Chapter 34: Chapter 33

© S A F I E

CHAPTER 33

ELLE

I'm sitting at the table, the minutes passed by as though it seems to drag on forever. Jacob was sleeping peacefully in his cot, unbothered by the anxiety I am feeling now. I wipe my hands as they become sweaty and cold, stretching my arms and leaning across the table. He's been away for almost an hour now, he was supposed to be here and if something did happen, I'm sure he would've called. I wait a little longer, before standing up from my seat, looking down the driveway but his car isn't there. I don't know what to presume. I called for Neola and she said that she hasn't seen him.

Why? Did something wrong happen to him?

I went back to the table and stared back at the baby monitor connected to Jacob's cot. I lean down, and listened; there was a rustle, and a whimper, then he gurgled, making me smile. Jacob's little noises distracted me from what is happening but I am afraid it isn't enough. The waiting is twisting my insides, driving me insane.

Desperate for some fresh air, I went out to the balcony, unable to tolerate the growing anxiousness in me.

Where is he? Why is he not calling me? Did Victoria harm him? I will kill her if she did, in any chance that I could get. My blood boils as I think about all that she did. I have not expected that she can do such a horrible thing to me, much more to my baby. I touch my wound and wince at the memory of what had happened. I am lucky enough to have survived the bullet, without a major injury. She missed my joint; if she had not, I would need reconstruction for my bones.

The wind blew on my face, making my hair stick to the sides, tickling my cheek. I push it behind my ear as I glance out the balcony, frowning at the commotion outside. There appears to be an accident that has happened. A couple of cars stopped by the entrance, a crowd of people gathering around the wreckage which also brought ambulance into the scene, sirens blaring as they parted the crowd, trying to get to the centre of it all. I stand, wondering before I step back, my thoughts in disarray as I left the room and went down the lift.

It was like someone has thrown water on me that I cannot think straight. It took me a moment to notice that I was already running out the door and to the sea of people. Some of them part but some won't barge, insisting that they should keep me out because they are the one who had first come to the scene. I do not know what pushed me to go down and see who was involved in the accident. Was it because of my worry with Gabriel not returning in the hour that he has promised? I look around and notice the look of sympathy painted on their faces, almost matching the gloomy weather we had - it's almost spring.

I shake my head and focused on the task at hand, feeling the cold wind on my cheek as it blows. I tug at my cloak, shivering. I do not want to think about it but, it could be Gabe lying down on the cold pavement wounded....or worse. I shake my head again, trying not to think about the worse thing that can happen.

Gabriel is alive. He'll come back to me. He's alright. He's perfectly fine.

I chanted these words on my head, repeating it before sending off a little prayer up above. Oh God, I might not be the kindest human out there but will you spare him? Please do hear me, God. I need him, we needed him. Let him live. Oh.

I bit my lip and marched forward, sighing as I finally reach the place where the crowd had circled upon. The people are muttering around me; the paramedics put yellow warnings that separate us from the three cars that have collided with each other. I can see a Chevy being opened up by the rescuers and a man on his forties being pulled out of it. His eyes are closed while blood trickle down his chin from his head. He looks quite fine from chest below until my eyes darted down to where his leg was lying limp, bone and flesh mangled. The second car is a minivan, a cry of a little girl inside made me close my eyes in pity - that could be Jacob in other instances. The rescuer used a huge cutter and split open the car door while asking the others to assist him in getting them out of the car.

I was wrong when I said little girl for it should be little girls. Both of them are crying as a pair of rescuers pull their car seat from the wreckage. Another rescuer works through the driver's side and pulls out a woman, whom I assumed as their mother. I saw them checking her vitals and her eyes, there was a wide gash in her forehead, and her chest was torn. The rescuer shakes his head as he started writing on his notes. I think she's dead, judging by the injuries she has suffered and the lack of response they received.

Poor little girls.

But before I shift my position to see the other car, a man beside me speaks as he was interviewed by a reporter, "It was all a matter of a minute. Funny how life can change in that span of time, I never would've seen it if I wasn't cleaning off the pavement today. If you saw what has happened, you couldn't have expected this horrendous outcome," he points at the cars and shakes his head, pure and utter disbelief in his face. "It happened like this: The other lane was clear; the black Mercedes is going fast, must be rushing off to do something then, a truck from a construction site went off to the side, making the Mercedes swerve back to its lane. All of a sudden there was a loud crash, the minivan bumped on the Chevy making it swerve and hit the black Mercedes' back and there, here is the outcome." The man nodded his head as though he was satisfied with the answer he just gave to the interviewer.

