An Unexpected Call

Mark, wearing a white polo with a clip-on nametag that read “Mark R.” on it, and khaki pants, arrived at the car carrying his suit, violin, and bookbag.

“There’s her car,” Mark thought as he approached the car. He opened the passenger side door, and saw Mai sitting there, staring up to him with a silent expression. “Oh crap…is she…mad at me? I can’t tell. She’s just…staring at me. Is she…judging me?” Mark worried as he uncontrollably took a step back from the car.

“Did you want to sit here? I’m sorry. I can move to the back if you want,” Mai said as she slowly reached for the seatbelt.

“N-No it’s alright. I just didn’t know that Chloe was giving someone else a ride. I didn’t even know that you two knew each other,” Mark replied back softly as he motioned with a hand that he was going to close the door.

Mai scooted into the seat more, giving Mark room to close the door. Once she looked back at him, Mark closed the door. He then opened up the rear door, placed his belongings in the car, walked around to the driver side, and sat behind Chloe.

“Y’know Mark…not your smoothest moment. You just slammed a door in front of the cutest girl here. You owe her an apology, puppet master. Just look at her face,” Chloe teased and pointed to Mai as Mai looked blankly at her.

“Why is he apologizing?” Mai asked as she looked back at Chloe with a soft and confused expression on her face. “It’s fine. He did no harm. Also…do you really think I’m the cutest girl here?” she asked softly as she pointed a finger at herself.

“Well, let’s see what Mark thinks. Mark, who’s the cutest girl here?” Chloe said cheerfully as she turned around and flashed a smile. Mai slowly turned her head from Chloe towards Mark as well. Her face was stoic as she quietly stared at the nervous and flustered Mark.

“What is she doing?” Mark thought to himself as he leaned away from them subconsciously. His frantic eyes began darting back between the two of them behind his lenses, and they started fogging up. “I-I…I think I’m going to be really late to work today,” he finally answered as he took off his glasses to clean them off.

“Smart answer. It’s fun to see you get flustered like that,” Chloe said as she turned back around and started the car. Then, she got out of the parking lot and headed towards the convenience store that Mark worked at.

“That’s not very nice of you. Quite unlike you in fact,” Mai said quietly as she looked back down at the roses. She then silently started feeling the soft and silky rose petals from her makeshift bouquet.

“It’s alright, we’ve known each other since we were young. She’s always teased me and my brother. I’m used to this…kinda,” Mark answered while rubbing his neck. “Don’t worry Mai. Chloe’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. She just likes to tease us is all.”

Chloe flashed a quick smile into the rearview mirror, and then stuck out her tongue with a wink on her face. “Guilty as charged,” she said as she continued driving.

“You…and your brother?” Mai asked softly as she thought about what Mark said about Chloe teasing him. “Did your brother come out and support you tonight?”

Mark turned his attention to look outside his window. His expression changed from the flustered and nervousness he had before, to a sad and more somber look. “No…he didn’t…”

“H-How about that performance? You two did really well! Isn’t that great?” Chloe said as she tried to change the subject.

Mai noticed the sudden change in the conversation and hung her head down slightly. “I’m sorry Mark…I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t know that was a touchy subject,” Mai said quietly. “Too far Sasaki. You should’ve known after hearing his conversation with Naomi. That’s why he was feeling down,” she thought silently and carefully.

“Don’t worry Mai…you couldn’t have known,” Mark answered back quietly. “I knew you wouldn’t show up…but mom and Alexa didn’t show up either?” he thought as he let out a disappointed sigh.

After a couple moments of awkward silence, Mark’s phone started vibrating loudly. He hesitantly took a glance at the caller ID. “The hospital? Why am I getting a call from the hospital?” he asked himself and answered the phone. “H-Hello…yes, this is Mark Reyes speaking…wait…what do you mean…I-I’ll be there soon!” he said loudly as the call ended.

“What’s wrong?” Chloe asked as she looked back in the rearview mirror.

“Chloe, my family is in the hospital! Forget about my job, can you please take me to the hospital? I’m sorry Mai, I don’t want to take up your time when you would probably want to be home, but I need to see my family!” Mark pleaded as he grabbed onto the back of their seats.

Chloe, hearing the urgency in his voice, changed her direction to head straight for the hospital center. Her usual cheery smile and demeanor quickly shriveled up as she gripped the steering wheel with an intense aura around her. Like a mother bear worried for her cubs, Chloe looked like she could tear the head off of somebody.

Mai, though silent this entire time, was tapping her right finger onto the back of her left hand as if she were fidgeting around uneasily. “Is there anything I can say here?” Mai thought as she continued tapping.

