Zinnia nodded, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. "I know, Mom. I told you about him before, remember? About the... the resemblance."
Elena’s lips parted slightly as realization dawned on her. Remembering the news and the picture of him with Zinnia, she stepped closer to James, her gaze sweeping over his features.
"You’re right," she murmured. "You do look like Samuel; your face and his are almost identical. But there’s a bit of a difference. It’s the way you carry yourself. You’re... softer. Warmer." She frowned slightly. "Samuel always has this... guarded, almost intimidating air about him."
James gave a small nod, his hands clasped in front of him. "I’ve heard that before," he said, glancing at Timmy before adding, "But I assure you, Mrs. Lopez, I’m not Samuel. I only want to help."
Elena turned to Zinnia, her voice low but insistent. "What’s going on here, sweetheart? What haven’t you told me?"
Zinnia hesitated, the weight of her mother’s questions pressing down on her. "It’s complicated, Mom," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don’t know everything myself."
Timmy, who had been silent until now, stepped forward cautiously. "I’m sorry to interrupt," he said, glancing nervously between them. "But James thought it would be best if he came to support you. He’s been deeply concerned since he heard about Mr. Lopez. That’s why we came here unannounced."
Elena’s gaze softened slightly as she looked at James again. "You’ve met Ricardo before?"
James shook his head. "No, but Zinnia has spoken about him. And Timmy mentioned how important he is to your family. I couldn’t stand by knowing you were going through this."
Elena’s eyes glistened with emotion, but her confusion still lingered. "You’re kind, James," she said softly. "But this whole situation..." She trailed off, her gaze flicking back to Zinnia. "You have to explain, Zinnia. I’m trying to understand, but I feel like there’s so much I don’t know."
Zinnia bit her lip, her throat tightening as she struggled to find the right words. "I didn’t mean to keep things from you, Mom," she said, her voice trembling. "I just... I didn’t know how to explain any of it. Meeting James, finding out he’s alive—it’s been overwhelming. And with Dad’s condition..."
Elena reached out, placing a gentle hand on Zinnia’s shoulder. "I understand, sweetheart," she said softly. "But we’re family. Whatever this is, we’ll face it together."
James stepped forward slightly, his expression earnest. "Mrs. Lopez, I don’t want to add to your burden. I’m here for Zinnia and for your family. Please let me know how I can help."
Elena studied him for a moment longer, then gave a small nod. "Thank you, James," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her eyes.
They then settled down in chairs, all of them hoping and praying that everything would be fine.
---
Hours passed, each minute dragging on in a blur of anxious waiting.
Zinnia kept glancing at the clock on the wall, its ticking echoing in the quiet room. "How much longer?" she muttered under her breath, barely able to contain her anxiety.
Elena stood by the window, her eyes unfocused as she stared out at the city below. She had not spoken much in the past few hours, only moving to comfort Zinnia or wipe away her tears.
"Don’t worry, Zinnia," James said softly, breaking the silence. "They’re doing everything they can. Your father is strong—he’ll pull through this."
Zinnia managed a small, strained smile. "I hope so," she whispered, rubbing her hands together as if trying to generate warmth.
The door to the room opened, and the three of them immediately turned their attention toward it. A doctor, dressed in scrubs, entered with a calm but serious expression on her face. Behind her, a nurse pushed a small cart with medical equipment.
Zinnia’s heart skipped a beat, and she stood up, her hands shaking slightly. "Doctor, is he...?" Her voice trailed off, her throat tightening with fear.
The doctor gave a small nod, removing her surgical mask as she stepped closer. "The surgery went well," she said, her voice steady but reassuring. "We were able to repair the damage to Mr. Lopez’s heart. The procedure was successful, and we’ve stabilized him for now."
Zinnia’s chest tightened with relief, but the weight of the situation hadn’t fully lifted. She held her breath, waiting for the doctor to continue.
"However," the doctor continued, "there’s still a long road ahead. While the surgery was successful, Mr. Lopez is not out of danger yet. His heart is weak, and we need to monitor his condition closely for the next 48 hours. We’re keeping him in intensive care for now to ensure that his heart functions properly and to prevent any further complications."
Elena let out a shaky breath, her hand flying to her mouth as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. "So... he’s not out of the woods?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The doctor shook her head gently. "Not yet, but we’re doing everything we can. We’ll be monitoring his vitals constantly and will make adjustments to his treatment as needed. For now, the most important thing is that he remains stable."
Zinnia closed her eyes, letting the words sink in. The worst had been avoided, but the fear still lingered. "Can we see him?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
The doctor paused for a moment before answering, her expression softening. "You can see him briefly, but he’s still very weak. He won’t be able to speak much, and we need to minimize his stress. Please, only a few minutes, and no excitement. He needs rest."
Elena nodded quickly, her face pale but filled with determination. "I just need to see him," she said, her voice trembling.
The doctor gestured for them to follow. "I’ll take you to him, but remember—his recovery will depend on how well he rests. No sudden movements or loud voices, please."