of the corridor, the nurse stopped in front of a door labeled Emergency Pediatric Care.

"The doctor’s inside.." she said gently.

I nodded and pushed the door open, and there he was. Cairo lay on the hospital bed, small and fragile, his chest rising and falling beneath the thin blanket.

A doctor was adjusting the IV line beside him.

"Hi," he greeted, turning toward me as I stepped closer. "I’m sorry I had to ask the nurse to call you, but we need to discuss your son’s condition."

My throat tightened. "It’s fine... but how is he? Is he... is he going to be okay?" I asked, my voice trembling.

The doctor hesitated for a moment before speaking. "He’s stable for now. It’s good that you brought him in right away," he said carefully. "But his breathing difficulty wasn’t caused by something simple like overfatigue."

"So what caused it? I thought he’d be fine as long as he took his medicine and didn’t get too tired. It’s only been an hour since he was happily playing and then suddenly he was struggling to breathe... please, tell me what’s happening to him."

"I’m sorry," the doctor said, his expression heavy. "Even as his doctor, I didn’t expect this to happen. However... his heart rate became irregular, and his breathing difficulty indicates an acute cardiac stress reaction. In children with sensitive cardiovascular systems, this can occur suddenly under physical or emotional stress."

My heart skipped a beat. "A cardiac... stress reaction? But Cairo—whenever he’s with me, he’s happy. I don’t see him stressed or upset. He’s always smiling and..." I stammered, panic creeping into my chest.

The doctor nodded slowly. "Yes, he may be happy, but in cases like his, sudden changes in environment or intense excitement can trigger temporary arrhythmias. Even something as simple as overexcitement or overstimulation at the amusement park can affect his heart rhythm and breathing. Right now, he’s stable, but he needs careful monitoring."

I froze. So it was the excitement... the new environment...

My fingers clenched tightly in my lap. "What does that mean? Is it... dangerous?" I asked in a trembling voice.

The doctor adjusted his glasses and straightened in his seat. "He’s responding well to the medications we administered—oxygen therapy to help his breathing and a mild dose of beta-blockers to stabilize his heart rhythm. For now, he’s okay, but we need to observe him overnight. Cases like this can sometimes recur if the heart remains sensitive, especially after moments of stress or excitement. Our goal is to monitor him closely, run some tests, and make sure there’s no underlying condition that requires further treatment."

I nodded numbly, trying to absorb his words. "So... what should I do? How can I help him?"

"For tonight," the doctor said gently, "he needs a calm, quiet environment. Avoid any strenuous activity or excitement. Keep him hydrated and make sure he rests. We’ll monitor his heart rate and breathing continuously, and we’ll run some blood tests to ensure there’s nothing more serious. Your presence is very important, emotional comfort can help children recover faster from situations like this."

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. "O-okay... thank you, Doctor."

As he walked out of the room, leaving me alone with Cairo, I slowly sat beside the bed.

My eyes softened as I brushed my hand across his forehead. His small body looked so fragile under the hospital blanket, but each shallow breath was a relief.

"Mommy’s here, baby," I whispered softly, smoothing the hair from his pale face. "You’re going to be okay. We’ll get through this together."

Cairo stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open. A weak but determined smile crossed his lips.

"Mommy..." he murmured, his voice faint but comforting.

I reached out and held his tiny hand in mine. "Just rest, sweetheart. That’s all I need you to do right now. You’re safe."

I watched him as he fall asleep and just a few moments later, a faint knock came from the door.

I turned, expecting maybe a nurse—but my blood ran cold.

It wasn’t a nurse.

It was a very familiar man standing by the doorway. His eyes went straight to Cairo on the bed before lifting to meet mine.

"H-how is he?" he asked quietly.

He looked disheveled, worry etched deeply across his face.

The calm and always composed demeanor I once remembered from him was gone. His eyes flicked between me and Cairo, as if he were trying to hold himself together but barely could.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I couldn’t help but feel nervous in front of him.

I was half surprised, half guarded. After all, it had been years since we last saw each other, and I never thought I’d face him again like this.

He stepped closer but stopped just short of the bed. "His doctor told me what happened," he said, his voice rough with concern. "I came as soon as I found out. I—I thought something worse had happened to him."

My hands trembled slightly as I tucked the blanket closer around Cairo. "He’s stable now.." I said softly, avoiding his gaze, though I could feel it burning into me.

"The d-doctor said it was a cardiac stress reaction. They’ll keep him for observation tonight."

Sylvester’s brows furrowed. "Why did it happen to him?" he asked, his tone sharp with worry but edged with disappointment. "I thought he’d finally be fine with you. So why... why did it still happen now that he’s with you?"