Turning my eyes back on the cars, I saw the black Mercedes he was describing. Its passenger's side is completely bent over but the lucky driver could've survived because of the bag in front. The driver will still be in a critical condition even though his side wasn't that crushed for the glass is completely shattered in front and the position on which the driver's feet should've been is inclined. I momentarily stop and realize that Gabe also owns a black Mercedes.

Taking a deep breath, I went to the other side to see the plate number of the car, only to clutch my hand on my chest, my heart thundering.

GHW 817

It was him. He was on the wreckage.

I covered my mouth to avoid myself from screaming. He went off to Victoria and this? She probably planned all of this, to make Gabriel come to her desired location, not show up, then kill him in an accident so she can prove that she has won. I was shaking in anger and grief as I stare at the car. The driver's door is open and I suspected that they have brought him to the hospital, attending to his wounds and injuries.

Pulling myself away from the scene, I turn away and ran fast, returning to where I have come from. I thought about the worst scenarios on my head when a hand suddenly pulls at me, surprising me that I have this sudden urge to scream. His bruised face appears in front of my vision as he leans down, casting a shadow over me. I noticed blood from the sides of his face as he tilted it on the side and staggered, enveloping me in his arms. "Elle," He whispered, his voice rough. I tighten my arms around him and he pulls away, looking down at me. Gabriel has managed to smile at me before wincing, "Tada!"

"Gabriel! Ho-how did you? I-"

Gabriel was still smiling at me and he captured me in a one-sided hug, he leans his forehead down on me before he staggered. "Let us sit down, alright? I know you are feeling dizzy." Gabriel shakes his head but followed my advice. I assisted him as he lowered himself next to me, leaning on my shoulder. He closed his eyes, reaching inside his chest pocket, he fumbled for a while, groaning. "What is it, Gabriel? Do you need some help with-"

"No. I can handle it," He smiled, pulling a little blue box from inside. He opens his mouth and I am shocked as blood started flowing down from his lips. The blood from the wound on his head trickled down to his chin, and I exclaimed "Gabriel, you're bleeding! You need to get checked."

I am surprised when he chuckled before he collapsed to his knees. His quick move caught me off guard as I sat there gawking, unable to comprehend what he was actually doing.

"Gabriel, what are you doing? Your knees-"

Gabriel shakes his head, taking a deep breath but realising that it's a wrong move, he winced. "Elle, love..." His smile turns into a grimace as a thin trail of blood trickle down his chin, "I know. I might not appear handsome and might've looked like a mess right now crazy..." He coughed out blood and wiped it off his chin before sniffing, his gaze upon me, "I never wanted to look so vulnerable in front of you but my condition won't stop me from doing what I've been practising for a couple of weeks now. It’s a moment of now or never, again, because I might not have any chance to say this again," he chuckled, his bright blue eyes shining in the twilight making them appear as though they were on fire. I am gobsmacked, looking at him like he'd gone nuts.

He's wounded and injured, doesn't he know that? He needs patching up, quick!

"This is not romantic I know...it's far from what I'm planning to do but I almost died awhile ago and I can't die, yet. I want to spend more time with you and Jacob. I want to see him grow up and love a girl just like how I loved you, which is why I'm offering you this..." His fingers tremble as he opens the box, revealing a simple platinum ring littered with three small diamonds. I am so shocked that I didn't realize he's still talking, "Elle, I know I've not been a good husband to you. Forgive me for the sins I've done for I never wanted to hurt you in purpose. I've been a monster because of bitterness and grief but you helped me change. Now, I am offering you my heart for I am ready to be with you.”

He held my hand in his and kiss them. His lips leaving trails of blood as he caressed my fingers, his lips pressed to the back of my hand as he whispered, “ I want to raise Jacob together with you, and probably have another child in the future if we could. I want to spend those days of sickness and loneliness with you, those holidays of happiness and celebrations and birthdays. Elleana, I want to shower you with more love so I'm asking you to please accept my love, my heart, body, mind and soul...Elleana Cassidy Greene, you are the one and the only girl I'd love for all eternity, do me a favour and accept my proposal, love. Marry me, again."

He didn't ask me, he demanded it. Like always, he's still the business type even in romance and that is why I fell for this billionaire.

I bit my lip and stare at his hopeful gaze. My traitor eyes let out the tears and I hastily wiped them away as he lowered his gaze on the ring. He must be thinking that I wouldn't accept because I remain silent but don't he get it?

Silence means yes, dude!

