Chapter 216 Dead II
Fabian arrived with Old Man Johnson. Richard had reached out to them.
Fabian tried pulling Maverick off her, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Let her go, goddammit… I’m trying to save her…”
Maverick’s grip loosened. Fabian laid her flat on the floor. He touched her wrist and her neck, searching for a pulse, but there was none.
He began performing CPR.
He pressed on her chest. “One… two… three…”
Then blew air into her mouth.
No pulse.
He tried again and again.
“Vera, please… come back…”
Fabian lost count of how many times he did it. Everyone stood on a thin line, waiting for a positive answer.
“She has a pulse!” he finally spoke. “But it’s weak. We need to get her to the hospital. She has lost a lot of blood…”
Maverick lifted her off the floor before Fabian could finish his statement.
The red light to the operating room was on, indicating surgery in process. The hallway was packed with everyone who loved her. Maverick couldn’t keep still. He sat with both hands on his head, he got up and paced, then slammed his fist into the wall.
Each nurse or doctor that left the room was a thorn in his flesh. He could only trust Fabian to not let anything happen to her.
Liam’s leg was fully bandaged, but he felt something wasn’t right.
“Where’s mama?” he asked Samantha again. She had lost count of how many times he had asked the question.
“She’s fine… just sleeping…”
“Liar. I want to see my mama now… take me to her,” he said, crying.
Samantha had been trying so hard to hold her tears, but she couldn’t anymore. “She’s in the operating room. She was shot… I promise she will be fine… your mama loves you too much to leave you.” She hugged the little boy, crying.
Havilah’s little hand hovered on Liam’s door. She had woken up and asked the nurse to take her to Liam, but now she couldn’t enter. Because Liam was sad because of her. She walked back to her own hospital room, but she couldn’t find her way back.
She was lost. She wandered and wandered, hoping to see a familiar face. Finally, she saw her grandpa, Richard, take a turn down the hallway. She followed.
She saw her mother lying on an iron stretcher, covered in white. There was blood coming from her head. The doctor reached out and covered Eva’s lifeless eyes, then took the white cloth and covered her face.
“Mummy?”
Her large hand blocked her view, and she was lifted off the floor. Only when Boyle had walked a distance did he stop moving.
“Uncle Boyle, what’s wrong with mummy?” Havilah’s mouth quivered, her eyes watering.
Boyle hugged the little girl as she cried. She didn’t know what was happening, but she knew it was bad just from reading his eyes. Boyle patted her before handing her over to Bianca.
The night air was cool. Boyle walked out to meet his father, who was seated with his hand on his head.
“Eva was a good girl… how did she end up like this?” he said immediately Boyle sat down.
“Time changes people.”
“She was already a suspect in a murder and arson case. Two unidentified bodies burnt beyond recognition. But the house was bought under Butler Rose’s name.”
Boyle’s eyes widened. “You are saying?”
“She killed Rose,” he said.
“But why?”
“I guess we will never know.”
“What are we going to do about her body?”
“I don’t know,” Richard said.
Maverick looked like he was on the verge of collapsing when the red light turned green.
Fabian walked out of the room with a grim face.
“How is she?” Maverick asked, gripping Fabian’s coat hard.
“We were able to pull the bullet out, but…” Fabian tried to be professional.
“We couldn’t save the pregnancy. They were already dead. From her blood test, it showed she had a dangerous chemical in her bloodstream.”
Maverick’s grip loosened. His hand fell to the side, dejected.
“There’s something else. We removed her womb. The twins had died hours ago.”
Maverick fell to the floor. “It’s best you keep that part away from her,” he said.
Maverick slammed his fist into the wall over and over until it bled, blaming himself. He didn’t protect them. He was late.
“When will she wake up?” Old Man Johnson asked.
“When the drugs wear off, she should be awake.”
One day went into weeks, weeks went by into months. Maverick never left the room; he was hopeful she would come back to him.
“Mama, my legs are healed now. I don’t need crutches anymore. It was such a hassle using them…” Liam blabbed on. He had read that his mama could hear him, but she just couldn’t speak. “Mama, I’m being a brave boy, but I need you. I miss you.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek.
He spent some time with her before leaving.
The month doubled into two.
“Fabian, I need a good explanation as to why she isn’t waking up.”
“Be patient.”
“You said that two months ago!” Maverick said, frustrated.
“She is my sister! I love her just as much!” Fabian shouted.
“The noise is too much,” a hoarse voice sounded.
Both their heads turned at once; her eyes were on them. Maverick rushed forward, pulling her into a crushing hug. His lips pressed on her forehead. Then he pulled back. Everything came flooding back to her. Her instincts kicked in; her hand flew to her stomach. It was flat.
“Was I out for so long that I birthed them already?” she asked, looking at Maverick, then at Fabian.
They were both quiet.
“Where are my babies? Are they at home?”
Maverick slowly shook his head, sadness in his eyes.
Heaven didn’t want to believe it. Maybe they were born sick or prematurely.
“Then they are here. Take me to them,” she said, pulling the blanket off, ready to leave the room.
Maverick held her hand back. “We lost them.”
“No… no… no… no…”
A heart-wrenching, agonizing scream tore from her throat. Her body vibrated in pain. Maverick felt her pain deep in his heart.
He pulled her to his chest.
Heaven cried until there were no tears left. She just whimpered. No words to Maverick. Her eyes didn’t close; she just stared at nothing.
“Heaven, eat,” Maverick said, placing a tray of food on the hospital bed table. She didn’t move.
The next day, Heaven still hadn’t spoken a word to Maverick. He led her to the car. She sat in. She reached for the seat belt, but it wasn’t there. Maverick draped it across her chest like she was wearing a school bag.
She burst into tears again. It was the car he had designed for them.
“Let’s get into another car,” Maverick said, unbuckling the belt.
She shook her head.
The drive home was silent. Maverick held her hand all through it as her eyes stayed fixed out of the window. When they arrived home, everyone was waiting for her.
Liam rushed forward, holding a flower. Heaven bent down and hugged him tightly, dropping kisses on his face.
“Mummy, I missed you so much…”
“I missed you too, munchkin.” She tried to be brave for her son, even though she felt this invisible pain she couldn’t explain.
Heaven stopped short when she saw Havilah. Hatred shone in her eyes.
“Maverick, I don’t want her here. Take her away or I leave.”