Broken Promises (Cristiano Ronaldo)

Part 11

Ring, ring,ring,ring Clarissa groaned as she attempted to open her eyes. She reached out her hand finding her vibrating phone on the top of her bedside table.

'Hello?' her voice croaked.

'Clarissa?' the voice asked from the other end of the line.

'Yes. Who is this?' she asked annoyed as her eyes fell upon the red LED numbers beside her '03:00AM'

'It's Carlos, Cristiano's cousin'

Immediately Clarissa sat bolt upright, her head spinning from the alcohol still in her bloodstream.

'What's the matter? Is he hurt?' she asked, panic rising with every question.

'He's ok, I think, last I saw him he was still at his stag party.'

'Then why are you ringing?'

'I can't get hold of him and well his mother has just been admitted into the general hospital...'

Clarissa let out a sigh of anguish.

'...she had a heart attack and she keeps asking for you and Cristiano to be by her side'

'Don't worry, tell her I'm on my way'

Clarissa hopped off the side of the bed, staggering a little as the effects of the alcohol still remained.

Not bothering to change out of her nightdress, Clarissa rushed downstairs, her phone clutched in her hand. Pulling her beige trench coat and black ballet pumps on, as her hand went to reach for her car keys she stopped; she was in fit state to drive.

Instead she grabbed the house keys and bolted out the door, she ran down the street of houses and into the main high street. It was deserted except for a few drunken groups jovially making their way home over a great night out.

Clarissa continued down the street in the general direction of the hospital her desperation to get there mixed with the alcohol caused her to stumble quite a few times along the cobbled surface.

Suddenly a pair of headlights appeared down the road before her and then she saw the illuminated 'Taxi' sign on the roof.

Instinctively Clarissa held her hand out waving frantically, the car came to an abrupt stop beside her.

'I need you to take me to the hospital please' Clarissa panted, out of breath from the running.

Once inside the safe constraints of the car, Clarissa whipped out her phone and dialled frantically.

On hearing the pre-recorded voicemail message for the fifth time, Clarissa sighed heavily 'Cristiano, where the hell are you? Your mother is in hospital, she's suffered from a heart attack, and you need to get there now' she ordered.

Hanging up she continued to dial his number and leave frustrated voice messages. She didn't know how severe the heart attack was but she did know that Cristiano needed to be by his mother's side.

Finally pulling up outside the hospital after what seemed like an eternity, Clarissa frantically searched inside the inner pocket of her coat for the emergency stash of money she kept just in case.

'No Senora' the taxi driver held up his hand 'I can see this is an emergency and you are clearly stressed, no charge'

Clarissa looked up into his eyes as tears formed in her 'Thank you so much Sir. Thank you'

With that she swung the door open and ran into the hospital as fast as her legs could carry her.

'Excuse me' she called out to the woman behind the counter. 'Can you tell me which ward Mrs. Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro is in please? She's had a heart attack'