A few minutes of borderline reckless driving later, they arrived at the hospital. Chloe pulled up to the front entrance of the hospital, and Mark leaped out of the car, making a break for the doors. Mai, though slower, also got out of the car to go with Mark, leaving her roses in the seat.

Once they both left the car, Chloe drove to the parking lot and luckily found a parking spot close by. After a hastily performed parking job, she ran in her heels all the way to the entrance.

Meanwhile, Mark and Mai were at the front desk of the hospital.

“I’m looking for Damian and Alexa Reyes!” Mark shouted impatiently to the receptionist. “I’m their older brother!”

“Sir, Damian is in room 310, and Alexa is not able to take visitors at this time,” the receptionist replied softly as she looked down at her clipboard. “310 is on the 3rd floor by the bathroom,” she added.

“Why can’t I see my sister?” Mark asked as his voice changed from frustration to sorrow in that single question.

“I’m sorry sir, but she’s in no condition to have visitors now,” the receptionist answered back softly.

“’No condition’…what does that mean?” Mark questioned to himself.

As he tried to put pieces of an incomplete puzzle together, he felt a slight tug from behind him. That slight, almost faint tug sent Mark recoiling back to a calmer and more down to earth state.

“C’mon, let’s go visit your brother,” Mai said softly as she walked towards the elevator near them while holding onto a piece of his shirt, guiding, and urging him. “Try to be helpful,” she thought to herself as her pace suddenly got faster trying to keep up with Mark’s longer strides.

Chloe burst through the hospital doors, managed to see the two of them heading towards the elevator, and sprinted towards them like a track runner in the final stretch of a race. “Wait for me!”

As Mark and Mai turned to see Chloe headed towards them, the elevator door opened up, and the three of them step foot into the elevator.

“Do you have an idea what happened?” Chloe asked Mark worriedly.

“I…I don’t know. They won’t let me see Alexa,” Mark responded. His body seemed to shrivel up as he answered, as if not sure whether to let tears run, or if to send a fist flying into the bare, cold, metal elevator. “We’re going to see Damian now, but they didn’t say anything about my parents,” he added. Then, a thought creeped into the back of his mind. “If my parents aren’t here, and they didn’t tell me what’s going on…then where are they?” He shuddered at the thought, and clenched his fists tightly, digging his nails into the palm of his hand.

Chloe and Mai both noticed Mark and his emotional body language. As Mai took a step away to give him space, Chloe took a step towards Mark and held onto him tightly. “I know you’re scared…I’m scared too…but take a deep breath,” she whispered softly into his ear.

Mark, with Chloe’s words lingering in his ears, took an unsteady breath in and out.

The elevator, after what seemed like an eternity, eventually came to a stop. After another eternity, the doors proceeded to open. The metallic creak of the elevator sent a wave of uneasiness into the three of them.

As they headed out of the elevator, Mai, who’s been mostly stoic up to this point, showed a slight flinch and hesitation. Trailing behind the two, Mai uncharacteristically walked with slow and heavy steps. “It still scares me…” she thought as she continued to walk behind them.

They finally reached the room. Mark hesitantly knocked on the door, awaiting permission. After the nurse opened the door, she looked at Mark patiently. She could see the nametag on his shirt that read “Mark R.” and said “You must be his brother. Visiting hours end in 10 minutes. You’re welcome to talk with him, but I’m afraid it can’t be long. He needs his rest.”

Mark nodded and headed into the room quietly. Once he was able to see Damian, his heart seemed to skip a beat. Damian, wearing a hospital gown and laying stiff on his inclined bed, turned his head away from his brother. The television was off, as well as any other semblance of distraction or noise. The only noise was Mark’s heart, beating into his ears like a drum. Chloe and Mai entered the room behind him but stood behind the wall where the bathroom was.

“Damian…what happened? How are you feeling?” Mark managed to muster.

Keeping his gaze at one of the walls of the room, Damian clenched his hands into a fist. “How am I feeling?” He asked with a sarcastic laugh. “I don’t know…I can’t feel my legs…I still can’t feel them…”

“What do you mean you can’t feel your le-“

“And it’s your fault!” Damian interrupted as he turned back to stare at his older brother. “You and your stupid performance! I didn’t even want to go!” He shouted as angry tears filled his eyes. “Mom and dad are gone!” Damian continued as his anger turned into sadness.

“G-Gone?” Mark said sheepishly. Sadness started taking over him and his breathing became harder to control.

