Linger

I'll Be Waiting For You

"Irika ...." Kalea's heart ached again when it was not her name that slid free from Gavin's lips for the first time.

But, putting aside her own feelings, Kalea quickly pressed the bell button available next to the bed as a call for the medical team to come to check on Gavin.

Kalea had not given much thought to her heartache, the most important thing now was that they had to immediately check on Gavin to know the next step they had to take.

Shortly after, doctors and nurses came to the ICU. They instructed Kalea to come out while they did the examination.

Kalea understood, so she immediately got up from her seat and was about to go out. However, Gavin's hand that was still in his grasp suddenly clasped his hand back, as if holding him back from leaving.

Kalea was glued for a moment to the link of their hands, then gently, she let go of Gavin's hand. Afterwards, he looked at Gavin for a bit, smiling even though he was not sure if he could recognize him or not.

Then, Kalea immediately came out to make it easier for the medical team to conduct an examination.

In front of the ICU room, Karel was still faithfully waiting for him. Since Gavin was first treated, the man has never been absent to drive him to the hospital, accompany him until late at night and then take him home to be brought here again the next day.

"What happened to Gavin? Why are the medical teams coming in droves?" karel asked in panic. The man was sitting in the waiting chair, until then the medical team ran to the ICU room so that made him panic instead of playing.

"Gavin .. is conscious." Kalea's voice was suppressed. This is strange, when he should be happy because Gavin finally regained consciousness after a hundred more days of sleep. But he felt his chest so tight.

"Gavin was conscious, Rel," he repeated, followed by tears that suddenly dripped and in an instant he began to sob.

Karel was clearly panicking. He doesn't know what's really going on inside the ICU because only one person is allowed in at a time. He walked forward, pulling Kalea into a hug to help the woman finish her crying.

"It's okay, cry." His whisper. The rubble he gave now was not only lodged on Kalea's back, but also on the strands of the woman's hair.

Kalea cried long enough in Karel's arms. Until suddenly, she pulled away from Karel's embrace and turned to the door of the ICU room when the doctor and nurse who had entered appeared from there.

"Where's Gavin doing, doc?" Karel represented the question Kalea was about to ask. The man held onto Kalea's shoulder, continuing to give subtle strokes to finish the remaining stuffing.

"So far, the patient's condition can be said to be good. But we still have to do an examination to see if there is a decline in brain function and other organs post-coma that patients experience." Obviously the doctor.

"For the next few days, patients will still have to be admitted to the ICU to be monitored for further progression. We help prayer so that the patient's condition can improve and immediately transferred to the ward." Continue the doctor.

Karel nodded in understanding. Then the doctor and some nurses resigned after informing that patients can still be visited with a note not to be invited to communicate too much because they were worried that the patient would be too forced to work his brain.

"Our prayers have been heard with God" whispered Karel after they were alone in front of the ICU. "Don't cry anymore, Gavin won't be happy to see you cry. Choco must also be tired you keep sad." Reciprocity.

Kalea did not answer, she muttered to herself in her heart. The name that Gavin first mentioned was not his name, but the name of another woman.

Kalea could not say that to Karel. Because, the slack of Irina and Taruna is really only a secret between her, Mother and Papa Jonathan. He decides not to tell Karel and his parents for fear that they will corner Gavin.

"Udah, yes, don't cry anymore." Whisper Karel again, and Kalea can only nod.

...****************...

Two hours later, Kalea ventured back into the ICU. Gavin fell asleep again, making him feel afraid that Gavin's sleep this time will make the man will not wake up again.

Kalea sat down on the chair, looking at Gavin for quite a while before finally reaching back to grab the man's hand for him to keep in his grasp. The hand was already not as cold as before, making the fear diminish again a little.

"Thank you for waking up, brother." That was the first sentence he said after being silent for quite a while. His gaze was fixed straight at the hand Gavin was holding.

"Honestly, I was sad when you said Irina's name." His brother, feels that only in front of Gavin can he complain about this. "But that's okay, I won't think negatively about you. It's okay, brother. It's okay." Over time, his voice shrank, and he came back crying. Although this time his cries tend to be calmer and not to sob.

"Slow down, yes, brother. Let's solve our problems slowly."

"Irina ..." - Gavin suddenly cried, making Kalea hurriedly wipe her tears and look at Gavin who had opened her eyes.

"Irina ..." - Gavin again.

"Would you like to meet Irina? Want me to get Irina here?" bargain Kalea, with all her heart held tightness in her chest as she had to repeatedly mention the name of the woman.

He was about to get up from the chair (even though he could not be agile because of his enlarged stomach), but Gavin clasped his hands tightly as if he did not want him to leave.

"I went out for a second to call Irina. You want to see him, right?" tanyanya, trying to let go of Gavin's hand grip.

However, Gavin shook his head slowly. Then, Kalea was made to panic when Gavin suddenly moved to open the oxygen mask attached to help the man breathe. Kalea was about to reattach the oxygen mask, but Gavin hinted for her to sit down again.

"Danger, Gavin. Your condition is still unstable, still need-"

"Irina," interrupted Gavin, making Kalea clench her lips tightly.

"It's about Irina" said Gavin again, with a voice so soft and breath that looks hard to take. The man's look looked sad.

"Irina why?" Kalea asked patiently. Gavin's grip was tightening, and he could only return the grip while trying to gather strength to hear whatever Gavin was going to say.

"Irina .. nope ... Irina's not pregnant with my son, Kal." Gavin said with great difficulty.

"I never .. never touch him, I-"

"Yes, I know." Kalea nodded her head, her tears melting again without being prevented.

"I know, Gavin. I know." Deuteronomy. Then, he helped Gavin to put his oxygen mask back on because the man still looked tired to breathe on his own without the help of a ventilator.

"I know you want to explain a lot of things to me, but no need to rush. Slow down, Gavin. I'm not going anywhere." A smile is offered amid a still-unsettled cry.

"Slow down, okay?" he repeated, then his tears broke even more as the water he saw Gavin's tears melt.

Seriate

Kal, Vin, let's finish, son, I'm tired of seeing your life drama 😭😭