Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

Ian had just finished his afternoon coffee and was walking back towards the general ward on the first floor when he heard someone sobbing. Initially, he felt it to be his imagination. But when the sobs became loud, he turned around looking for the voice. He walked in the direction of the voice slowly. It was coming from the staircase at the fire escape. The door was ajar, so he clearly heard the cries as soon as he was near it. He peeked in, looking for the person who was crying. His heart melted when he saw a little girl crying with her hands covering her face. She was sitting on the third step and her back was towards the door, so she could not see Ian approaching her.

Ian sat beside her. Yet, she did not realize his presence. It was only when he spoke that she moved back startled.

"Hey," Ian spoke in a soothing voice.

The girl remained quiet. Ian took in her appearance. She looked around six or seven. Her brown hair was in a pigtail with a purple bow at the top. She was wearing a matching purple dress, with cute princess shoes. Her big, brown eyes were filled with tears and she had a running nose.

"Hey. Little girl. What happened?" He asked again. His voice soft, making sure not to scare her.

Tears fell from the girl's eyes and she was rubbing her cheeks every time this happened. Ian took out his handkerchief and gave it to her. The girl first looked at the kerchief, then at Ian and then at the kerchief again. Ian raised his kerchief and gave her an assuring smile. The girl reluctantly took it from his hand and started to wipe her cheeks.

After a few minutes, when Ian was sure that the girl had calmed down. He spoke again.

"What are you doing here little girl? Have you come with someone?"

The tears that had stopped, started flowing again listening to Ian's words. Ian panicked looking at her cry again. So, he picked her up and placed her on his lap. He then rubbed her back while he wiped her face with his hands. He hushed her and waited for her to calm down.

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"It's my grandpa. He is sick." This time the girl started the conversation. Ian patted her back while he positioned her in his lap in such a way as to clearly see her face.

"My grandpa is sick. He is the only one I have." The girl's voice broke.

"It's okay. It's okay, sweetheart. Everything will be alright. Your grandpa will be fine."

"Are you sure about that? My grandpa was bleeding from his mouth. I am scared." She held onto Ian's neck tightly and buried her face in his chest.

"Let me check okay. Can you tell me where your grandpa is?" Ian said standing up, carrying her in his arms. The girl nodded.

Ian carried the girl with him and walked on the corridor.

"Now tell me where your grandpa is," Ian asked gently. The girl motioned him to put her down which Ian did. She then held his hand and pulled him towards the ward on the left.

Ian walked with her. However he was scared. The left division on the first floor was meant for cancer patients. And his intuition became true when the girl opened the second door in that division. The girl then left his hand and ran towards her grandfather who was lying unconscious on the bed. An attending doctor and two nurses were treating him. The attending doctor saw the girl and bent down to talk to her while Ian took a look at the patient's medical chart.

"Little princess, don't cry. Your grandfather is just tired. So, he is sleeping. Okay. Now be a good girl and stop crying." The lady doctor said tucking some of the girl's hair behind her ears.

"But I saw him bleeding. And why are there so many pipes attached to his hands." The girl asked looking back and forth between Ian and the lady doctor.

The lady doctor could not give any answer to the child's question. How could she say that her grandfather was suffering from cancer and he was in the second stage? The worst part was, the girl did not have anybody else other than her grandfather and she did not know anything about her parents. The lady doctor looked at Ian and pleaded him to help her. Ian sighed. He too was helpless. Yet, he had to assure the girl and prevent her from crying again. So he picked her up and made her sit on the sofa next to the bed.

"Sweetheart, your grandpa is fine. But he is a little sick. There are so many pipes going in and out of him because we want to keep him healthy. What do doctors give you when you are sick or down with fever?"

"Injection." The girl replied at once.

"Yes. But the injections they give you is small because you are small. But your grandpa is big, so he will be given big injections. And these pipes are just for that." The little girl nodded in understanding, making both the doctors and the nurses in the ward sigh in relief.

"Now sweetheart, tell me. Have you come with anybody else?" The girl nodded and pointed towards the door. Ian held her hand and walked outside.

"There I have come with the bodyguard uncle." The girl spoke as soon as she saw a man darting towards them. He was a middle-aged man around forty or so. His face was tanned and he was quite muscular. He wearing a dark blue suit and there was an earpiece in his right ear.

The man hastened his footsteps as soon as he saw the girl. "Are you alright, Violet?"

"Yes Uncle John. This big brother took care of me."

The man looked at Ian and held out his hand. He could clearly recognize that Ian was a doctor with the white lab coat he was wearing.

"May I talk to you for a second?" Ian asked.

"Violet, go stay with your grandpa." The man named John smiled at her.

"Okay Uncle John," Violet replied and went inside the ward.

"The patient is suffering from leukemia and he is in the second stage. Did you know about it before?"

"No doctor. Mr. Litner was absolutely fit until today. This was the first time he fainted and coughed out blood."

Mr. Litner, the name struck a chord in Ian's mind. Mr. Norman Litner was the world-renowned psychiatrist. His works in the field of psychology and studies related to the brain had made him famous all around the world. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his achievements and discoveries. After getting the award, he had set up a National Psychology Center in the country to treat patients with mental disorders. Ian had seen his interviews on the television. He looked completely different from the normal healthy man. Now he looked all fragile and weak. That what was why Ian could not recognize him.

"Does he not have anybody else other than Violet?"

"No Doctor. His daughter and son-in-law died in an accident three years ago. Now all he has is his granddaughter Violet?"

"Who are you to him?"

"I am John Sullivan. I am his assistant. May I ask you a question Doctor?"

"Yes. Please go ahead."

"Can he be cured?"

"Yes. Definitely. If his treatment is started soon, then he can definitely be cured. But, I can only tell correctly after I see his complete report."

At that instant, the door to Mr. Litner's room opened and Violet ran outside.

"Uncle John. Uncle John. Grandpa is awake. Grandpa is awake." Violet said excitedly.

Both the men rushed inside along with Violet. As Violet had said, Mr. Litner had been conscious. He looked at his granddaughter and then at John. Violet stood beside him and started talking excitedly.

"Grandpa, how do you feel now? You were sick." Norman gave a smile at his granddaughter, listening to her consistent chattering.

"I need to talk to you alone." He signaled the assistant, which he understood immediately.

"Violet, are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?" Ian asked grasping the situation.

"Yes I want an ice cream."

"Come with me. I'll buy you one." Ian said taking her hand in his and beckoned the others to leave the room. Norman thanked him through his eyes.

"I want to meet my lawyer," Norman said as soon as he was left alone with John.

"Why Mr. Litner?"

"I have some things which I want to tell Violet. But she is too young for that right now. I want to write my will so that her future is safe if I am gone."

"Okay Mr. Litner. I contact them as soon as possible."