Page 3 of With Love

Marshall

Sitting next to Adrienne’s hospital bed, hearing the constant beeping of the machine that she is hooked up to, I am reminded of three years ago, when I woke up from my coma. It’s a miracle that I am even alive and not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for it.

I can’t tear my eyes from her. My heart shattered all over again the second that I entered her hospital room. Laying there, she’s battered and bruised. She’s gaunt; dangerously slim. But all I see is the beautiful girl that I fell in love with six years ago. No scar or injury could ever change that.

My mind is in upheaval. I want to reach out and hold her. I want to grab her and kiss her and never let her go. But I don’t want to disturb her healing. I don’t want to wake her before her body is ready. I don’t want to frighten her. I have no idea what she is going to do or say when she wakes and finds me here.

I am terrified of how long she is going to have to be here. It’s already been three days since she arrived, it’s only a matter of time before Lock finds her. I was able to talk to her doctor about keeping her under the name that she came in with; Michelle Simone Fincham. She was the unfortunate girl sitting next to Adrienne on the plane, who lost her life. Luckily, I knew Adrienne’s doctor a few years ago when we did business with this hospital before our company went to shit. All of the stars must have aligned when she was brought here. Dr. Hill recognized her and called me to let me know where she was. When I explained to him what happened, how Lock had taken Adrienne, he was more than willing to go along with it.

Looking down at the floor, cradling my head between my hands, my elbows resting on my knees, I hear slight movement. My head flies up just as I see Adrienne’s hands reaching for her face. I reach for the remote that works the lights in the room and click the button to turn them on. Just before I get a chance to speak, her lips part.

“Just make it quick,” her voice is gravelly and soft as a tear rolls down her face.

Confused, I furrow my brow as her tears begin to fall faster now.

“When you kill me. That’s why you’re here, right? I’ve been in so much pain for far too long. Please, if you have one ounce of compassion in you, I’m begging - just make it quick.”

“I’m not here to kill you,” I answer, shocked.

“What, then?” she questions.

“I’m here to…” I begin to get choked up as tears form in my eyes. “I’m here to take you home Adrienne.”

“I don’t have a home. And my name is Lana.”

“I’ll call you whatever you want me to call you, but your name is Adrienne Trent and you’re my wife. I failed you as a husband and words can never express how sorry I am for what you’ve been through these last three years. But I will bust my ass, going all the way to hell and back, for the rest of my life to make it up to you.” I’m exasperated and I don’t even know if what I’ve just said makes sense. I had to get those words out as quickly as I could before I lost my chance.

“The last time I woke up in a strange place and a guy that I didn’t know told me that I was his wife, my world was turned upside down. So please excuse me if I’m not overwhelmed with excitement by this turn of events.”

I knew that she wasn’t going to be receptive to what I needed to say, but the sting of pain that I feel inside when she dismisses me shakes me to my core. I stare down at the shell of the woman that stole my heart and my chest aches with helplessness.

“Adrienne,” I start again, “I honestly don’t know what I am going to do or say to you right now in order for you to believe that I am not your enemy. That I would never, in a million years, do anything to hurt you. I love you.”

She turns her head back in my direction and I begin to smile. That is until she asks,

“Where is Owen? Is he okay? Did he survive?”

“He’s here, in the hospital. He is in critical, but stable condition at this time. The doctors are monitoring him very carefully. They said that these next few days are going to be crucial, but if he gets over that hump, he should make a full recovery.”

“I want to see him,” she states, looking straight ahead.

“Adrienne, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea right now. You really do need your rest if you want to get out of here soon. Plus, he hasn’t woken up since the cr…” she winces, so I rephrase my statement, “since he got here.”

“I want to see him,” she says once more but this time, the willow green of her eyes behind the glossy layer of tears is like a knife through my heart. I look at her. After all this time, I still can’t say no to her.

Walking out into the hallway, I find the closest nurses’ station to let them know that she’s awake.

* * *

After Adrienne’s nurse is finished taking her vitals and checking on her injuries I ask them if she will be able to go visit Owen.

“I’m sorry, that’s not possible at this time. You’re not cleared to get out of bed yet and Mr. Branch is in the ICU. Only family visitors allowed. We’ll be getting you up and moving in the next few days and then maybe you’ll be able to go see him.”

“We are family,” Adrienne says between clenched teeth.

Just then, a food service representative arrives to take her lunch order and I couldn’t be more relieved. The last thing I want is for her to be upset.

She declines a meal at this time and I frown at her.

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