Heather

I was starting to doze off next to Alex's hospital bed when a sudden rapid beeping jolted me alert. My pulse quickened - could my boy finally be waking up?

"Alex? Can you hear me?" I grasped his hand hopefully as his eyelids fluttered. But the monitors showed his vital signs spiking erratically. Dread flooded me. Something was very wrong.

I shouted for help. Aria sprinted to get the doctors while I pleaded with Alex to hold on. Medical staff rushed in and eased me aside to work on him urgently.

After what seemed an eternity, the lead doctor approached with a grave expression that sank my heart. "I'm...