The Shock (1)

The Shock (1)


Nico

“What happened to my sister?” Lucia asked anxiously.

Serena lay inside the bedroom, still unconscious, while the doctor checked her health. He wrapped the cuff around her arm and measured her blood pressure. It wasn’t high. In fact, everything seemed normal. That made the situation even more confusing. Just a short while ago, Serena had been perfectly fine. She had breakfast with everyone and talked as well. So what went wrong? Why did she suddenly faint?

“I don’t know, Lucia,” I said honestly. “She seemed happy all day. She even ate properly this morning. Maybe it was the sun… but it wasn’t that hot either. It doesn’t make sense.”
I paused, worry filling my chest. “Unless she pushed herself too hard again.”

The doctor finally straightened up and turned to us.
“Mr. Romano,” she said calmly, “your wife’s condition is not serious. She has simply fainted. Her blood pressure is normal. However, I strongly suggest taking her to the hospital for a full check-up. There might be some deficiencies. She hasn’t been eating well.”
She hesitated before adding, “I suggested this last time too, but she refused. Still, I believe a complete set of tests is important.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’ll arrange for the tests to be done at home. You know Serena, she panics when she hears the word ‘hospital.’ Please write down all the required tests.”

The doctor smiled gently. “I’ll prepare the list right away.”

I turned to Lucia. “Take the list from her and give it to Luca. Ask him to call the doctors here as soon as possible.”

Lucia nodded, her face serious.

When everyone stepped out, I went back inside the bedroom. Serena lay quietly on the bed. She looked peaceful, as if she were only sleeping. But I knew better. Her skin looked pale, and her body seemed thinner than before.

I sat beside her and gently took her hand. It felt weak in mine, and that scared me more than anything.

“Hey,” I whispered softly. “I’m here.”

She didn’t respond. Her eyes remained closed. I brushed my thumb over her cheek and rested my head near her hand, praying silently.

After a few minutes, she stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she looked at me with confusion.

“When did I come here?” she asked weakly.

“You fainted in the garden,” I said gently. “I brought you inside.”

She tried to sit up, but I stopped her. “How do you feel, Dove?”

She looked at me for a long moment, as if searching for the right words. “I… I’m fine,” she said softly.

But the very next second, her face turned pale. She covered her mouth and rushed to the bathroom. I followed her quickly. She barely made it in time before throwing up. Everything she had eaten came out.

“Serena!” I exclaimed, kneeling beside her.
“Are you okay?”

She held onto the toilet, tears streaming down her face. “Nico… I feel so dizzy.”

I wiped her mouth gently and lifted her in my arms, carrying her back to the bed. “I’m here,” I whispered. “Everything will be okay.”

She was shivering now. She clung to me tightly, burying her face in my chest. I kissed her forehead, my heart breaking at the sight of her like this. I hated feeling so helpless.

After some time, there was a knock on the door.

Lucia walked in, followed by a doctor and a nurse.

“Marie,” Serena murmured weakly.

It was the same doctor Serena and Luca had hired before, along with the nurse.

“We’re here to draw blood for the tests,” the doctor said.

Serena frowned. “Whose tests?” she asked, clearly unhappy.

“Yours,” I replied calmly. “The doctor suggested it.”

“No!” she said immediately. Her voice was sharp despite her weakness.

I sighed and held her hand. “Serena, you’ve been very sick lately. You’re weak. You fainted today. This isn’t normal, love. We need to find out what’s wrong.”

She snapped, anger flashing in her eyes. “I know what’s wrong with me!”

“I won’t get the tests done,” she said stubbornly.

Before I could respond, Lucia suddenly stepped forward, holding her stomach.

“What happened?” I asked her.

“Nothing,” Lucia said quickly. “I’m fine.”

But her face told a different story.

“I’m just having extreme stomach pain,” she added quietly. “Like my endometriosis pain.”

Serena immediately turned toward her. “What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, nothing,” Lucia said, brushing it off. “I’ll be fine.”

“I asked you something,” Serena said firmly.

“But I said I’m fine.”

“No symptom is normal,” Serena snapped. “You need to get it checked!”

Lucia scoffed. “Look who’s talking,” she said sarcastically.
“Until you get a full body check-up, I won’t go. I cry myself to sleep every day because of the pain, and you still act like this!”

“That’s dangerous,” Serena whispered, suddenly worried.

“I don’t care!” Lucia shouted back.

Serena looked at me helplessly. “Nico, tell her.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “Neither of you listens to me. What am I supposed to do?”

There was a long silence.

Finally, Serena sighed deeply. “Fine,” she muttered.
“You want to draw blood? Go ahead.”

Lucia tried to hide her smile, but I noticed it. I had the sudden urge to hug my sister-in-law. She was strange, dramatic, and annoying but she always got things done. Wait, I need to get her checked by doctor as well. 

As the doctor prepared the needle, Serena looked away and muttered angrily, “I already know what the test results will say. But if you all want to hear it so badly, go ahead.”

Her mood shifted suddenly. She looked irritated, almost furious, and I couldn’t understand why. One moment, she was weak and scared; the next, she was cold and distant.

Something was wrong. 

However, nothing on earth had ever prepared me for the results that were yet to come. 
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Author Note: Lets try to have normal updates from now on. Starting January, I will post daily. Please leave comments so that I know that you all are here.