“Seeing the accident happen, Mom trying to protect Alexa with her body…watching paramedics pull Alexa’s limp body out of the car and onto a stretcher…” Damian continued harshly through painful and agonizing tears.

“Damian…I’m sor-“

“Save your apologies…That won’t bring mom and dad back…” Damian finished as he looked down, away from Mark’s eyes.

After hearing everything being said, Chloe seemed to grow more and more upset. “If he’s blaming Mark, then it’s my fault too. I also urged them to come watch. It’s…also my fault that he’s hurt…” She thought selfishly. Chloe peered from behind the wall and walked over to Damian’s bedside.

The clinking of her heels made Damian direct his attention towards her.

“Hey Damian,” she said with a shaky voice.

Damian looked up to see Chloe standing over him with tears filling her eyes.

Damian reached over to her and pulled her into a hug. “Don’t cry Chloe. I’ll be alright. Don’t cry for me please…I hate seeing you cry…” he said softly into her ear.

“I should leave them…” Mark thought softly as he wiped his tears and headed towards the door.

*     *     *

Mai followed Mark out of the room and into the public waiting area on the floor. As they arrived there, they noticed the emptiness of the room. Not a single person was in the room with them. Mark sat down in the closest chair to the door, and Mai sat down a seat away from him, leaving an empty space in between them.

As Mai sat there, she noticed that her hands were involuntarily shaking, and quickly balled them into a fist. She then lightly slammed them down against her thighs.

The faint sound that came from Mai was enough to attract Mark’s attention. Mark noticed that her hands seemed to be trembling slightly, and her body seemed to betray the “calm and collected” look she had worn for majority of the day.

“Mai…are you feeling alright?” Mark asked hesitantly.

Mai looked aside to Mark and shook her head silently. “I…don’t like hospitals…”

Mark hung his head low, and then glanced back at Mai. “She’s still shaking…ever so slightly…” he thought to himself. “I’m very sorry for bringing you here. I can call you a taxi, or I can get Chloe to come back to take you home,” Mark offered as he pulled out his phone from his pocket.

“N-No, it’s alright. You don’t have to go through the trouble,” she replied softly. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the hospital before…my dad was very ill…” she continued quietly.

Mark, trying to cast aside his worries, took the seat that was separating them. “Would you like a hug? Would that help you calm down?”

Mai looked down at her lap. “Why is he asking me if I need a hug? He probably needs one more…” she thought.

Even though she hadn’t given him an answer, Mark leaned over and gave her a soft, friendly hug. As he did, Mai’s body tensed up for a second, and then relaxed itself. Her head slowly rested on his chest.

“His heart is racing…he’s still nervous” Mai thought quietly. “Would you also like a hug? I think you need one too.”

Mark replied with the faintest nod, and Mai returned a hug.

“I’m sorry your brother yelled at you. I know it isn’t any of my business,” she replied softly.

“It’s alright. Ever since we were little, we’ve always been at odds,” Mark answered softly.

“Is it because of Chloe?” Mai asked directly.

Mark nervously let out a chuckle. “I would like to think it was something else, but maybe you’re right. You’re surprisingly perceptive,” he complimented as he released his hug. His breathing had returned to normal at this point.

“Thanks…” Mai replied softly.

Meanwhile, immediately after Mark left Damian’s room…

“I’m really sorry Damian…what happened?” Chloe asked in tears.

“It’s not your fault. Some guy jumped in front of our car…and my dad swerved out of the way to avoid hitting him. Afterwards, another car came by, and…” Damian said quietly as his words stopped in their tracks.

“You don’t have to finish…” Chloe replied as she looked down at Damian’s sad and woeful face.

Damian took Chloe’s face and wiped away her tears. “I’m glad you’re here…you’ve always been very supportive of me. Going to my practices, helping me with my issues and struggles…and always wearing that cheerful smile on your face. It hurts me to see you like this.”

Damian’s soft-spoken words reassured Chloe, and she mustered a somewhat half-hearted smile. “Well, you are part of the reason why I wear it,” she said softly. Her smile seemed to be more genuine after that statement.

Damian started to fall unconscious. He was slipping in and out of sleep. “Hey…Chloe?” He managed weakly.

“Yes Damian? Are you alright?” she asked worriedly as she got closer to his face. Her body was looming over the bed like a mom tucking in her child in for bed.

“It’s just the medication I’m on…I’m not going to be awake for much longer…but I wanted to tell you something,” Damian responded quietly. “I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time…and I know this isn’t the best time…but I wanted to give my sister good news when she finally wakes up,” he continued.

“What do you mean? What is it?” Chloe asked worriedly.

