Chapter 39 Another One in the Hospital
“You’ve got to tread carefully when picking caregivers nowadays. Some might not be kind to the elderly when you’re not looking, and that could spell disaster, Felicia warned. Clearly well-versed in the subject, she shared a wealth of advice with Sabrina.
Sabrina had no experience in this area, so she listened attentively.
Having taken several days off, Sabrina went to Sharon to finalize her leave days.
Inside the office, Sharon casually inquired about what had transpired during her time off and offered to help if needed. Sabrina was pleasantly surprised. She had not expected Sharon to care so much.
“Thank you, but we’re managing for now,” she said.
“A few years ago, my grandfather was also in the hospital. I hired a caregiver who turned out to be pretty good. I can give you her contact if you want it,” Sharon offered. She knew that juggling work and taking care of family members was a daunting task.
Moreover, Sharon was more than eager to help Sabrina, who was known for her dedication and meticulousness at work.
Sabrina was pleasantly surprised to hear that. She had been thinking about how to find a caregiver, and now that there was a suitable candidate, things seemed to be falling into place.
“You have no idea how much I appreciate this. Finding a caregiver for Grandpa has been on my mind,” Sabrina replied, her voice tinged with genuine relief.
Sharon smiled, found the contact in her phone, and sent it to Sabrina. “Call her when you can. And do meet her first. If she doesn’t meet your expectations, feel free to look elsewhere. You don’t have to feel obligated to me.”
With that a*surance from Sharon, Sabrina felt even more relieved. It was important to her that she found the right person to take care of her grandfather.
By the time noon rolled in, Sabrina finally carved out a moment to call the caregiver.
During their conversation that spanned over half an hour, she felt a*sured that the woman on the other end was quite trustworthy. However, phone calls could only reveal so much, so Sabrina arranged a face-to -face meeting for that evening.
The moment they agreed on the time and place, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest.
Just as she was settling back into work after lunch, her phone rang.
An unknown number flashed on the screen, and a sinking feeling told her that it was not going to be good news. Trembling, she answered.
It was Ada on the other end.
“Sabrina, Barry got a*saulted. He’s in the hospital.”
Wait, what? What happened? Why had someone attacked him?
Sabrina was stunned. First Grandpa, and now Barry?
She had just returned to the office from her leave, but it couldn’t be helped. This was an emergency.
She rushed to Sharon to apply for another leave. Fortunately, Sharon was quite understanding.
As she dashed to the hospital, a torrent of questions swirled through Sabrina’s mind.
‘Had Barry picked a fight or was someone out for revenge? And if so, who could it be? He had just moved here. Who could bear a grudge against him?’
Anxiety and dread gripped her as she sped toward the medical facility. She feared for her brother’s well- being.
Finally, she arrived at the hospital. After asking several nurses, she located Barry’s room.
His injuries were severe but not life-threatening. The doctor informed her that he had two broken ribs, a fractured shin, and a concussion.
The news sent a shiver down her spine.
While Barry still lay unconscious, Ada sat nearby, also with visible injuries but in better shape.
Seeing Sabrina, Ada stood up awkwardly to greet her. She tried to flash her a smile but failed to muster
one.
“What on earth happened? Why was Barry attacked? Did you guys provoke someone?” Sabrina questioned, barely above a whisper to avoid waking her brother.
Ada hesitated, then finally spoke, “It’s my fault. My ex got jealous seeing me with Barry and attacked him. I couldn’t stop it.”
‘Ah, so that’s why.’ Understanding washed over Sabrina. With Ada’s stunning looks, it was easy to see why an ex would be jealous. Poor Barry was caught in the crossfire.
“Seems like your ex didn’t go soft on him. Where is he now? He can’t just beat someone up and run away.” Ada seemed even more uneasy but she didn’t say anything, adding weight to Sabrina’s suspicions.
“Ada, where did you both go today? My brother said he went to look for a job, and somehow, you guys ran into your ex-boyfriend on the way. Barry is seriously injured, but the culprit is nowhere to be found. What the hell happened?”
Sabrina did not want to jump to the worst conclusions, but Ada’s ex-boyfriend really was not to be seen. “His family has influence. Reporting him might not…”
The unspoken implications struck Sabrina. ‘So should I just accept that Barry was supposed to just suffer for nothing?”
“Don’t worry, Sabrina. I’ve already called the police. I owe your brother an explanation, and I will find a way to make it right,” Ada said, trying to offer some solace.
Honestly, Sabrina felt a slight resentment toward Ada at that moment, but she tried to remain civil and said, “You’re injured too, you should go home. I’ve taken leave from work and will stay here to look after my brother. Before you go, could you please ch*ck in on my grandpa?”
Sabrina had already arranged for a caregiver for her grandfather, but now it seemed she had to hire another one for Barry. He was not in good shape, and his road to recovery was clearly going to be a long
one.
Ada did not refuse. Before going home to rest, she went to ch*ck on Parker, who was still in a coma with no signs of waking up.
As the workday drew to a close, Curtis had planned to burn the midnight oil when something Daniel had said earlier that morning popped into his head.
He dialed Sabrina’s number. The first call went unanswered, causing Curtis to frown as he thought, ‘She’s just an admin; how could she be busier than me?’
He called her again. This time, he waited as the phone rang on for what seemed like forever. Just when he thought it was going to be disconnected, Sabrina finally answered.
