Chapter 224: Repent

While the outside world was in chaos, the Regal Hospital was relatively calm. Now that many people from the hospital had gone to the borders, the workload on others had increased. Now they had not only their cases to handle, even they had to take care of other patients who did not belong to them.

Meanwhile, Norman Litner, who had been in a deep slumber since the day he had successfully gone through the bone marrow transplant, had finally gained consciousness in the early hours of the morning. The nurse had immediately informed about it to the doctor who come running to do a thorough check up on him. When everything seemed normal, they had called John and Violet and informed them regarding the same.

Now, the grandfather and granddaughter were having a staring competition while John stood behind them, stifling a smile. The entire time when Norman had been unconscious, he had been worried to death. Now that he was awake, he felt at ease.

Though the man looked sickly pale and weary, the doctor had confirmed that he was out of danger and his cancer was cured. He had to stay at the hospital for a few days until he recovered before he would be discharged. 

"Violet, why are you looking at me that way?" Norman asked, his eyed twinkling with delight. He had lost all hope when he had been diagnosed with cancer. He assumed that he would not live any longer. Though he was not afraid of dying, he was afraid of leaving Violet alone. If his Sebastian was with them, then that would have been a different scenario. He would have had nothing to worry about. But leaving Violet all alone with no family member to back her was something that he was scared of.

Even before he had gone inside the operation theater, he was scared, scared of not being able to see Violet forever. So, he was reluctant to go through the surgery. But the doctor had convinced him that his chances of living were more as they found a suitable donor. Only after a lot of assurance, he had agreed to proceed with the surgery. However, the feeling of not being able to see his granddaughter had not left him.

Now that he was alive and well as he looked at his cute granddaughter standing right in front of him, he could not help but thank the man who saved him.

"Grandpa, I am angry with you," Violet complained.

"Why dear? What did I do?" Norman chuckled as he asked the question.

"You were asleep for so long. What took you so long to wake up? You told me remember, that good kids need to get up early every day. But you did not follow it."

"Yes, dear. I know and I am sorry. I failed to practice what I told you. But I promise that from now on I'll do as you say. Okay?" Norman raised his eyebrows hopefully.

"Okay," Violet said and smiled for the first time after she had entered the ward.

"Come here, dear," Norman called her to come closer to him, but the nurse stopped him.

"Mr. Litner, let her stay a little far from you for today at least. You have just had an operation and you are yet to be cleaned. It is easier for the child to fall sick if she comes any closer to you."

As soon as he heard the nurse's suggestion, Norman's face fell. But he did not mind it much as what she was saying was for his own good. So, he asked John to restrain Violet from coming any closer.

"Violet, come with me." John led her outside and made her sit on the chair. "Wait here until I come back. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

Violet nodded and the man went inside the ward again. "Mr. Litner, how do you feel?"

"A little tired and it pains at the back."

"That's normal, Sir. It is the effects of the surgery. The pain will gradually reduce once you recuperate."

"Nurse, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, Sir?" The nurse stared at Norman and then at John to see what they wanted to ask her.

"Can you tell me the name of my donor?"

The nurse was surprised by his question. But she masked it immediately. "Sorry, Sir. I cannot disclose this information to you. The donor has asked us to keep their identity a secret." The nurse remembered the orders she had received and sighed inwardly. She was told not to reveal to anybody that Dr. Davis was Norman's donor.

"Please, nurse. I want to thank the person who saved my life. Please. Help me."

"I am sorry, Sir. I am helpless in this matter. The person has asked us to keep their identity a secret and we have to respect their wish."

"Sir, don't stress yourself. Nobody is going to reveal who your donor was. I tried asking your doctor regarding the same and she too denied giving any answer to me." John interrupted Norman when he tried to force the nurse to give out the name.

"Nurse, may I speak to my assistant alone?"

The nurse looked back and forth between the two men and she nodded. "Please press the bell if you need anything. I'll be right outside."

After the nurse left the ward, Norman gestured John to come closer to him. "Do you seriously not know who my savior is?"

"No, Sir. I tried asking the doctor, the nurses and even the ward boys. But everybody's lips are sealed."

Norman took a deep breath. Though he wanted to thank the person who had saved him, he could do nothing when he did not even know who he was. "What about my son? Did you find out anything about him?"

"No Sir. I tried searching for him everywhere. But we did not get any results. It's like he has vanished into thin air. I doubt if.."

"Don't say that," Norman shouted, but he ended up coughing due to stress.

"Sir, please relax. You are still weak and need rest. Don't get agitated."

Norman took deep breaths. He opened his eyes only when he had calmed down a little. "Don't say that." He almost begged and John felt distressed seeing him this way. "He is my son and I know he is somewhere out there. He has to be. He cannot leave me without meeting me. I am yet to ask him forgiveness for my behavior. I need to apologize. He never received any love from his father or any of his family members. My son has suffered a lot. I need to repent, he has to punish me for it. He cannot leave me before that."

A tear slipped from his eye and his breathing became a bit labored. The nurse who had heard his voice rushed inside and saw him having difficulty in breathing. "Sir, it's best if you leave right now. Mr. Litner needs a lot of rest. he could not get agitated at all costs."

John agreed and left the ward as the nurse tried to soothe the anxious man. His exhaustion got the best of him and he slipped into a deep sleep. But before, closing his eyes, he did not forget to mumble an apology to his son. "Sebastian, please forgive this useless of a father."

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