“I…I’ve always loved spending time with you…even if I never showed appreciation at first. I can be a bit stubborn at times…I know,” Damian started.

“Try all the time,” Chloe joked softly. “And…I’ve always enjoyed spending time with you.”

Damian let out a light chuckle. “Yeah…even though this isn’t a good time for this…I…want to tell you that I have always valued and appreciated you in my life. I never got to tell you what a light you were for me and my family. We loved every moment you spent with us…every laugh…every hug…every smile…my family really loved you…and…I wish I would’ve said this to you before…but…I love you” Damian continued softly as.

“Y-You…really mean that?” Chloe asked softly with a breaking voice.

Damian was starting to doze off. As his vision of Chloe started to fade, he started thinking about his sister. “Yes…I love you…” he said briefly as he let out a tired sigh. “I…did it Alexa. Wake up soon alright? I want to tell you what I did…” he thought as his body fell into a deep sleep.

“Damian…I…I don’t know what to say…” Chloe thought as she was frozen in place by the Damian’s words. “There’s so much going on…I wish I could tell you an answer now…but…I don’t know…”

As Chloe started pondering in her head about what Damian said, the nurse came into the room, which caused Chloe to recoil slightly and turn her heads towards the door.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but visiting hours are over. We need him to get some rest,” said the nurse as she pointed at a circular clock showing that it was 8 o’ clock.

“I’m sorry Damian…I’ll let you rest…and I’ll try to regroup myself tonight. Hopefully, I can give you my response soon, but I can do this…” she thought as she leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Damian’s forehead. “Rest up Dami…” she said softly as she got up and left the room.

After walking towards the waiting room, Chloe arrived at the doorway just after Mark and Mai broke their hug. “Hey, he’s asleep now, and visiting hours are finished. We should probably head home,” Chloe said in a quiet manner. Damian’s confession still lingered in her head which made all of her other normal thoughts fade from existence.

Mai, without hesitation, stood up out of her seat. Mark, slightly trailing behind, also got up and followed Chloe out.

“I’m sorry Damian…Had I known that this would’ve happened, I wouldn’t have wanted you to go. I just wanted you all to see me…how selfish of me…” Mark thought angrily as they walked to Chloe’s car.

“Are you still going to work?” Mai asked in monotone as they entered the car.

Mark’s body seemed to hesitate and stiffen when she asked him. “No…I just let my co-worker know that I wasn’t going. He said he can cover me tonight,” Mark answered back softly.

Chloe started the car and drove towards Mai’s house. The ride was silent and heavy. No one seemed like they wanted to talk, or rather, no one seemed like they had anything to say. As they arrived, Mai had grabbed her flowers carefully in her hand. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Mark. I’m sorry for what happened to your family. I wish there were a way I could help,” Mai said as she turned to look at Mark.

“Don’t worry…I think I’ll be alright. I just need time…” Mark lied as he tried hard to hold his emotions inside of his throat.

“You’re putting up a face…just like me…” Mai thought silently as she turned away and got out of the car. “Thank you for the ride Chloe,” she said softly as she closed the car door and headed towards the front door of her house.

When she got there, she saw a grand bouquet of flowers leaning by the front door. Mai grabbed them along with her roses, took the keys from her jacket, and walked inside. Seeing Mai enter the house, Chloe drove off with Mark.

As Mai walked inside, she placed both sets of flowers next to each other on the kitchen table next to a vase of wilted flowers and noticed that there was a small note attached to the grand bouquet which read: “Hey Mai! I’m sorry I couldn’t make it tonight. I’m still overseas. Hopefully, these flowers made it on the right day. I love you! – Your Mother”

“Another note…” Mai thought disappointedly as she took the note and threw it away along with the wilted flowers in the vase. After a few seconds of staring at the two bouquets, she grabbed the roses she got from her performance and placed them inside the vase.

Meanwhile, Chloe and Mark had arrived at Chloe’s apartment.

“What are we doing here?” Mark asked quietly as he looked up at the apartment complex Chloe lived at.

“If you don’t mind, I want you to spend the night with me,” Chloe started softly.

Mark started to feel a sense of unease. It’s not like they haven’t had sleepovers before, but an impromptu one with just the two of them caught Mark off guard. “Spend…the night?” he thought.

“I don’t want you to go back home tonight. I…I want to make sure that you don’t do anything stupid…” Chloe continued as she got out of the car.

Without any rebuttal, Mark let out a sigh, grabbed his items, and headed with Chloe to the building.

“She is always looking out for me…” Mark thought deeply as he looked at Chloe who was walking beside him. “Why?”