Page 116 of Heart of The Night

It was entirely possible that our time together had already run out.

My face crinkled as I pictured him in his bedroom, offering me his heart. He’d looked so vulnerable, the hope in his eyes laden with fear as he confessed that he loved me. ‘I need time,’ I’d told him, as if he were the master of his own beginning and end, as if he were larger than life. If only I’d known that I’d asked for something he had no power over – a thing he wasn’t qualified to give.

I’d asked for more of what he might not have.

He had given me every moment he could, and I had wasted so many of them.

A torrent of intense regret engulfed me, and I doubled over, covering my face with my hands. I barely registered the soft murmur of conversations around me, the sterile brightness of the hospital’s waiting room, or the intermittent calls over the PA system. Waves of anguish shook my body, each one storming more fiercely than the last.

I thought of the time I first met William and how profound our chemistry had been right from the start. He had peered into my core and gauged who I was within mere moments of meeting me. Even back then, I had acknowledged that I had met my match; the connection between us was unlike anything I’d ever felt. And yet, despite this, I had resolved not to pursue him. Set in my ways, I had rejected his advances time and again, wasting precious time that I could have spent adoring him instead.

How nonsensical that seemed now.

I would never meet a person I’d be more compatible with than William. From the very beginning, we had been ourselves with one another, laying bare even our less admirable traits without reservation. We never tolerated more than we should – we always called each other out whenever we made mistakes – but we also always maintained room for forgiveness. And, just as he had embraced every part of me, I had grown to love every part of him. We loved each other wholly, not just in pieces.

‘Cara?’ a familiar voice called, but I couldn’t find the strength to respond. I sat slumped, staring blankly at my lap, my falling tears darkening the colour of my gown with each drop.

A cold pair of hands cupped my cheeks, tipping my head back. Jason examined me closely, his light-blue eyes filled with worry.

The sight of him ripped a sob from my mouth. He looked so much like William. It was a beautiful face, but as much as I loved it, it wasn’t the one I needed to see.

‘Jason…’ I choked out, grimacing.

‘I’m here, love,’ he said, easing himself down beside me. ‘What have they told you?’ Gently, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, drawing me into the warmth of his embrace. His familiar scent enveloped me, offering a small solace.

Drawing a shuddering breath, I fought to steady my trembling voice. ‘They brought him straight into the operating theatre, saying he needed vascular surgery.’ I gestured to my left arm, where William had been wounded. ‘His… vein had been severed.’

‘Which vein? Did they specify?’ Jason’s voice was steady, clinical.

I pointed hesitantly to a spot on his arm, not too far from his shoulder. ‘There,’ I said, my fingers trembling as they pressed against his white jumper. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t recall—’

‘Cephalic vein, probably,’ he cut me off with a nod. ‘That would have caused significant bleeding. Did they give him a transfusion?’

‘Yes,’ I whispered, barely audible. Tears flooded my eyes as images of William lying motionless on the floor surged through my mind. With a sharp intake of breath, I squeezed my eyes shut, trying desperately to banish the horrific scene from my memory.

‘What else did they say?’ Jason’s voice remained calm, betraying no sign of the turmoil he must have felt. I wondered if his medical training was keeping his emotions in check, or perhaps the full impact of the situation hadn’t hit him yet. Either way, it was clear he was focusing on understanding the extent of William’s injuries before he let his feelings surface.

‘They said he’s suffered a significant blunt trauma to the head and that he’s unconscious, but that his condition is stable. When I saw him…’ It was hard to talk when sobs were constantly clawing at the back of my throat. I had to pause, had to hold myself together. But the harrowing images were still so fresh in my mind, refusing to fade. ‘His face, Jason – it was so badly bruised. The paramedics…’ I held my breath, shuddering as I fought for control. ‘In the ambulance, they mentioned his assailant might have slammed his head into the basins. They found blood there.’

Jason slid his hand into the pocket of his grey joggers, his fingers curling into a fist. ‘How long have you been waiting?’

‘I don’t know, I’m sorry.’ My face contorted. I hated that I couldn’t reassure him better.

‘It can’t have been more than half an hour,’ Jason murmured, glancing at the clock on the wall, its hands nearing midnight. ‘Andy rang me about twenty minutes ago, saying he was on his way here.’

‘And your parents?’

‘They’re on their way too.’

I wrapped my arm around him, hugging him tightly. ‘I’m so sorry, Jason.’

As he looked back at me, his eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. ‘I can’t fathom why anyone would do this to him.’

I shook my head, grief overwhelming me, and let the tears fall.

Jason pulled me closer, his hand gently stroking my arm. ‘At least they’ve caught the miscreant.’

‘Yes.’ I sniffled, clinging to that small piece of justice amidst the chaos.

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