Chapter Eighty-nine

Chapter Eighty-nine
Bryan's POV
For all the hell I've gone through, there's one thing I hate the most: seeing the one I love getting killed right in front of me. I don't know why Kacy has to go there. I already told her not to, but she still did. She only added to my worries. She wasn't even thinking about our child. She's always acting so stubborn, only following herself, but that's also one of the reasons why I like her very much. I've found my match: someone who can stand up against me. There's no other woman who can be as strong as she is, so I'm confident that no matter what happens, she's going to live.
I don't know how long I've been unconscious, but it feels so long. When I woke up, I was already in the emergency room at some hospital. The doctors were busy treating my wounds. But I couldn't feel pain, probably due to numbness and anesthesia. I can't remember how many times I've been in this situation. I've seen my whole life flashing before my eyes so many times, with death smiling at me, but life often pulls me back. Maybe that's luck or maybe a curse. Sometimes it's better to just die than to live as a burden to someone. But life doesn't always go as we want it to. Sometimes, or maybe most of the time, it goes against us. For all the sins I've done, I don't know why I'm still breathing. Perhaps they are right; the more sinful the person is, the longer they live. The kind ones go to heaven too soon.
I spent many days and nights in the hospital, looking at the ceiling from morning until I fell asleep. What else can I do? No cards to play. No pizza to go. No beer to drink. Just like staying in a jail, or worse. Times like this make me reflect on a lot of things. Makes me question my whole existence. I've lost a leg and an arm. I don't know if I'd be able to live a normal life once I got out of this shithole.
What would Kacy think of me if I became incapacitated? How can our child grow up normal? How will I provide for my family? How will I protect them from the bad guys? I badly need to smoke this stress away. Too bad I can't move my fingers yet. That bastard really gave me lots of trouble. Yet he's still alive until now. Sure, he's living the best day of his life, having good sex, eating lavish food, and sleeping well with nothing to think about.
Now I'm tired again from doing nothing. All the food I ate goes to my brain. Thoughts are nothing but temporary. Energy-consuming human invention. Humans are thinking machines, and I need to rest.
Another day passed by, yet I'm still recovering. I can move a little bit but can't stand up yet. The doctor said I need to have my leg cemented, and it'd take me some time to be able to walk again; it takes determination if I really want to. I don't even know where to get money to pay my bills. Francis offered his help. How I wish I just died. Being a burden to someone is what I hate the most.
"Don't worry too much, Bryan. Just stay strong. You can't die yet. You still have a woman and child waiting for you. You must be thankful that you have them," Francis said.
"Thank my ass." These people are nothing but responsibilities that keep us from digging our own grave. They won't let us die. They are holding on to us, expecting us to fight for ourselves too.
"Come on, you don't have to talk like that. Kacy's asking me about you, if you're doing fine. I told her you're tough, that you won't die that easily," Francis said.
"Thanks for the pressure."
"Come on, man, what else should I say? That you're already dead? Being optimistic isn't that bad. Besides, I'm just telling the truth. You were really tough. You've lost so much blood, yet you're still alive. If I were in your situation, for sure, I'd already be in my vigil."
"Not funny," I turned to face him. "It's hard to say this, but I just want to thank you. We'd have been dead already if you didn't come with the cops."
"You don't have to thank me. We're friends, so I'm going to do what needs to be done."
"Thank you, buddy. How's Kacy, by the way?"
"She's still recovering. She's strong. I'm sure she'll get well soon. She doesn't like me helping her."
"You know her. She's so independent that accepting someone's help became difficult for her."
"Just like you."
"And the baby?"
"You're lucky. The bullets were far from her stomach, or else she could lose your child. Still, she needs more time to rest," Francis said.
"Please take care of her. You'll be the one I'll blame if something happens to her."
"Don't worry, I'll watch her. You should worry about yourself. Just call me if you need help. The nurse will be the one taking care of you."
"I will. Thanks for everything."
Francis moved closer and gave me a brotherly hug. It made me feel a little bit better. I'm so grateful that I have a friend like him, someone I can rely on when I get myself in a tight situation.
"Alright. Alright. That's enough." He stepped back. "You should eat and get more rest. I just need to do something."
"Is it about that masked guy?"
"You read me. I know that he's still a threat towards us. He saw me there. I'm sure he'll start bothering me too. I should continue investigating about him."
"Well, I'm not really in the position to stop you. I just want to say sorry for getting you involved."
"Getting involved with my buddy's mess is something unavoidable. I have to go now. Take care of yourself." He turned towards the door and stepped out.
A sigh left my mouth. I'm going to kill that bastard if I see his face again. Or maybe he's the one going to kill me. In my current condition, I understand how pathetic I am. I was a fool for going there alone. I underestimated the enemy. He's not just an ordinary guy. He's merciless. Francis should not make the same mistake I did.