CHAPTER 23
Antonia was still right there at the top floor of the restaurant, she looked displeased at everything that just happened and could listen to her own heart beating heavily at the fact he stood her up, and the waiter walked toward where she was.
"We are closed ma'am." He announced.
" What time is it?" She asked.
The truth was she had a fucking watch but it felt better hearing it from another person, it filled her with a different type of anger.
"It is half past Eleven." He muttered.
"Great." She moaned.
Disappointed, she gave a weak smile, and gathered her things to leave, one thing was certain she was going to give him a piece of her mind… She felt to herself that all this was her fault though she had been holding back for too long.
An Uber was booked as she made her way out, it drizzled lazily and yet soon she was all drenched, shivering.
Soon a car stopped right there before and she was quick to get in, for most part of her trip she ignored the driver's attempt at humor, she kept her gaze glued to the glass as the world sped past her, not even her phone beeping twice was able to shift her out of her hypnotic state as her mind was mesmerizing in a deep mess.
Her inbox was filled with Christian's feeble attempt at trying to pacify the moment, she ignored every bit of it and clicked delete.
Even the long lawned path that lead to the residence had a bit of twist to it, whole the
the outline of her residence should have shone in the dark. It was all blurry from the rain and her tears were enough that she narrowly avoided tripping over her own feet.
Her shoes clack against the steps of her porch, she caught the scent of a Cologne that created a reverberation that traveled like waves through her entire nerve and soul.
With quickened steps and water from her wet hair dripping down her neck, she tries to shove the key into the lock, twice.
Fighting back the rage and agitation that was racing through her nerves, the key finally fits into the lock, she pushes her door open and
bursts it ready to give him a piece of her mind maniacally flipping on every light switch in
the room.
***
With red shot eyes he looked up from where he had been wallowing in darkness for the past minutes.
"Hello, I've been trying to reach you." He barely made the words out coherently as he stuttered drunkenly.
Immediately, he spoke the air was filled with the unpleasant stench of his alcoholism-
For a minute she stood there puzzled not knowing the right way to react to him being there, she paced the room in fury towards where he was.
She swipes him across the face. "Are you crazy, you are all drunk and I was busy waiting for you all day, what do you take me for… A joke."
Remorseful, his hands rubbed his chin where she had just slapped. The look in his eyes gave an hint that he was sad, fucking sad - He was like a little child to her really as he looked that minute that she almost regretted slapping him.
"I am sorry, just on a bad day. I tried reaching out to you but no one was picking.
Her mind wanders, fueled by several anonymous feelings enough that she didn't know what to feel at that moment, guilt?
Was this all her fault, was she coming at him too hard. If anything was obvious it was the pain in the man's eyes.
What Christian did to her was …
It was Unforgivable.
Complicated yet unacceptable.
And yet, she couldn't bring herself to despise him, her heart still aches for him, she wanted so badly to take him in her hands and comfort him this time.
"I am sorry for hitting you as well, but you can't just let me stand there in the cold all day… I looked stupid."
He stood closer, his hands for the first time showing that it was a living thing and moved from his side the cup to her face.
"Someone close to him was in an accident, and I had to go check up on him. "
Her lips made an "O", she had a sense for guilt in her as well and couldn't stop herself from feeling remorseful.
Would she do the same if she had the chance?
She looked foolish for acting that way, she should have asked at least… She shouldn't have filled herself with so much hate and rage as it could had lead to her doing something
awful as well.
"Are you fine though." He rubbed his face as he asked.
She's not sure of the answer, and she spends the rest of the time - brief seconds - Thinking of an appropriate answer that would diffuse the entire situation, gritting her teeth and fighting the nausea that threatens to erupt out of her .
"Yes." She lied
Deep down she wasn't.
*****
Back at the Hospital…
Her child was still unconscious but the chances from his vitals gave him a sixty nine percent chance of gaining consciousness.
She kept looking at his motionless body that was turning colder every minute. If there was anyone to be blamed it was most definitely Christian his father, flashback of that moment came to her mind again -The heavy screams from her, the panic and anxiety.
All of these memories came back in a bit of rush.
At that moment, she would give all the wealth she had just to see his eyes open, she had the other two twin in her hand, he had incessantly cried himself to sleep after asking why his brother wouldn't play with him-
A knock came from the door and an elderly nurse walked in, she went through the Vitals and couldn't help but turn to Laura who was struggling to be awake.
"So can I watch the boys for you, give you a good rest before you break down as well."
"Thank you, It doesn't mean you have to, I can watch them myself " Laura insists, sitting down where she was. She sighs, her dark
brown eyes weary.
"He is going to be fine, it was just the shock from being caught up unaware, when he is out of that phase he will survive it." The older nurse explained.
It would be pointless for her to get her hopes up from the way she remains quiet but still she couldn't ignore it -
Ellie remains silent, hoping for Pete's sake that the nurse 's words turned out true, she opened up to her about her deepest fear.
"No one is ever going to make me forgive myself if I lose any of my boys." she says softly, a hint of pity on her face. "Trust me even your subtle words is not going to resolve anything, I just need them alive
."
"Well, sweetie you can't raise them while equally down and below the ground yourself, you need rest "
The words catch her off guard and somehow pull at something ugly in her chest.
The absolute nerve she had to say those, doesn't she know who she was.
Still it was the truth, enough that it a bit to her that she was not sure who she's angrier at-The maid for calling her out, or
fucking Christian.
"I've agreed to get that rest.," Laura muttered. gathering her bag and standing up.
"When I get back, I hope my son will be alive … I can't lose him."
Again the nurse shakes her head "I don't doubt what you do well with some sleep,
I'm worried about you. It's easy to
become too emotionally involved or attached."
She hears Laura sigh. Just then the janitor walked in with another nurse .
"Good evening ma'am but I need to clean the room "
Reluctantly, Laura stood up just as the woman was at the door. "I think I need a cup of latte."
Outside the hallway, her mind was clearer and better. She was just starting to settle down on one of the chairs.
When she saw a doctor and two nurse's running in the direction where she just came from.
"It is the boy." One of them exclaimed.
Panicking, she went after them.