Coastal Love 13 Back to Dad

I was about to take that shower when another call came. I was smiling thinking it was Nate.

But I was tensed immediately when I saw Pamela, my evil stepmom on the caller id. I knew right there and then, that something bad had happened.

No...no...no...dad!

"Marissa, you need to come home. Your father had a heart attack. He was mumbling your name just before he went unconscious." Then she informed me, the hospital details and his room number then she hung up. I was used to her treating me like that, so I quickly called his lawyer, who was also a close family friend, checking for his update.

"Hello, Albert. My stepmom just called saying that my dad was hospitalized for a heart attack. I assume you already know about this?" I asked him a bit stuttered.

"Yes, Marissa dear, my sympathy. His partner already called me this morning. He had been talking about you lately. I know about your situation. I'll be visiting him tonight. Maybe I'll see you there, then we could talk some more?" He sounded sincere and a bit worried.

"Oh, Albert...I'm out of the city, I will pack for an overnight stay at the hospital. Yes, I will definitely see you there. I'll be there in two maybe three hours maximum." Then I cried on the phone, he was telling me that my father was still actually cared about me and that I needed to be patient with him.

We hangup moments later and I was packing my stuff, I texted Nate about my dad. I know he was still in his meeting so I let him be. Then I called Archie, he told me to take as much time as I needed.

"Thank you, Archie, I'm so sorry that I had to leave like this...." I was crying again. He was comforting me on the other line.

"There... let it all out kiddo. I'm sure you will face this with your head held high. I have faith in you. You're strong Marissa. Just call me if you need me okay? I want to help you if I could." He was being so kind to me, making me sob again.

We finally said goodbye after I calmed myself down. I was still packing my stuff when Nate called.

"Marissa, I just got your text, I'm on my way there." He said in a hurry.

"Nate, I'm good. I'm still packing. I could take the last bus from here. Then take a cab to the hospital, you don't have to...." My voice was croaked, I was crumbling down again.

"Hey...hey...baby, just stay there. I'm already on my way to my meeting. I'll be there in an hour. I don't want you taking the bus at night in your current state okay? Just make yourself a cup of coffee calm yourself down and wait for me. You'll get to the hospital faster than taking the bus anyway." He was talking to me patiently.

"Okay, I guess it'll be faster than the bus. Thank you for doing this. You shouldn't have to, but thank you." I told him as I calmed myself down again.

He arrived at the cottage an hour later, he hugged me as I took in his warmth. I felt safe with him like I could actually face this. He helped me with my overnight bag and locked up the cottage as he told me to wait for him in the car. I was so tired, I was drained from all of the emotions. I slept all the way to the hospital.

"Baby, wake up...we're here." He kissed my temple and caressed my cheek waking me up.

He helped me with my bag as we walked to the hospital. He said nothing, he just held my hand the entire time. Then we reached his room. My dad looked pale, there was no one there just as I predicted.

"I'm going to give you some privacy and get us some dinner and coffee okay? I'll just put your bag over here. Call me if you need anything." Nate told me as he kissed my temple and left me alone with my dad. I nodded said my thankyou before letting him leave the room.

My tears fall seeing him so pale and lifeless, having the thought that I might lose him too. I quickly got to his bedside and kissed his pale cheek.

"Oh, dad. I'm so sorry, I love you. Please wake up. Please don't leave me." But he was not waking up, so I stayed by him just holding his hand while my tears kept on trickling down my cheeks.

A nurse came moments later, she was changing his IVs and getting his vitals while taking her notes. I got up and stand by the foot of his bed, to give her some space to do her stuff.

"He will be fine miss. You're the first person I saw since yesterday when he was admitted. Are you his family?" It broke my heart that he was all alone since yesterday. That my evil stepmom didn't even come to see him.

"His daughter, blood-related. My stepmom just informed me this afternoon. Can I speak to the doctor? When is he scheduled to visit? Is he in serious condition? Please tell me something." I was crying, I was suddenly having a panic attack. I was furious that his new family left him in the hospital alone since yesterday. I could've been with him since yesterday.

Then Nate came just in time to see me break down. He put down our coffee and food bag and came quickly to my side.

"Hey, baby. Shh...he's going to be okay. They're taking good care of him." He hugged me in his arms. The nurse looked at me sympathetically.

"I will let his doctor know that you requested him, I have to check his shift. But your father is stable for now, and he's under sedation but he could still hear you. So, maybe you can talk to him." She gave me her sincere smile and excused herself to tend to other patients.

Nate was ushering me to sit down on the sofa. And gave me coffee, he just stays there rubbing my arms as I lay my head on his shoulder. He kept on calming me down and caressed my knuckles once in a while making sure that I know he was still there.

"Baby, you should eat first then you can sit back down by your father's side. You can't be sick too if you wanted to take care of your father."

We ate dinner and had our coffee. "Nate, thank you for all of this," I said to him, I just couldn't seem to thank him enough. He had done so much for me in a couple of hours than anyone ever did for me since mom died.

"Marissa, stop that. I'm here for you. You just have to know that." He was about to say more when Albert showed up. He looked surprised to see me in a man's arm but he was keeping the thought for himself.

"Albert! Thank you for coming." I quickly got up and hugged him and smiled at him.

"Marissa my dear, I'm glad to see that you had arrived here safely. And who might this be?" He was asking and acting like he was my father now.

"Albert, this is Nathaniel Davies. Nate, this is Albert Simmons, my father's lawyer, and his best friend and now apparently acting as my second father." I grinned at him and put my head on his bulky torso. I missed him. Then I cried again on his chest.

Nate got up and shook his hand, and was about to comfort me when Albert beat him to it. "Hey now, your dad wouldn't want to see you sad. You have to be strong my child. I know he had made some mistakes."

"Marissa, I'm going to leave you for a while and get all of us some coffee. Mr. Simmons, thank you for being here with Marissa. I will give you some privacy with them." With that, he excused himself and leave the room.

Albert and I talked about dad, he talked to me about how dad was finding a second wife solely to give me a mother figure, how he thought that my stepsisters would be a great companion for me after losing my mother.

I cried my heart out to Albert telling him about how his wife abused me and how dad would never believe anything that I said to him. I showed him my almost healed bruises on my stomach.

"My goodness, I never knew. Why didn't you tell me any of these? Why did you run away?" He was hugging me again in his arms. I could feel the rage in him. I could see that he was trying to calm himself down.

"I thought dad love them. I thought that they meant more to him now. So I just left, oh Albert what if I killed him? I did give him the heart attack, she told me that. I don't want him to die."

"Oh fuck that bitch. I'm going to make sure your dad knows about this. Sorry about the language...." Then we talked some more about where I have been and about Nate.

"He seemed older than you, are you sure about him? I know that he saved you from your suicide. God Marissa, I still couldn't believe that you would ever consider that shortcut. Damn! Pamela really break you didn't she? my sweet sweet Marissa. I'm really sorry you have to go through all this. I'm glad that you have Nate. But take it slow okay? You have been through a lot. I'm going to have a word with him after this." His words were threatening making me finally smile at him.

"Thank you, Albert, yes you can talk to him. I'm just glad to have you on my side. The last two years had been hell for me. I should've talked to you, I realized that now."