Not long after, Mang Udin came to pick up Mr. Hendrik's car keys.
He was a long-time employee, trusted the most, and had accompanied Hendrik since his business was still small.
"Mang, please park the car at home later."
"Yes, sir… I'll park it there. Excuse me now, Mr. Hendrik."
"Alright, Mang… be careful." Hendrik handed over the keys with a hint of anxiety.
After waiting for about an hour, the plane was finally ready to take off to Singapore.
Hendrik sat alone in the right corner near the window, staring blankly at the clouds outside.
Suddenly, memories of the past came rushing in—back when he and Katrina were dating in college.
A small smile escaped him as he remembered taking Katrina to eat at a street-side food stall.
Katrina, a rich girl, had never eaten at street stalls before. Everything was always available at home, and if she went out, it was usually to large malls with expensive menus. But Katrina was never arrogant.
She enjoyed simple street food, especially Pak Kumis' chicken soup.
For a moment, Hendrik's heart felt slightly comforted. He almost forgot about Katrina's life-and-death struggle.
However, the nostalgia was interrupted when the captain reminded passengers to fasten their seat belts.
The plane was passing through a stormy cloud turbulence, dropping suddenly a few times.
Hendrik panicked. His hands gripped the armrest tightly, eyes closed.
After a few minutes, the turbulence subsided, and the sky cleared again.
Hendrik felt a bit relieved… yet his mind remained filled with worry.
The flight from Jakarta to Singapore was only two hours.
But somehow, time felt slow to Hendrik.
Two hours felt like days. He desperately wanted to know Katrina's condition… his anxiety was overwhelming.
For the first time, Hendrik prayed—something he had never done before.
"God… please don't take my wife's life. I still love her!"
Somehow, after praying, he felt a sense of relief in his heart. It was as if a burden he had carried all this time was lifted.
His worry no longer haunted him. Acceptance… was key.
If Katrina had to go, he was beginning to learn how to let go.
Suddenly, a captain's announcement came: the plane would land soon.
All passengers were instructed to fasten their seat belts.
Finally, the plane landed smoothly, without any problems.
After disembarking, Hendrik immediately called Jenny.
"Hello, Mas… have you arrived?" Jenny's voice came through the phone.
"Yes, just landed. Jen, where are you? Which hospital?" Hendrik asked quickly.
"Siloam Hospital, Jalan Selangor, 2nd floor, ICU," Jenny replied briefly.
"Okay… I'm coming now." The call ended.
Hendrik booked a taxi waiting at Changi Airport, requesting to be taken to Siloam Hospital.
"Okay, sir," replied the driver.
The ride was only about 20 minutes. Without asking further, Hendrik paid the fare, then half-ran toward the hospital entrance, heading straight to the VIP room.
Inside, he saw Katrina: still on an IV, unconscious.
Her body was frail, lying weakly, while the sound of the heart monitor made Hendrik even more stressed.
He tried to approach, but the nurse stopped him.
Stepping outside the room, his heart pounding, he wiped the tears from his face.
He went to Jenny, who sat there deep in thought, her eyes swollen from repeated crying.
"Jen… what did the doctor say?" Hendrik asked anxiously.
Jenny looked down for a moment, then slowly said:
"The doctor still doesn't know… her condition is critical. At any moment, she could die!"
Hearing that, Hendrik's knees felt like they were crushed. He wavered.
A trembling voice escaped his lips:
"What!?… No, Jen! It's impossible!"
Without a second thought, Hendrik ran out of the ICU, searching for the doctor in charge of Katrina.
Jenny shouted: "Mas! Where are you going?!"
Hendrik ignored her cries. He had only one goal: to meet Dr. Stephen Lim, a renowned doctor in Singapore, to find out Katrina's condition directly.
At the doctor's office, he took a deep breath. With panting breaths, he asked:
"Excuse me… I want to meet Dr. Stephen Lim. How can I meet him? Where is his room?"
The nurse quickly pointed:
"Room 432. You can find Dr. Stephen Lim there."
"Thank you," Hendrik replied briefly, then ran toward the room.
At the door, he knocked gently:
Knock… knock…
"Come in," a voice called from inside.
Hendrik entered, introducing himself with a trembling voice:
"I'm Katrina's husband, she's in the ICU."
Dr. Stephen smiled warmly. He could speak Indonesian, having been born in Central Java and moved to Singapore as a child. He completed his higher education in Singapore but had never forgotten his mother tongue.
"Please, have a seat," Dr. Stephen said, then continued, "So you're the husband of Katrina, who's in the ICU?"
"Yes, Doctor. That's correct, I'm her husband," Hendrik replied firmly but shakily.
Dr. Stephen opened the patient's medical records, glanced at the notes briefly, then fixed Hendrik with a sharp look.
Hendrik slightly lowered his head, heart racing.
"Hmm… her condition hasn't improved," the doctor said, pausing to choose his words carefully. "We've given pain-relieving medication, but…"
Hendrik, impatient, interrupted, voice rising:
"But what, Doctor?!"
Dr. Stephen took a deep breath, removed his glasses, then put them back on, shaking his head.
"But… the cancer in her bones has already spread. We can only try to prolong her life."
Thump!
Hendrik's heart felt like it had stopped. The world around him seemed to collapse.
He stared at Dr. Stephen in disbelief, his whole body trembling violently.
We've done everything we possibly can… but… in the end, everything is in the hands above, Mr. Hendrik," Dr. Stephen Lim said firmly but gently.
He patted Hendrik's shoulder. "We are doctors, not gods. Life and death are determined by God! Pray as much as you can… maybe a miracle will happen."
Suddenly, a nurse rushed into the room, breathing heavily.
"ICU patient… the monitor stopped for a moment! What should we do?"
Dr. Stephen Lim immediately ran, giving precise orders and instructing the staff to prepare the defibrillator.
Hendrik ran after Dr. Stephen until he reached the door of the ICU, standing tensely outside. He was not allowed to enter.
From there, all he could see were the monitors and the nurses moving frantically, each heartbeat reflected by the loud alarm.
His body trembled, chest tight, and his heart felt like it was breaking. "No… not now… don't leave me!" he whispered, almost in despair.
Those moments felt eternal. Tears streamed down uncontrollably.
In his heart, there was only one question: Is this… the moment death comes for her?