Chapter 12 - A Spark of Hope
The sun began to rise over the city, casting a golden glow through the hospital windows. Lily had fully recovered from her episode and was wheeled into the waiting area to sit with Marcus and Leo. The little girl, clutching a stuffed bear, looked at Leo with wide, curious eyes.
"You're the boy who fixed my sleepy machine," Lily said softly.
Leo offered a shy nod. "Yeah. I'm Leo."
Lily smiled and held out her stuffed bear. "You can have Mr. Barnaby. Since you don't have any toys."
Leo hesitated, then gently took the bear. It was the first time Marcus had seen the boy smile since they met. It was a fleeting moment of innocence in a nightmare of a week.
Suddenly, alarms blared from the ICU.
Nurses and doctors rushed past them, pushing through the doors to Sarah’s room. Marcus leaped to his feet, his heart hammering against his ribs. Leo dropped the bear and ran to the glass window, pressing his small hands against it.
Inside the room, Sarah was seizing. The monitors were flashing red, showing her heart rate plummeting dangerously low. Dr. Aris was shouting orders, administering medications through her IV line.
"No, Mom! Please!" Leo screamed, pounding on the glass. "You promised! You promised you wouldn't leave me!"
Marcus grabbed Leo, pulling the frantic boy into his chest, shielding him from the terrifying scene. Marcus squeezed his eyes shut, praying to a God he hadn't spoken to in decades. Please. Not her. Do not take this boy's mother.
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After two agonizing minutes, the alarms abruptly ceased. The frantic movement in the room slowed. Dr. Aris looked up at the monitors, letting out a long, heavy exhale. He turned toward the window and gave Marcus a slow, definitive nod.
Her heart had stabilized. The stem cells were working.
