“Gilbert!”
Sherilyn froze for a moment, her mind briefly short-circuiting. She dropped to one knee, scooping up Jenna first before rushing to check on Gilbert. “Uh-oh…”
Jenna pouted in her arms, on the verge of tears.
“It’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s here.”
Sherilyn tried to soothe Jenna first.
“What’s going on?”
Sophia, hearing the commotion, came out of her room and flipped on the overhead lights.
“Sophia! Perfect timing!”
Sherilyn handed Jenna to her as Sophia also noticed Gilbert lying on the ground.
“Oh my, is Mr. Johnson okay? What happened to him?”
Sherilyn didn’t have time to answer; she knelt down, gently tapping Gilbert’s cheek and shoulder. “Gilbert, come on, wake up! Can you hear me?”
She checked his breathing and pulse next. Both were faint but present, though his complexion was pale, nearly translucent.
Unsure of his injuries, Sherilyn hesitated to move him.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep calm.
She grabbed her phone and dialed 911, “Hello, this is Sunset Ridge Community…”
After giving her address and a brief explanation of the situation, she hung up. Immediately, she heard a knock at the door. Who could it be? The paramedics couldn’t have arrived this quickly. Opening the door, she found Allen and Abel.
“Ms. Gomez, did we hear you calling for help? Is it Mr. Gilbert?”
“Yes!”
Sherilyn nodded, stepping aside. “He passed out!”
Upon hearing this, Allen and Abel rushed in and together, they lifted Gilbert.
As Gilbert was hoisted onto Allen’s back, Sherilyn gasped and covered her mouth.
Under the bright lights, she could clearly
Stain See h
red with blood, still
se his white shirt collar down the back of his peet
Sherilyn’s breath hitched, “I’ve already called 911; they should be here any minute!”
“Let’s head down to wait!” Allen, carrying Gilbert, moved first.
Abel looked over at Sherilyn. “Ms. Gomez, you coming?”
Sherilyn furrowed her brows, paused for a moment, then nodded, “Okay.”
At the hospital.
Outside the operating room.
Gilbert was rushed into surgery, and Sherilyn sat outside on a bench, staring down at her shoes.
On the way here, Abel had filled her in.
She knew now that Gilbert had rushed to Sunset Ridge Community with injuries… because of a promise he made to Jenna…
Footsteps echoed across the floor, both steady and sharp, undoubtedly hurried.
Sherilyn looked up to see Francis and Caroline arriving.
“Sherilyn…”
“Sherilyn!”
Francis barely started before Caroline cut in, confronting Sherilyn directly.
“You really have some nerve! Gilbert just got off his flight, and you h have him rush over to see
such serious injuries!”
belongs to en.kikistori
“I had to have him…?”
Sherilyn’s eyebrows knit together, amused by the accusation. “Yeah, why did he insist on coming to see
me with those injuries? Honestly, his eagerness is quite annoying
OMS
What?
Caroline’s eyes blazed with fury, “How could you say that? Sherilyn, do you even have a heart?”
“…” Sherilyn rolled her eyes, turning away, no longer interested in engaging.
“Sherilyn!”
Enraged and overwhelmed, Caroline suddenly grabbed Sherilyn, “Leave! You have no right to be here…”
“Let go!” Sherilyn snapped back, locking eyes with her fiercely, “Where I go is my choice!”