Seven

He pleaded and, Karen, burst into laughter. 

“What use are you here?  Collapse if you so wish listen to me I need to embark on a life-changing mission. I want to search for the Leeuwenhoek son! Don't do anything that would make me… Well… Get your lazy self out of there and get started with work I have instructed.”

She commanded and walked out, leaving the doors open the AC from the hallway, blew Into Sebastian room, and he felt like he would pass away. He shivered and got himself up, moving towards the hallway to switch off the AC and just then, he slipped and fell to the ground, hitting his head hardly on a steel sculpture situated there.

“Sebastian!”

 Carissa,called immediately she heard a loud noise and ran to the scene.

“Karen! Sebastian!” she yelled her sister's name in fear but, she didn't answer she quickly took her phone and called her mother five missed calls before she picked.

“What is the problem? What?” 

“Mother Sebastian has fallen…” 

She wept touching him all over, his temperature was very hot, and her skins couldn't withstand it. Mrs. Cherry after hearing Carissa first sentence, hissed and hung up on her.

“Hello mother!” 

She called, but she already hanged up. She ran upstairs to call her aunt, but she was on a call after waiting for thirty minutes and her call seemed unending, she knocked at Karen's door, but she feigned to be sleeping.

“Karen! Sebastian has fallen.” 

She said, and Karen laughed walking out of her room with her heels.

“Sebastian shouldn't pull such tricks with me. How could he fall? A man of his height? His he a child learning his first step? I asked Sebastian, to clean up my shoes and prepare my stuff for a function I have tomorrow. You know, the Leeuwenhoek?” 

Karen, started explaining and Carissa felt impatient but she had to listen anyway.

“Sebastian declined speaking of tomorrow. Should I gamble words with that thing? I'm certain Sebastian, has pulled this string not to do that.”

She said and ran down the stairs holding her heels, she would hit it on him once she gets there. Carissa,, stopped her and tried raising Sebastian up, only to discover he was lying in a pool of blood.

“Karen!” she screamed so loud in fear and, Aunt Ava, queried as she came down.

“It's late, child, why screaming?”

“Because, she claimed Sebastian fell.” Karen, answered, laughing maliciously.

“No, Sebastian,is dead. I can't feel his pulse anymore.” 

“What?”

Aunt Ava asked in shock, walking towards Carissa,who held unto Sebastian wrist, looking at Karen, in fear. Karen, dropped her heels and walked towards her reluctantly as she felt his heartbeat And it was beating at a slower pace. Taking two minutes before coming up.

“He is still alive! Raise him up, he has planned this!.” 

She spoke wickedly and went to pick her heels.

“I will tame you if you don't drop that heel! What is your problem? Cherry has indeed brooded her kind. We are speaking about life here, and you are careless about it.” aunt Ava, scolded her.

“But, Aunt…” 

“Shut your trash, you spoiled brat.” she yelled at her. And Karen's phone rang it was miss cherry, and she didn't pick quickly, Carissa answered it.

“What happened?”

“Mother, Sebastian is dead.” Carissa broke the news and the phone went off.

Carissa, paced around the hospital while hitting her phone on her palm impatiently. She rushed towards the nurse who ran out of the emergency room where Sebastian was placed.

“Nurse…” 

She wanted to speak, but she smiled at her mildly and quickly walked away. Carissa tried calling Karen's phone, but she wasn't responding, she called her mom's phone, and it was busy.

Soon, the doctor walked out from the emergency room and Carissa ran to meet him.

“Doctor, how is he?” 

She asked, and the doctor sighed deeply while Carissa, tried to find hope by looking at his eyes, but she found non.

“To my office.” 

He replied and Carissa, quickly followed, carrying her little black handbag.

“Doctor… Please I don't want anything to happen to him, I really don't…”

“Is he your husband?” 

The Doctor asked, and Carissa stared at him. He wondered why the doctor will ask such questions.

“Yes doctor.”

“Well… Madam, I'm afraid I do not have any good news to disclose to you, but your husband has suffered from internal bleeding. He did lose quite a lot of blood also…”

“What does that mean? Is he is dead? I don't want him to die.” 

She muttered, and the doctor glanced at her, lost in his thoughts, seeing the body of a man brutally, burnt and currently the wife is showing great concern.

“Your husband is in a coma and he isn't responding to treatment.”

 It sounded like a ticking time bomb in Carissa's ear, hearing that. She shook her head repeatedly, disagreeing with whatever the doctor just said.

“How would you tell me he isn't responding to treatment? Isn't this one of the best hospitals? What do you mean by that?” 

