Happiness Never Knocks

...

Daniel turned, his worry for Siena intensifying with every passing second.

"I'm fine," she muttered weakly. "Just a dizzy spell from seeing blood. Don't worry about me. Kimberly needs you more."

"But your face is bloodless," Henry shouted. "Dad, hurry! Let's get her to the hospital. The car stopped in time. Mom's just acting to get your attention."

Daniel's gaze shifted to Kimberly, doubt creeping into his mind like a shadow. He was torn until Siena groaned softly.

Losing reason, he rushed to her side, helped her up, and headed to the car. Passing Kimberly, he covered Siena's eyes and looked away.

His conscience gnawed at his heart with every step he took. He stammered, "Siena has always been frail. I can't risk her health. I called 911. Help is coming. Hang on."

Their footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Kimberly alone and abandoned on the cold, hard ground.

She tried to laugh at the irony of the situation, but blood trickled from her lips.

When the stretcher arrived, her vision blurred. The medics muttered incredulously, "What kind of people call an ambulance and leave the injured alone?"

Kimberly woke up in a hospital bed.

A doctor came to check on her. "Car accident? You've got scrapes and a mild concussion."

Kimberly nodded.

The driver had braked in time, but the impact still lingered in her body and mind.

She asked, "How soon can I leave?"

"Don't think about leaving for now. With a concussion, you need at least four days of rest and observation," said the doctor seriously.

Kimberly counted the days left before the contract ended. By the time she was discharged, there would be only one day left.

She exhaled, feeling freedom closer.

Nurses gossiped nearby. "Hey, did you hear? Siena Gallegos is in our hospital. Her rumored boyfriend is here too."

"Really?"

"No joke. Mr. Carter was frantic, carrying her to the VIP ward."

"He got a top specialist for her checkup."

Kimberly gave a bitter laugh and hobbled to the VIP ward, leaning on the wall.

Through a door crack, Siena was seen lying on the bed. Henry clutched her hand, and Daniel fed her soup, his eyes tender in a way Kimberly had never known.

They looked like a sweet couple, while Kimberly, outside, felt like an intruder in their joy.

A nurse came to check on Siena, mistaking Kimberly for a fan. She muttered, "You think they're sweet, huh? Mr. Carter was so worried, like he wished he'd fainted instead. With concern like that? The news must be true."

Kimberly croaked, "Yeah, they are sweet."

She returned to her ward where her phone stayed silent. There wasn't even a text from Daniel or Henry asking about her situation.

Their care for Siena was a stark contrast to their indifference toward her.

Only an urgent email from a foreign publisher awaited her. A contest loomed on the horizon, and she needed to submit her work soon.

Losing no time, she had Hannah bring her laptop, and in her quiet private room, she turned off her phone, set the laptop offline to focus, and started typing away.

For five years, she had fully devoted herself to Daniel. Rarely writing, she had forgotten the feel of the keys beneath her fingers. But now, it all came back to her, familiar and comforting like an old friend.

She immersed herself in her writing and lost track of time.

Till a nurse came with the notice that she could leave, she finally realized that four days had passed.

Luckily, her essay was complete.

After sending it off, she turned on her phone and saw 99+ missed calls and texts from Daniel.