Beyond The Plan

The heart-aching smell of disinfectant pervaded the air in the hospital.

Mr Ben was rescued here to the hospital by the neighbour. Anna had just received a call from them about her dad blacking out, out of the blue. Fear gripped her and froze at the spot, she hurried out in a breaking sweat, left her rehearsal, at the studio, running swiftly to the said hospital.

" Dad!" she pushed the emergency door open, Anna's cheek was so reddish and heavy, she was fighting back the tears threatening to roll down her cheek, she wasn't expecting this sudden sad news tall.

" Please stay outside, we have to check on him" the nurse shove her out of the room, other nurses attending to him in the emergency ward.

" What is wrong with him? What happened this time?" Anna asked the neighbour sitting out the door of the room, shaking at the expense of seeing him collapse that way.

" I don't know, I heard him screaming from my room. I ran to check what was wrong when I saw him collapse on the floor that way" the young lady couldn't speak clearly, tension had crept up her skin, and her glowing skin had gone odd and populated with goosebumps. She was scared something would happen to Mr Ben, the situation in which she has seen him terrified the spirit out of her.

Anna footage found her root on the spot, not knowing what to say, speechless at this point. Tears could be the only thing on her eyes, her nose getting red.

Anna slowly sat on the chair lost in her misery. " I don't know what to do now" she finally burst into tears. Mr Ben had been sick for a while now, Anna has been the one trying to save her dad as possible as she can. She is trying her real best. After her mom died, life hasn't been easy on her and her dad, she has only herself to support the house and also her stepmom who was also trying too.

" Anna, I hope nothing happens to him this time" Nora shook as she pinched Anna on her kneel. "Why would you say that?? Don't you believe dad would be fine?" she wiped her tears, grabbing Nora's palm. " He will be fine, we can't lose hope," Anna said in her croaky tone, trying to hide the pains she was feeling at the moment.

"Anna you don't have to pretend to be strong, you can cry if you want. Don't hold it in please" Nora had been very obvious about Anna's feelings. " I hope dad survives too because the way I had seen him collapsed I'm afraid nothing bad happens to him" Nora's hands began to quiver.

Nora has always been like a sister to Anna and like a daughter to Mr Ben. She has grown very fond of the family, Nora and Anna behave completely like sisters. Anna is the only child of Mr Ben, her mother died when she was 12 years old as a baby.

Mr Ben and step mom were the parents who brought her up and showed her love and now her father was getting ill.

" Nora he will be fine, I have faith" Anna squeeze her cold hands into hers. Closing her eyes shut she grabbed her hands again " Anna are you sure you ain't going to accept what he wants? Please consider this, Dad's condition is getting worst" Anna felt her heart squeeze instantly and froze at the spot, when she reminded her.

" I don't know, I can't see dad this way" She tightened her eyes, her heart aching even more as she can't watch her dad suffers this way just because of her. "I will think about it," she said icily, getting up from the position.

" I know this is hard, Anna" she stood up along with her still pleading. ''Nora, please that's enough I can't breathe." Anna felt pains in her heart as she thought of how much suffering she had to go through now.

"As I said, I will consider it" she tightened her eyes, even more, backing Nora, hidding her tears away from her. ''Who is the family of Mr Ben please? " the doctor came out of the wardroom, wearing a latex glove on both hands.

" We are!" Anna answered her in a rush as she closes the distance between them. ''Hm. I'm sorry your father's situation is very critical" she took a long breath before spilling it all out. ''No way! Doctor, please tell us what is wrong" Nora urged. Anna's heart sank into her pit as she got lost for words to say.

"Your Dad's getting critically weak at heart, this is because he has been thinking too much lately. Please find a way to assist him to reduce the stress he goes through. We will take care of him here, give him some drugs also but please also do your part to improve his health" Nora's jaw dropped after the doctor was done speaking. " Yes doctor, we will try our very best. Please can we see him now?" Nora asked.

" Yes, you can. He has been admitted to the next room. " Room 109'' okay Doctor. Thanks so much " Nora ran into the room she had described. Anna on the other hand was still frigid and being battered by her conscience.

She sauntered along into the room after Nora. They pushed the door open. Mr Ben was fixed into an oxygen operation.

"Dad!" Anna could not find anything to say but his name, she wringed her sweaty palm as she made attempt to touch him.