Carissa asked angrily. She couldn't contain her displeasure. One thing she would forever regret is when Sebastian, dies she just wanted him to rise to greatness someday and disappoint her sister and Mom for calling him wretched and loser.

“This case is complicated.” The doctor began. “His heart isn't properly taken care of. I discovered he has pneumonia also, he has acquired numerous damage in his system.” 

He spoke and removed his stethoscope looking into the impatient eyes of Carissa, he wouldn't want to tell her this, but he should anyway.

“Your husband may be completely or partially blind. He needs a surgery also, he has a kidney failure he is suffering from…”

“Doctor, will Sebastian survive?” 

She interrupted his speech, gazing hopefully at his face. She wished he just gives a positive reply, all this information was too much for her to bear.

“He just has a 20% survival…”

“Alright, start up treatment… Do anything whatever.” 

She said in a rush, and the doctor sighed.

“We can only do our best, it all depends on your husband if he wants to live or not. ” 

He said and Carissa, looked more worried what if Sebastian, gives up and prefer death rather than returning alive. She shook her head and gave a sad smile while she asked to see him and a nurse led her to him.

“Sebastian!” 

She called lushly, kneeling beside him as she stared at his guiltless face. At that moment, she realized she hadn't been fair, she hadn't done anything to rescue him from all the maltreatment. Maybe she is also guilty that he is in this condition.

“Please fight to be alive, Sebastian, you don't have to give up. I will report the matter at hand to mother and Karen, probably, they will realize their mistake and come to your aid. Karen, is just acting out of ignorance. Please don't…” 

She sobbed on his hands and after a while, she heard her phone beep and she stood up, leaving the emergency room.

“We will attend to him.” 

The Doctor replied and moved into the ward, while Carissa boarded a cab and returned to the Marcus mansion. While she got there, Karen, was already dressed ready to go out. She sat down on a chair sipping juice immediately, she entered into the Mansion, aunt Ava ran towards her.

“How is the boy?” she asked, and Carissa gave a sad smile.

“I do not know, aunt, I really can't say what will become of Sebastian.” 

She replied and aunt Ava sighed.

“Whatever becomes of Sebastian, is none of the Marcus business eventually Sebastian, dies vultures will feed on his flesh. What else? He didn't live a life of exemption, nor one to cry over.” Karen, recklessly spoke.

“You are evil! You don't care about anyone or anything, you are so selfish. Sebastian, is battling for his life in the hospital, his chances of survival are zero.”

“So what? His chances of survival have always been zero. Sebastian, hasn't won any battle in real life and if he cheats death, good for him, but his life will be more vulnerable. If you would like, excuse me because, I have important things to discuss over rather than speaking of Sebastian.” 

Karen, spoke and walked towards her car and Carissa looked in great annoyance. She regretted ever thinking Karen could ever change.

“The bills are on Marcus family name.” 

She spoke loudly in Karen's ear and just then, a clean black car drove into the building. Alighting from the car is Mrs. Cherry and grandma Hailey.

“What bills? And where is Sebastian, he needs to run an errand at the instant.” 

Mrs. Cherry spoke immediately she hopped out of the car.

“Oh! Grandma… I missed you a lot.” Karen, excitedly hugged grandma who gently came down from the car, while Carissa, bowed to her instead giving a faint smile. She is delighted grandma is better now, but another pressing matter is at hand. Aunt Ava, wasn't here so, she didn't get to welcome grandma as she already retired to her room.

“Yesterday, I told you Sebastian, fell and he is dead…”

“Hasn't he gotten up?”

 She asked, unconcerned and Carissa, shook her head in grief.

“Well… Sebastian, might have lost his life yesterday, and so we had to call the…”

“Where is Sebastian? Mrs. Cherry asked impatiently.

“Mother, Sebastian, is in the hospital, and he is struggling to survive for his life also, the bills are on…”

Before she could finish, Mrs. Cherry, landed a slap on her face.

“On what legal ground do you have, Sebastian, taken to the hospital?” 

She thundered, ready to pounce on her.

“Sebastian was in a critical condition, mother.” she replied timidly.

“Sebastian, is getting discharged Immediately, he has sent grandma to the hospital.” she angrily said, scrolling through her phone impatiently. “You didn't take him to a low-class hospital like his status, you took him to luxury. What asset does he have that I will pay thousands of dollars as a bill for that rascal? I'm talking to you, Carissa?”

Mrs. Cherry kept scolding Carissa, who couldn't fathom any word to say.

“He is the son-in-law of this home.” she replied at last.

“Fish peel you!” Mrs. Cherry insulted. 

“You will be locked up.” 

She ordered as they all walked inside, and she dragged Carissa, by the ear, into her room.