No Strings Attached

Chapter 49

Clara raced to the hospital, her heart pounding in her chest as she learned that her father, was in the emergency room, fighting for his life.

She made her way to the prison guard standing by, her voice trembling slightly.

“How’s my dad doing?”

“He’s in the middle of resuscitation. We still don’t have a clear picture. He attempted suicide by slashing his wrists, and lost quite a bit of blood. He just had heart surgery, which complicates things.”

Upon hearing these words, Clara staggered back, nearly collapsing onto the floor. The guard quickly steadied her, expressing concern, “Ms. Clara, try to stay calm. A specialist just went in. I believe Mr. Casey will pull through.”

Clara fought to keep her emotions in check, her tears at bay, and looked at the guard, “How did my father try to take his life?”

The guard hesitated before answering, “Mr. Casey was down all of yesterday, and he looked really pale. We thought it was his heart condition acting up, so we brought him in for a check–up. But he managed to swipe a glass vial while the nurse was setting up ant IV. Back at the prison, he smashed the vial in the restroom and cut his wrists. By the time we found him, there was blood everywhere, and Mr. Casey was unconscious.”

of this information. She had an idea why her father might have

herself to secure

doors of the emergency room swung open,

and stumbled forward. “Doctor,

mask and said, “The patient’s heart surgery has a secondary infection, combined with excessive blood loss. He’s still in a coma and is not out of the woods yet. We need to move

with feigned composure, “Okay, I understand.”

as her father was wheeled into the ICU, surrounded by a myriad of beeping machines. For a moment, she felt her world

so afraid, not even when her father went in for heart surgery, because she believed in the power of modern medicine. But this was

enveloped in despair, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.