CHRISTIAN
I splashed water onto my face as it was the entirety of everthing was starting to burn deep in mind as she thought about it over and over again I didn't know why all of these was happening could it be fate trying to tell me something.
I stood there in with my suit long discardes with the number of times I had run my fingers through my hair I didn't know what to expect anymore.
As it was that moment my mind was larger than life. Or maybe it was just small? Too small to comprehend all that was happening.
I regarded the entire situation like someone would when frusteated about life and everything-like I was another species that living in a different world.
As I stood right there I tried thinking about teg entire evenr again, my cell phone in one
hand at my side buzzed again and I turned it to see that it was Damien.
I did the same procedure of pouring water iver my face -Once, to get the thought out of my head. Twice to get my hair wet and cool down my brain. The third time was to clear my head of all the muck that was going through it.
I was getting pretty sick of everything already. It was a mystery to me, how they had let this happen.
I sighed in front of the sink's mirrors and looked at myself again. I pressed my lips into a flat line. The best thing to do right now was to simply get it all over with.
I walked out of the restroom and closed the door behind me, almost bumping into another man who had also come to make use of the services.
Earlier that evening I had seen Rian around, he was with her and I had listened in angered while he had chastised her about her stressing the boys.
As it was he looked to be my polar opposite.
.
I heard him ordering commands, but my heart drowned out his voice too much to interact with whatever he was saying.
The thought flooded my head. Even though the hospital was supposed to be silent, there was just that buzzing underneath that made you appreciate the quietly controlled hub of activities that this place was, and the fact that you could also easily lose your mind.
I smiled politely at a few of the nurses as I reached the reception."Hey, Mary,"I said.
Mary, one of the nurses there smiled. She was on the phone, but I didn't mind.
"My wife…"I trailed off. Mary quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper and smiled, pointing in a direction. I waved the paper at her and thanked her.
I began walking in the direction that the nurse had pointed to, my shoes squeaking against the ever-clean tiles. Even as I walked past, a janitor walked past, buckets and cleaning equipment behind him.
I arrived at the ward. 403. I exhaled and shook myself. I didn't feel so right. Not yet.
"Hey, buddy, how's it going with you?"I asked as I stepped into the ward.
Alexa, my son, beamed at me. Well, as much beaming as he could manage. He had been in the hospital since yesterday and I suspected that he was about as sick of it already as I was.
"Hey, Daddy."He said demurely. Normally, he would be all limbs and action, flying from pillar to post and trying to tackle everyone that dared to come too close to him. Now, he was reserved. Calm and composed as he sat up on the stretcher.
"I got you something,"I said and pulled a small toy from my pocket. Alexa looked at it with a curious expression, almost as if he was trying to determine what he was going to do with the toy.
"All yours, buddy."I smiled at him.
Alexa returned a feeble smile and twirled the toy around.
Laura walked over to me, her eyes tired. There was an unsteadiness in her steps too, and I felt bad for her. She had been here with our son ever since he had been admitted, and from the looks of it, she had not been able to catch a wink of sleep.
I pulled her into my arms.
Of course, I didn't get a chance to even weigh hwr expression before I was pulling her to me my rough palm practically burning spreading through her spreading a warm sensation in my lower stomach.
It took a moment to find the voice to speak, and once I did, it sounded more breathless and uncertain than it ever had
"What are you doing?"she asked."Anyone avn walk in."
I had too be mad, I had to be to touch her in the middle of the ward r
My grip was soft but strong, and so there was no other choice but to come closer.
She moaned softly against my neck."Welcome back."She said and I could have flinched. Even her voice bore the telltale signs of exhaustion.
"Are you alright?"I asked, furrowing my brows at her."The last thing I need is for you to get admitted into the hospital too."
Laura gave me a tired smile and patted me on the back."I'm alright, Christian. Don't worry about it."
But I could not leave it alone."Are you sure? You look like you need a break. I could take over if you need to get some rest-"
"-No, I'm fine, Christian. Don't worry about it."
This was one of the things that I loved and hated about Laura. Once she had set her mind to achieving a particular task, she continued on regardless of whatever other consequences there could possibly be. She paid no regard to her health, and she had a habit of never slowing down, not even when she knew that what she was doing was probably going to kill her.