" No, You don't have the right to touch him, Anna!" her stepmom appeared behind them, as soon as Anna was about to move closer to him. '' Mom?__'' she noticed anger and pain in her voice.

'' How dare you gather so much courage to get close to him?'' she said through narrowed eyes, closing the distance between them. '' Being his daughter does not give you the right to touch him! You made him almost killed himself and now you are having pity on him? Holyshit what kind of a daughter are you?!'' she yelled in her face.

Anna's lips shook, and her chest tightened from the pains and guilt. She took some step backwards, knowing fully well she had no right to touch him, she has no damn right to even look at his face, all these were her fault! If she had accepted his request, his blood pressure would have been normal by normal!

As if noticing their presence and their scents he slowly opened his eyes. " Hey, Dad!" Nora sat on the bed as he took his hands into hers. " Nora Mersey, thank you for always helping us," he said in a whisper tone his hands trailed to her neck.

" No dad, you don't have to thank me" she squeezes his hands softly. ''Where is Anna" He then asked, as he didn't look straight at the bedside.

" She is here dad"

Thereon hearing his voice calling out her name, she moved closer to him away from the edge of the bed, ignoring the heavy eyes coming from her stepmom " I'm here dad" she wrapped her arms into his.

" Dad I'm sorry" Anna's eyes were swollen already. '' Anna__'' she stopped him from speaking, she raised a finger to his lips. '' You don't need to speak dad, please I would do the talking now'' Anna merge her fingers with his, they were fragile and so vulnerable.

'' Dad I'm so sorry that I've been selfish, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking about you, I'm sorry for my foolishness Dad'' she fought back the tears as she speak.

'' I__ I will sign the contract now dad, I will agree to marry him for your sake'' Nora was in awe, she could see her lips shaking from the corner she was standing, tearing up too. She could understand how much pain she must be going through right now, she has just forwent her freedom of the normal life she enjoys so much and go with the decision of getting married to a stranger. A path she didn't optioned for.

Nora could understand what this means, all of her dreams would be shattered, and her dreams of becoming a music star, were not going to be possible as the wife of the heir of the famous company in the country, how is that possible? Anna has often told her what she wanted, and how she loves singing and she wants the world to see such good talent she got, but hell no! She just gave up all that.

She hasn't even met him for once, it was a difficult situation, it means she was selling the whole of her life and dreams for the sake of her father...

'' God bless you my child'' Mr Ben's face lit up her stepmom ran towards them, kissing Anna on her cheek. '' Thank you Anna'' she stroked her cheek smoothly.

Anna was not on herself anymore, happiness has just be snatched away from her life just as mom was snatched away from her, not even to smile. She has just sold herself and her future who knows what lies ahead of her, she heard the her to Yul's group is very contrary and a stone-hearted man, how was she supposed to live with him under the same roof? Anna felt like a bird whose wings has just been broken, and it can't fly anymore, because it truly hurts a poor ferra. The bones to fly are broken, then she would stay pinned to the ground forever and never experience how free is the cloud again, she would never be able to view the world from the TOP, just like the bird with the broken wings...

Anna's eyes were on the ground, she couldn't look her parents in the eyes, she couldn't even tell them how it feels, letting go of her dreams just for a marriage she didn't option for, and the man she hasn't met once.

''Anna wait! Where are you going to?!'' Nora ran after her, she stormed out of the hospital forcing herself to hold back the tears, no she mustn't cry in front of her dad, she can't let him get worried over her foolish tears. '' No! I don't deserve to be like a bird, how could I be so stupid to think I would fulfil my dreams! I could could I think I was destined to remain in the sky, flying above. I'm so foolish!__'' she hit the walls, finally letting the tears drop, she hit continuously, till her hands began to bleed.

'' Anna what are you doing to yourself! You are hurting yourself!'' Nora hurried up, pulling her away from the sharp walls, and engulfing her in a tight hug. '' What other wounds could be hurtful than broken wings? I had sustained a terrible wounds Nora'' she was devastated, the shape of the orb eyes above her eyeslashes popped out, rose like a hot cake risen due to excess baking powder.

'' I'm sorry Anna, I wish I could help you, I wish there was another way to this, I'm sorry sister'' Anna poured out on her shoulder, she cried out all the pains and burns she feels inside of her.