Chapter 88 - IT WAS A STRUGGLE

SIENNA.

“What the…! No God, please, no! This is not possible…not Aiden. Lauren?” I freaked out and yanked her arm, shaking it like crazy.

I couldn’t stop myself and it felt like a never-ending nightmare. I was experiencing a fear that was impossible to comprehend. My body started shaking violently, and I almost passed out.

“No, Sienna! Please, stay calm! This has gotta be a mistake. It can’t be real…” Lauren said, lost for words. She was panting and struggling to get me out of the restaurant. Once again, people were staring at me, feeling sorry.

It was a struggle to get through all the people who wanted to see the news and get to me. “Make way, people!” Lauren shouted. “Don’t worry,” she said to my ear, blocking them from me. “I’ll get you out of here!”

Everything felt like it was going backward for me. If the news just broke, it means it happened while we were eating.

“Take me to where it happened, Lauren!” I said, sounding really hurt.

“What are you saying? You couldn’t bear to see that place, Sienna...”

“Take me right now!” I ordered, and Lauren freaked out, starting the engine.

I couldn’t see anything - no road, no people, no sky. I was just scared out of my mind about my curse before it all went down. Why doesn’t he just die? My words would keep replaying in my mind.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore and tears just started pouring out. It completely freaked me out. I couldn’t catch my breath and had to fight to stay awake. Lauren noticed me and held my hand while driving.

“Sienna, relax! We don’t wanna end up in the hospital, you know. Let’s go. Breathe with me,” Lauren said and promptly took a deep breath, anticipating my response. Then she breathed out while waiting. She made my heart go back to normal.

I wasn’t ready for the awful scene on Phillip Boulevard. Aiden’s car and the other one he crashed into were both completely wrecked.

I hopped out of Lauren’s car and walked up to the scene. It was way scarier up close. The crashed cars still had people all around them. The police were handling things and I could hear the ambulance sirens from far away.

I hit the ground and let out a scream that made my soul escape.

“Aideeeeen!”

Lauren came over right away and had my back.

“Sienna... don’t do this… stand up!”

But how am was supposed to do that when my heart was broken? I knew nothing about Aiden, so how could I breathe?

All of a sudden, everything just vanished. I couldn’t see or hear anything at all. Other than the two smashed cars. I could barely support myself on Lauren’s arm. Tears filled my eyes and I could hardly see anything.

Sienna, get it together! “We should go ask those cops where they took Aiden,” Lauren said, barely hearing her through my foggy thoughts.

It was like a slap in the face. Lauren was totally right. I had to process my shock and gather as much info as possible about Aiden. I had mentally prepared for the worst-case scenario.

My heart was pounding as I got closer.

The cop saw me and immediately turned my way.

“Excuse me, I’m Sienna Roberts. Aiden Roberts, my husband, was the victim in this accident, and I need information about him.” I said, sniffling and wiping my tears with the back of my hand. “Where was he taken?”

“Good afternoon Mrs. Roberts! I am so sorry for what happened,” said the cop.

Why was he saying sorry? What had happened to my husband? I was going crazy.

“Don’t tell me Aiden is gone...” I sobbed, tears flowing again.

“No ma’am, don’t worry! Mr Roberts is alive, but he’s in a very serious condition. They brought him to Memorial Hospital. Do you have transportation, or do you want us to accompany you there?”

“I’m good. Lauren here is going to take me. Thank you, officer,”

“No problem, please take care of you, Mrs. Roberts!”

I looked at Lauren and gave her a weak smile. Aiden was alive, and that was all that counted.

“Lauren, he is alive. God answered my prayers. He is alive! I need to be there for him. Take me to Memorial Hospital,” I told her while making my way to the car.

“No problem, come on!”

The hospital drama freaked me out, but I bounced back fast. I had to figure out where they took Aiden, so I asked at the desk. I was a nervous wreck.

“Good afternoon. My name is Sienna Roberts and my husband, Aiden Roberts, was just brought in. I need more information about his condition, please?”

“Good afternoon Mrs. Roberts! Give me one moment, please,” the nurse responded gently. I didn’t wait for long, her eyes were already filled with tenderness. I was so freaked out, my body totally froze. “Mr. Roberts was indeed admitted half an hour ago, and regrettably, he is in a rather critical state. Currently, he is undergoing a surgical procedure. Please proceed to the second floor for access to the operating block.”

“Thank you so much, Miss,” I said to her and then turned to Lauren. “Let’s go, Lauren!”

I quickly headed towards the elevator, with Lauren struggling to keep up. The elevator took so long to come; I thought I was gonna die.

I pushed the button for the second floor and tried to calm down.

It was less noisy here.

As we reached the end of the hall, the operator’s block came into view, directly in front of us. We got there and didn’t move until we heard something.

Finally, after three hours, a doctor came out, I guess to find the patient’s family.

“Do we have anyone here from the patient’s family?” he asked, looking in our direction. Meanwhile, a group of people, just as distressed as I was, had gathered nearby.

“I’m his wife. How is he?” I asked, scared, moving closer to the doctor.

“Mr. Roberts is in a stable condition. A liver rupture occurred, but we were able to successfully stabilize him. We are arranging for his transfer to the Intensive Care Unit, and I am sorry to inform you that visiting him today will not be feasible. We will have to wait until tomorrow for that. Instead of that, you have the option to stay in the adjoining ward and observe him through a glass divider. Furthermore, it was necessary to induce a coma to facilitate the healing and minimize potential complications.” the doctor explained, and I felt like I was falling.

The doctor went back inside, leaving me feeling empty and alone. I turned to Lauren, and the disbelief on her face matched my own.

“I’m gonna have to stay with him tonight, tomorrow night, and for as many nights as it takes for him to wake up,” I said, feeling shocked by everything that was going on with me.

It was like God had a personal vendetta against me. I was suffocating. This damn accident made me realize Aiden was my everything. I couldn’t even wrap my head around the thought of him not being around.

“We’re in this together, Sienna. You’re not alone. I’m not going anywhere until Aiden wakes up. Do you hear me?”

With the situation under control, Lauren appeared with a comforting cup of coffee from the cafeteria. The only thing I desired was caffeine, as I was determined to stay up for as many nights as necessary.

The room felt like a freezer, with a bone-chilling coldness that made her shiver, and an unsettling stillness that made my ears ache for any sound. Just like my soul, it was filled with darkness. It felt as if all life had been sucked out of it.

The minutes felt like hours as the nurses carefully attended to his needs, making sure he was comfortable.

“I can’t take it anymore, Lauren,” I exclaimed, my voice filled with exasperation. “Why don’t they just remove this curtain?” I said, shooting daggers at the drapes that showed absolutely nothing.

“Hang in there. I’m sure they’ll do it soon. Sienna, get ready because what you’re about to see won’t be easy,” Lauren told me, turning me to look at her.

Right then, a nurse yanked the thick curtain.

And there he was, just lying there, hooked up to all these machines. He stood there, his face drained of color, completely motionless. I strained my eyes, and the only movement I could distinguish was the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed almost imperceptibly. My soul seemed to leave my body at that very moment.

“Dear Lord, Aiden!”