Episode 2:
As Millie entered the house, her father greeted her with a warm smile. "Hello, Millie, welcome back!"
"Dad!" Millie's face lit up, and she ran to hug him tightly. "I'm so happy you're back."
Rachel walked in, smiling. "Hey, Uncle! How have you been?"
"Great," Millie's dad replied with a tired smile. "Just a little busy with work. Thanks, Rachel, for handling so much while I was away."
Rachel waved a hand dismissively. "No problem! You know I love taking care of Millie. Besides, if I'm going to be a good doctor one day, I have to know how to look after my 'patients.'"
Millie pulled back, looking at Rachel in surprise. "Wait—am I a patient to you?"
Her dad chuckled. "You're both great kids, and I know you'll make an excellent doctor, Rachel. Tomorrow's the monthly check-up, by the way. Don't tell me you forgot."
Millie and Rachel exchanged a quick look, smiling. "Of course not!" they chimed together.
(Every month, Rachel and I have to go to the hospital for a complete check-up. It's a rule in our family, a precaution because our mothers—who were sisters—died from the same sickness that wasn't discovered until it was too late. Our dads don't want us to suffer the same fate.)
Millie glanced back at her father. "Did you call the school, Dad?"
He nodded. "Yes, on my way home. And don't worry, Rachel—your dad also contacted your school to inform them."
Rachel sighed, smiling wryly. "Always thorough, my dad. He'll call the school but barely speaks to his only daughter."
Millie's dad laughed. "Perfect! Now, let's all get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll go with you both since it's my day off."
Later, in Rachel's room, she called Millie over. "Come here, Millie." She patted the bed, and Millie sat close, letting Rachel pull her into a gentle hug.
Rachel's voice softened. "Listen, I know you get nervous whenever we go to the hospital. But whatever the results show, we'll face it together, okay?"
Millie squeezed her hand. "Thank you. But it's the same for you—we're strong together, and I know we won't have the same symptoms. You'll see."
The next morning, they arrived at the hospital. Meanwhile, back at school…
Liz spotted Alex in the hallway. She approached him, clearing her throat. "Hey, Alexander. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Millie's friend."
Alex barely glanced at her. "And why would I care about her friends?" he replied, his tone cold.
Liz shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry to bother you. I just wondered why she wasn't in class today."
He rolled his eyes. "Do I look like her keeper? Get lost."
Liz walked away, muttering to herself, "So he's rude in general… interesting."
Still curious, she later ran into Ted in the hallway and asked him the same question.
"Oh, hey, Liz," Ted replied kindly. "Don't worry, she'll be here tomorrow. You can ask her yourself then. Sorry, but I have to go."
Liz sighed, her curiosity now tinged with concern. Now I'm worried, and I still have no answers.
Back at the hospital…
The doctor approached Millie's dad with a serious expression. "Mr. Mills, could we speak privately?"
Her father's face tensed. "Of course. I'll be right back, girls." He followed the doctor to a quiet corner.
"We found some anomalies in Millie's results," the doctor said carefully. "We're not certain if they're related to her mother's illness, but we'd like to run more tests, just to be safe."
Millie's dad's face turned pale. "Are you saying… she might have the same illness?"
The doctor placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We can't say for sure without further testing. I recommend keeping her in the hospital for a few days to monitor her closely."
Fighting back tears, Millie's dad nodded, the fear of losing his daughter tightening in his chest. She's all I have left…
As he returned to Millie and Rachel, he forced a smile, but Rachel noticed the worry in his eyes immediately.
Millie looked up at him, hopeful. "Dad, can we go now? I have homework waiting. Everything was fine, right?"
Her dad hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Actually, Millie, I'd feel better if you stayed here for a few days. Just to make sure everything is okay."
Millie's eyes widened. "But… I feel fine! Can't we just go home?"
Rachel placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Millie, it's okay. My dad took my blood for tests again too. Just listen to your dad—it's all for our good."
Millie's eyes filled with tears. "You're both mean. I don't want to stay here alone."
Her father knelt beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. "You won't be alone, sweetheart. I'll stay with you the whole time."
Rachel squeezed her shoulder. "I'll run back to the house to get some clothes and food, okay? I'll be back soon."