I was about to say that one word when all of a sudden, his eyes closed, his hands letting go of that box as he leans back, toppling over. The little box snapped close before his body collapsed on the pavement with a light thud. "Gabe?"

"GABRIEL!" I nudge his arms but I got no response. I tap his cheeks and was about to pull his hair when I felt the warm liquid on my palm coming from the back of his head. It is blood. "Gabe? Oh my god! I thought you are fine, Gabriel?" I cradle his head as I tried to support his back, making him lean unto me. My heart feels like it is being squeezed tight. I hopefully tap his cheek once again and huff as I got no response. I gritted my teeth, "C'mon wake up now, Gabriel, you promised me, you can't die now!" I raise my gaze to see the paramedics crowding over us, they ask the people to move so they can take Gabriel.

"Gabriel, please," I whispered to his ear, kissing his cheeks and leaning my forehead on his, "Please, love. Wake up, Gabriel."

_______________________

Jacob is turning one next week.

It's been a couple of months since the incident - Victoria caught and dying in the hands of Rico and Gabriel being involved in a car wreck then proposing to me.

I was shocked. I never expected that he would do that even though he was hurt but I underestimated him. I never thought of him as a romantic guy but he had it in him, he blew me away. He did love me after all.

I carefully place Jacob next to his father as we arrive in Gabriel's room; same hour every day ever since he slips into a coma after the accident.

When he collapses the moment he popped the statement, ‘MARRY ME’, the crowd gathered around us and the paramedics quickly ask for them to move, assisting me. I'm thankful because the ambulance is still there and the hospital is near our location. Gabriel did suffer wounds that will need operation except for the side of his head. The accident causes a large swelling on the left part of his brain which restricted him from waking up. The doctors said he was lucky enough to survive and now we are stuck, hoping that he will wake up soon.

I feel mixed emotions when we visit him, he appears so serene that I am not sure if he would ever wake up. What will happen then, if he did not wake up? The regret of not saying 'yes' to him quickly made me guilty. I should've answered him fast. There are so many things that I am thinking of when I look at him - I fear that he will have amnesia and forget about the things that happen. Worst is for him to reject us and have the past be repeated.

I don't want Jacob to be hurt.

Staring back at the both of them, I smiled as Jacob silently gurgle as he lies beneath his father's arm. He's tucked safely and curled up as he reaches out one of his chubby fingers to his Gabriel's face, touching it tenderly.

"Papa," I pointed out at him as he looks back at me as if asking about the same word again. It's been a routine. Every time I place him next to Gabriel, he would look back at me with his curious cerulean eyes as if asking about him. I've been waiting for him to talk since he's almost one but Eric told me that it is normal for him to suffer in a short delay because of what happened six months ago.

Jacob went back to his business of tracing his father's faces. He continued to touch his father's face, his eyebrows furrowed with his lips pursed. He looks like a mini Gabe concentrating on a budget proposal that he needed the board to approve.

The thought alone made me almost cry. Gabriel will be so happy if he only sees this; he will be very proud. "That is Papa, my bambino. Pa-Pa..." Jacob turns his wide eyes at me and I smiled. He returns the same one though he only had four pieces of teeth.

After a while, he directed his attention on his hands, gurgling his usual babble of baby words. I was about to assist him into sitting up on his own when he surprised me with his words, "Pa" He smiles back at me before pulling his other hand that is tuck to his sides and using it to slap Gabriel’s face. "Jacob! Oh my--" I pull his hands away but he forced his way out of my grip, holding his breath to show his frustration. I tried distracting him with his dummy but he turns his head and pulled his hand from my grip.

"Pa!" He yelled, repeating his word before he slaps his hand again on the side of Gabriel's face. "Pa...."

I pull Jacob up from the bed and I whispered, "Baby, Papa is asleep, ok? Don't hit him on the face again..." Jacob frowns at me before turning his head on the bed and pointing at it, "Mmppp-Paaaa!" He grunted, shaking his head.

I was about to take him out of the room and buy him a snack as a cure to one of his tantrums when I heard a deep intake of a breath. Turning around, I am almost happy that Jacob did what he has done a while ago - Gabriel's awake now.

I rush off to his side with Jacob bouncing on my hip, "Gabriel?"

"Elle-" He whispered in a hushed tone but I cut him off by saying,

"Yes, Gabriel. I'll marry you. I love you, Gabriel Hugo West. " Gabriel was momentarily surprised before his face split into a grin, "And, I love you too, Elleana Cassidy Greene."

꿑