Chapter 85: 85. Summon Bernard and Cassandra followed the nurse into the doctor’s office, their steps quick and uneasy. The nurse quietly showed them in and then gently closed the door behind her, leaving them alone with the doctor.
"Good evening, Mr. Bernard. Please, come in and have a seat," the doctor greeted warmly, motioning for Bernard and Cassandra to sit.
They both sat down across from the doctor, their faces a mix of anxiety and curiosity. The silence in the room felt heavy as they waited to hear why they had been called in.
"I know you’re probably wondering why I asked to see you both," the doctor began, his tone calm and professional. "I just need some important information about Maria. It might help with her treatment and speed up her recovery."
Bernard let out a small breath of relief. "Oh, I see. Please, doctor, what would you like to know?"
"I need to ask if Maria has ever experienced any deep emotional or psychological trauma, either in the past or more recently," the doctor asked, his sharp eyes focusing directly on Bernard.
Bernard frowned in thought. "Well... Maria lost both her parents about three years ago. But I honestly thought she had healed and moved past that pain. She seemed fine."
The doctor gave a soft, understanding nod. "You see, Mr. Bernard, sometimes people carry their pain in silence. They hide it so well that no one around them can tell until they reach their breaking point. In cases like this, it’s possible that Maria never really moved past her trauma. She may have just buried it deep inside."
"But why would she hide her pain and not tell anyone about it?" Cassandra asked quickly, her voice filled with concern and confusion.
The doctor sighed, his voice patient but firm. "From experience and from listening to other patients who’ve gone through something similar, many say they kept it all inside because they believed no one would understand them. Some even feared people would see them as weak, or worse, as ’freaks’ because of what they were feeling or seeing. That’s why they choose silence."
Cassandra looked down, guilt and sadness tightening her chest. "But I thought we gave her enough support. I thought we were always there for her. We made her feel safe... didn’t we?"
The doctor’s face softened.
"You may have, but sometimes, love and friendship aren’t enough to pull someone out of that kind of darkness. Maria needed professional help, a therapist to guide her through the pain. From what you’ve told me, she lost both her parents on the same day. Since then, she’s been left to fight her battles alone. She probably just reached her limit today... and her body gave up."
Bernard leaned forward, his voice suddenly urgent. "Doctor, what can we do now to help her? How do we get her back?"
"We’ll continue her medications and monitor her closely," the doctor replied gently. "But she’ll also need something just as powerful—familiar voices. The voices of people she loves and trusts. You both, and anyone else close to her, should spend as much time as you can by her side. Talk to her, even if she can’t respond. Your voices might just help pull her out of the coma."
noveldrama "We’ll do everything we can, doctor," Bernard promised firmly, his heart heavy. "Maria is strong. I know she’ll make it through this."
"Yes, she’s strong. I believe she’ll come out of this soon," Cassandra added, her voice cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks. "She just has to."
Bernard reached out and gently held Cassandra’s hand, offering her silent comfort as the doctor nodded in understanding. Just as they were trying to console Cassandra, a nurse suddenly rushed into the office, slightly breathless.
"Doctor, please come quickly—it’s the lady in a coma. Something’s happening!" the nurse said urgently.