Reluctantly, Millie nodded, wiping her tears. "Okay… I understand."
As the hospital staff settled Millie into her room, Rachel left, but as soon as she was outside, she broke down, tears streaming down her face. Millie doesn't deserve this. But after a moment, she took a deep breath, wiped her face, and set off to prepare everything they'd need.
On her way home, she spotted Ted coming from practice.
"Hey, Rachel! Are you guys back already?" Ted asked, noticing her tear-streaked face as she turned toward him. His expression softened. "Are you okay?"
Rachel tried to brush it off, but Ted stepped closer, gently pulling her into a comforting hug. "You don't have to explain if you don't want to, but if you need someone, I'm here," he murmured.
Surprised by his kindness, Rachel allowed herself to lean into his shoulder, her defences slipping as she explained everything.
Ted listened, then squeezed her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. I'm sure it's nothing serious."
Rachel took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. "Thank you, Ted. I'd better go—they're waiting for me. You should visit Millie. I know she'd love to see you."
"I will," Ted promised, watching her hurry off, hoping he could be there for Millie just as he had been for Rachel.
Ted stepped into the house, his mind occupied with thoughts of Millie and the unexpected joy he felt talking to Rachel. However, concern lingered in his chest. As he entered the kitchen, he spotted Alex leaning against the counter, casually scrolling through his phone.
Ted's expression hardened. "Don't you care about what happened to your classmates?" he asked, voice edged with frustration.
Alex didn't even look up. "Why would I care?" Ted's fists clenched. "You know I'm talking about Millie, right?"
Alex sighed, setting his phone down. "And? It still doesn't make a difference. She's just doing a routine check-up." He pulled a folded note from his pocket and handed it to Ted. "Here. The teacher forced me to take this to her. That's the only reason I even got involved."
Ted hesitated before taking the note. "She's staying in the hospital for more tests," he said, his voice quieter now. "I don't know the details, but it could be serious."
Alex's fingers froze for a brief moment over the sink before he continued rinsing a glass, his expression unreadable. "Then go give her the note yourself," he said flatly. "Or just keep taking notes for her until she's back."
Ted frowned, watching him carefully. "Don't tell me what to do," Alex added, his voice colder now.
Ted scoffed, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "Just saying," he muttered.
The Next Day – Hospital Visit
The next afternoon, Millie lay in her hospital bed, idly flipping through a magazine when a knock at the door made her sit up.
Rachel entered, guiding Lizette inside.
"Liz! You came," Millie said, surprised but delighted.
Liz smiled warmly. "Of course. Rachel told me what happened at school—I wanted to check on you."
Millie lowered her gaze. "Thank you so much for visiting, Lizette. I know we're not that close yet, but already I feel like I'm bothering you…"
Liz shook her head. "Don't worry about me. Just focus on getting better, okay? We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other." She grinned. "How about we go shopping once you're out of here?"
Millie's face lit up. "You bet! I can't wait."
Rachel turned to Millie's father, who had been sitting nearby. "Uncle, since Liz is here, why don't we go home for a bit? You should refresh yourself before coming back."
Millie's dad exhaled heavily before nodding. "That sounds like a great idea." He turned to Liz. "Thank you for coming, Lizette. I appreciate it, and I'd love to get to know you—and maybe even your family—sometime."
Liz smiled politely. "Of course, Mr. Mills."
After Millie's father and Rachel left, she and Liz spent the next hour talking and laughing, bonding more easily than either had expected. But as the evening grew late, Liz glanced at her phone, realizing she had to go.
"I should get going," she said, standing up.
Millie frowned. "So soon?"
Liz hesitated, but she didn't mention that her family was strict and expected her to be at the library. Instead, she quickly gathered her things. "Yeah, but I'll see you soon, okay?"
She hurried outside, heading straight for the library entrance where her mother was supposed to pick her up. As she rounded the corner, she froze.
Just across the street, standing near the hospital entrance, was Alex.
He wasn't going inside. He wasn't even moving. He just stood there, his hands in his pockets, staring up at the building as if debating something.
Liz watched him for a moment, a curious expression crossing her face. He's here… but he didn't visit her?
Before she could think too much about it, she quickly turned and continued on her way.