Asher's Heart

Chapter 40

"I'll just go ahead and say it,"  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm not at all freaking out that you flew me all the way here to L. A."

Asher chuckled and slammed the door of his car. This time a customized silver Aston Martin DB11.

I followed him outside and stared up at the building. "What are we doing here?" I asked.

"I thought... Well, I don't know what I thought. But it sure wasn't this," I looked at him.

He shoved the keys into his pocket and let his hand stay there. "Let's get this over with," he muttered and walked towards the entrance.

"You coming or what?" he looked over his shoulder at me, having not moved a single step away from the car.

I nodded and shuffled over to him. When I reached him, he took my hand in his and squeezed, his other hand still in his pocket. I looked at his face and gave him a warm smile. He returned it, but it quite didn't reach his eyes. I was pulling him inside with me when he stopped me.

"I forgot something," he said and jogged down to his car. He came again with a pair of shades covering his eyes.

I snorted.

"As if that would keep people from recognizing you," I said.

"It'll make them act less obvious," he shrugged. I raised my eyebrow. "Maybe," he added.

I took his hand in mine and we entered through the glass doors. The hospital smelled and looked the way it was supposed to. The receptionist smiled her usual bright smile when she looked up from her computer. Her eyes went big when she recognized Asher.

"Good afternoon. H-how may I help you, Sir?" she stuttered once.

Asher leaned in close and said something in a low voice. The girl nodded and fumbled with the computer keys.

"Room 84B, sixth floor," she said, smiling brightly.

"Thank you," I said. Her eyes flitted to me and I smiled at her. She smiled in return.

We got into an elevator and stood side by side, not saying anything. I had done my enough share of eavesdropping to know exactly what or rather who awaits us. And I had no idea how I felt about that. What should I feel?

Asher turned to me before turning the knob of Room 84B.

"Um... I don't know what to say," he confessed.

"It's okay. Don't say anything," I said. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to hear anything that he had to say. But it was me who wanted to know so it didn't leave me in a place to complain.

The door opened to a large room with a queen sized bed in the middle. I didn't see much because my eyes were fixed on the person that lay there. My feet moved on their own until I was standing at the foot of the bed.

A girl, not too older than me was lost in sleep, her face pale and blank. It looked lifeless just like her limp hair. I looked up from her to Asher who was standing by the windows and staring out.

"Who is she?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

He looked at me then at her, his face expressionless.

He came over and sat beside her, on the edge of the bed.

"Her name is Lily," he said. He brushed her hair away from her face with gentle fingers.

"She's—"

"Calla's mother," I said.

He turned his head back to look at me, a trace of surprise covering his face before it went back to being solemn.