I Am Not A Poor Daddy

21

Suddenly, Dinda began to move restlessly in her sleep. Her pale face looked increasingly tense, and she began to make soft sounds. "Dad... Sebastian..." she groaned in a hoarse and weak tone. Her body was shaking even more, and Sara, who realized what her daughter had said, was shocked. 

 "Sebastian?" Sara muttered softly, her heart astonished. Why at a time like this, when Dinda was sick and had a fever, was Sebastian the name her daughter was calling? She felt shocked to see Dinda continue to call out for her father, a small cry was heard between her gasping breaths. 

 Dinda continued to sleep talk, her body shivering and calling incessantly, "Dad... Sebastian... miss you..." 

 Sara felt her heart being stabbed. Guilt began to creep into her chest. How could Dinda miss her father so much, while she had always closed the door between Dinda and Sebastian? Sara knew, however, that Sebastian was a part of Dinda's life. But she never thought that the longing would be so deep, even in the midst of her pain and fever.

 "Shh... Dinda, Mommy is here, honey," Sara whispered, even though her voice was bitter. Her hands tried to soothe Dinda gently, even though nothing could erase the fact that it was Sebastian who Dinda was calling.

 While Dinda continued to whimper for her father, Sara was increasingly confused. She began to ask herself, was the decision to distance Sebastian from Dinda the right choice? Or did all of this actually bring a wound that she never realized in her daughter's heart?

 Sebastian woke up from his sleep, gasping for breath. Dinda's voice calling for her father still rang in his ears. Anxiety struck his heart. He felt a deep discomfort as if something was wrong. His mind was spinning, remembering Dinda's smile and how his daughter was always cheerful. He woke up with the realization that Dinda was not with him, and panic began to creep inside him.

  Without hesitation, Sebastian took his phone and tried to call Sara. His fingers trembled as he pressed the number, anxiously. "What happened to Dinda?" he thought anxiously. 

 Meanwhile, at the hospital, the phone in Sara's hand vibrated and the ringing sound broke the silence. Seeing Sebastian's name displayed on the screen, Sara's heart pounded. She was stunned, a dilemma struck her. On the one hand, she wanted to hear Sebastian's voice, but on the other hand, she felt confused and guilty. How could she explain Dinda's condition without making the situation more complicated? 

 With outstretched fingers, Sara stared at the phone for a moment. The phone rang continuously, and she felt increasingly depressed. Her guilt deepened as she thought about Dinda missing her father. Finally, she decided to ignore the call and just stared at Dinda, who was lying weakly on the hospital bed. 

 Tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Forgive me, Dinda," she whispered softly, remembering every second when she tried to distance Dinda from Sebastian. "Mama just wanted to protect you." 

 Dinda, who was lying with a shivering body, looked helpless. Sebastian's call was now muffled, but in his heart, he felt a heavier burden. The decision he made might not have been right, but when he saw his daughter suffering, he knew one thing—Dinda deserved all the affection, including from her father. 

 Sebastian, who was far away, felt uncertain when his phone went unanswered. The uncertainty made him even more anxious. He knew something was wrong, and his heart pushed him to immediately find out what happened to Dinda. 

 Sebastian kept pacing in his room, a bad feeling haunting him. He couldn't sleep, his mind was filled with worries about Dinda. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of his daughter's face shivering and moaning calling his name reappeared. It was as if there was an unbreakable bond between him and Dinda, which made him feel alienated and helpless. 

 The morning began to approach, and sunlight crept in through the window curtains, but there was no glimmer of hope in Sebastian's heart. His anxiety was growing, and he knew that he couldn't wait any longer. He decided to go to Sara's house, hoping to get information about Dinda's condition and, if possible, see her in person.

 With quick steps, Sebastian got ready. He put on his jacket and grabbed his car keys, without thinking twice. Every second was precious, and he didn't want to wait any longer. As his car drove down the street, negative thoughts kept popping up. 

 "What if Dinda isn't okay? What will happen if I can't meet her?"

 Arriving in front of Sara's house, Sebastian felt his heartbeat getting faster. He took a deep breath before getting out of the car. As he approached the door, doubts struck him. However, his thoughts about Dinda needing his presence prompted him to knock loudly on the door.

 One second, two seconds, there was no answer. "Sara, open the door!" he shouted hopefully. However, there was no sound from inside the house. His heart was pounding when he realized that Sara might not be home yet.