After lunch, Alvar found the kitchen quiet again. Only his mother stood at the sink, hands busy scrubbing the dishes from their meal.
His father hadn't come back from the village office yet.
Alvar helped for a moment, then turned to leave. But his steps faltered. He glanced back, his expression hardening slightly.
"Mom... where'd that spoiled city girl go?"
Sandra whipped around. "Excuse me? What did you just say?" she scolded. "She's your wife. Treat her with respect."
Alvar scoffed. "She hasn't shown me an ounce of respect, Mom."
"You're the one who needs to be patient, Alvar," Sandra replied without turning back, her voice calm but firm.
Before he could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and checked the screen. He glanced at his mother, then answered.
"Hello, Mrs. Hartley."
Margaret's voice came through laced with worry. "Alvar? Kiara arrived safely, right? I've been calling her and she won't pick up."
"Yes, ma'am. Kiara's here."
"Sweetheart, I need to tell you — Kiara's allergy medication got left behind at the house. I forgot to give it to her." Margaret's words tumbled out in a rush. "She has severe allergies, so I'm worried."
Alvar frowned. "Allergic to what?"
"Freshwater fish. Especially tilapia."
The words hit him like a blow to the head.
The image of lunch flashed through his mind — the large piece of fried tilapia on Kiara's plate, the way she'd hesitated, then eaten it anyway despite her obvious discomfort.
"Mrs. Hartley... I have to go," Alvar said curtly, cutting the call without waiting for a reply.
His heart hammered faster.
He turned to his mother.
"Mom, where's Kiara?"
Sandra startled at the shift in her son's face.
"She said she was going to rest. Probably in the bedroom."
Without another word, Alvar strode out of the kitchen. His steps were long and urgent, his chest tight with a feeling he refused to name — fear.
He opened their bedroom door without knocking.
"Kiara--" His voice died in his throat.
The scene before him made his blood run cold.
Kiara lay slumped across the bed. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling in broken rhythm. Her face was swollen, especially around her eyes and lips. Her pale skin was covered in angry red blotches spreading rapidly down her neck and arms.
Alvar was inside the room in an instant.
"Kiara!" His voice rose, his steps rushing toward her. "What happened?"
Kiara forced her eyes open. Her voice was faint, barely audible.
"My allergy... it's flaring up."
Alvar tensed. "Your medication?"
Kiara shook her head weakly, her breathing growing heavier. "I forgot... to pack it before I left."
The words stopped him cold. Guilt slammed into him without mercy. His mind flashed back to his snide remarks at lunch, the way he'd mocked the village food, the look of frustration on Kiara's face as she chose silence and swallowed every bite on her own.
Without hesitation, Alvar slid one arm beneath Kiara's knees and braced the other against her back. He lifted her in one smooth motion.
"Hold on to me," he said firmly, though his voice shook.
The bedroom door swung wide as Alvar carried Kiara out.
"Oh God!" Sandra clapped a hand over her mouth, panic flooding her face at the sight of her daughter-in-law. "What happened, Alvar?"
"Her allergy's flaring up. Bad," Alvar answered tightly, his jaw clenched.
They reached the living room just as the front door opened. Ray had just come in, his body still favoring one side, leaning on his cane because his leg hadn't fully healed.
"What's going on?" Ray asked, alarmed at the sight of Alvar carrying Kiara, who looked weaker by the second.
"We need to get to the clinic now, Dad," Alvar said quickly. "Kiara needs help."
Without waiting for more discussion, Alvar turned sharply to his father.
"Dad, car keys."
Ray didn't waste words. He dug into his pocket and pressed the keys into Alvar's hand.
"Drive carefully, son. Take it easy," Ray said.
Alvar nodded, then moved fast toward the yard. His arms tightened around Kiara's body, as though terrified she might slip further away from him.
Inside his chest, only one thought circled without end: Kiara has to be okay.
The moment the car stopped in front of the Green Ridge Community Clinic, Alvar threw open the door and stepped out first. Without waiting for anyone, he carried Kiara from the car. The girl's face had gone even paler, her lips tinged blue, the red blotches on her skin still vivid.
"Doctor!" one of the nurses shouted the moment she saw Kiara's condition.
Several nurses and a general practitioner hurried out. Their eyes went straight to Alvar. Nearly everyone at the clinic knew him — the village chief's son, the OB-GYN who'd caused a stir in the village by refusing to practice at the very clinic that could have used him.
"Alvar?" One of the nurses looked stunned. "What happened?"
"Severe allergic reaction," Alvar answered quickly, never breaking stride. "She needs treatment now."
Without further questions, the nurse pushed open the exam room door.
"Bring her in here."
Alvar carried Kiara inside and set her gently on the examination bed. His hands still trembled, his breathing uneven.
The general practitioner moved in, checking Kiara's blood pressure and respiration.
"Allergic to what?"
"Freshwater fish. Tilapia," Alvar answered without hesitation.
The nurse turned quickly.
"We'll prep an antihistamine injection and oxygen."
Alvar nodded. "Hurry."
As the oxygen mask was placed over Kiara's face, Alvar stood at the bedside, his eyes locked on her pale face. His fists clenched hard, his jaw tight with barely contained emotion.
"Hang on, Kiara," he murmured, almost like a prayer. "Don't you dare give up on me."
Outside the exam room, footsteps and hushed voices gathered. A few curious villagers whispered among themselves. For them, this was a rare sight — Alvar, who was always composed, now visibly panicked and losing control.
You idiot, Alvar, he cursed himself silently.
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