Chapter 241: A Word
Adam expected to see Sir Robert Collins lying weakly in bed when he stepped into the patient room. Instead, he stopped short, startled to find Patrick Collins there, slouched against the pillows, breathing heavily through a nasal oxygen mask.
For a moment, Adam just stood there uncertainly. They’d already guessed that Patrick was probably sick and hence had approached them, but he had not expected to see him like this.
Patrick lifted one trembling hand and gestured toward the chair beside him. Wordlessly, Adam crossed the room and sat down. He kept his eyes on the older man, who shut his own and drew in several laboured breaths before pulling the mask off as he asked Adam in a slow voice, "Adam, have you made a decision yet, regarding Adir?"
Despite the calm way he asked, it did not hide the urgency in his voice and in his eyes.
Adam didn’t answer right away. He looked at Patrick for a moment, wanting to question the man but instead he could only slowly shake his head. "What’s going on with you?"
Patrick let out a long and tired sigh," Everything. My body is shutting down. My organs are failing, and the doctors can’t stop it. I don’t have much time left."
His breath caught, and he paused, chest rising unevenly as he struggled for air. After a few seconds, he steadied himself, brought the mask back to his nose, took a few more deep breaths and continued.
"That’s why I need you to make a decision soon. But before you do, there are things you deserve to know."
He took another breath—shallow, rushed, and noisy—and winced slightly as if it hurt.