She had been here at the hospital with Alexa since he was admitted. She was tired. She knew that she was tired, but now that I was offering her a chance to get some rest, she was resisting me as though I were her enemy.
"Laura,"I started."You're unsteady. Your fingers are cold and you look like you're about to pass out standing straight up. Have you seen your eyes? There are huge circles underneath. You need to get some rest."
"I'm fine, Christian,"she argued."This is nothing. At the very least, Alexa's getting all the care that he needs. You know I could not just leave him."
I stared at her. There was no way I was going to let her stay here for another night. She needed to rest.
"You need to go home and get some rest, Laura."
I meant what I said, she looked every much tired enough that I couldn't get my mind off her
"Christian,"she protested, but I had had enough."I mean it. One of us in the hospital is about enough that I can stomach. And you know I don't even like the hospital."
I looked around at the beeping machines and inhaled that antiseptic air that always seemed to exist in hospitals-a mixture of bleach and medicine and the smells of dying, injured or dead people.
I could never bring myself to like being in a hospital or anything that had to do with the medical field. Even if my son was here right now.
I reached out a hand and rubbed Alexa's head. He was very interested in the toy now and would not even look up at me.
For every possible reason I was glad that he was alive, and well
"How are you feeling, buddy?"I asked Alexa.
He puckered his lips and twirled the toy around."I don't like it here. The nurses are cool, but there's no one else here to play with and it's very boring."
I chuckled at him."Don't I know it, buddy. It's actually a good thing that there aren't many others here for you to play with."
Alexa shot me a look."But why? If there were more of us in the hospital, it would make it fun. But there's no one here but me and mummy. And mummy's been worried."
I gave Laura a look, emphasizing my need for her to go home this night. I turned back to Alexa and rubbed his head again.
"Tell you what, buddy, how about you and mummy go home together tonight son you can get some rest, and then you can play with your toy for as long as you want. Sound alright?"
"We're really going home?"He asked. I looked into his small eyes and rubbed his head again, smiling at him.
"Of course. Let me just lift you up!"
I pulled him out of the stretcher and tossed him into the air, amidst his giggles. Then I put him down."Alright, now, you go get dressed. Mummy will come help you if you need anything and then you can head on home with her, alright?"
"Okay!"he squealed and ran off.
Laura was by my side, giving me a disapproving look, but she was so tired, I didn't even care.
"You heard the man, Laura."I said."You need your rest. Just stay home with him tonight and let me know if anything changes. Alright?"
Laura too, seemed to have lost her strength to fight. So she sighed wearily and hugged me again."Alright, Christian."
I wrapped my arms around her and held her there for a while, until Alexa came back in screaming something at the top of his voice.
"Shush, buddy,"I scolded."You're going to wake up the elderlies."
* * *
LAURA
When I arrived home, I was more tired than normal. I had not wanted to admit it to Christian back at the hospital, but it was a good thing that he had asked me to go home. The only problem was that he had asked me to go home with Alexa.
Alexa had only been discharged from the hospital a few moments ago, but no one would have been able to believe that. He was talking non-stop in the car and demanding answers from me, and the minute I had parked the car, he had zoomed out again, without a care in the world.
I thought about packing all the things that we had taken to the hospital back inside the house, but I found that I could not manage that. At least, not tonight. So I locked the car and closed the garage door.
"Alexa, baby, stop running around. You're going to hurt yourself."I called.
They fell on deaf ears. From how quiet it was, it was easy to say that no one looked to be at home, it was weird as fuck.
With the Alexis staying with my parents the house seemed rather Empty.
I looked around again asking myself the most trivial question , I couldn't get my mind away from the fact of why.
By the time I had finally caught him and put him to sleep, I wanted to sleep myself. But I needed to speak with Antonia first.
"Antonia,"I called. But there was no answer. I called several times, but there was still no answer-I thought that it was odd, and I walked to her room.
"Antonia,"I knocked at the door, but there was still no reply. She couldn't have slept so soon, I thought to myself and turned the lock, surprised that the door opened of its own accord.
If I had had the strength, I would have gasped. Now, I let my eyes roam around.
The room was practically empty. All of her belongings were gone, and I did not have the faintest clue how or where she had gone.
I called her mobile, but there was no response. I dialed Christian's number. He would answer.
"Christian,"I said, my tone serious when he answered."Antonia's gone."