Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Michelle didn’t want to believe what Derek said. She was still in doubt until they got to the hospital did she realize that Derek was right, Nathan was in the hospital. When they got to the floor were Nathan was being treated, Michelle saw Rebecca and her husband. She was crying and Mr. Howard was comforting her, his eyes held so much pain as he was trying his best to stay strong.

Derek asked his dad about Nathan’s condition. He was told that the doctors were still operating on Nathan, they haven’t gotten any recent news and had no idea when the surgery would be over. They waited for two hours and the doctors still weren’t done with the surgery.

Michelle was still in shock, she couldn’t believe that Nathan got into an accident right after seeing her.

Why did this have to happen now that she decided to forgive him? She regretted taking so long to forgive him.

She should’ve listened to him all those times he tried talking to her. This was all her fault. This happened because of her unforgiveness and indecisiveness.

They were waiting in the hallway with much anxiety, when they noticed the doctor come out of the operating room. He walked up to them, Rebecca and Michelle abruptly stood up from their seats.

“Doctor, please tell me that my son is okay.” Rebecca said with the hopes of having a positive reply.

The doctor’s face held no emotion which worried them. By the looks of it, whatever he had to say wouldn’t be good.

“Nathan was in a really bad shape when he was brought here.” The doctor began.

“Doctor, all we need to know is how he’s doing now.” Michelle said already impatient. The doctor turned to her and said,

“He suffered a severe blow to the head due to the accident and because of that, he had a brain hemorrhage.”

“Oh my God!”

“We couldn’t continue with the surgery on his brain because we didn’t want to lose him. He lost a lot of blood… We would have to place him in life support for now and observe if any damage was done to his brain stem.”

Michelle shook her head continuously, trying not to believe all that the doctor had just said concerning Nathan’s condition. Rebecca could barely stand on her feet.

“So, what are you trying to say, doctor?” Derek asked.

“The patient in question can barely breathe on his own as the oxygen supply to his brain is minimal, but his vital organs are still functioning… We will have to observe him to know if his brain stem is dead because it looks like the brain stem was badly affected and might be damaged.”

Michelle was already in tears as she couldn’t hold it in any longer. What was the doctor trying to say? Was he saying that Nathan is barely alive or what?

“Does that mean that my baby is going to make it?” Rebecca managed to ask through sobs.

“I can’t say for now, it all depends on his battle for survival and we'd have to wait and see if his brain stem would function properly on its own.”

This was more than a heartbreak for Michelle. This means that there is a possibility that she would lose another important part in her life. She doesn’t want to go through that again. The last time she did was when she lost her dad.

Nathan just had to make it, he shouldn’t die leaving her and their daughter alone.

Rebecca couldn’t control herself, she was crying hysterically. She didn’t want to lose Nathan, not her baby Nathan, whom she promised to protect from harm after he lost his parents. He was her strength. She has no idea how she would continue leaving without her baby.

Mr. Howard was quiet the whole time, he didn’t want to come to terms with the fact that he was about to lose his first son, whom he loved so much. Nathan had always been a sweet boy. He first experienced what fatherhood was like with Nathan and he loved it. Now, losing him was like losing most of the happy moments in his life. He made it this far in life without breaking down because Nathan was by his side. He just has to make it.

The doctor let all he had said sink in before he continued to speak.

“I hate to say this, but you all should prepare for the worse.”

None of them liked the thought of untimely death. It was like a curse to them.

Mr. Howard had lost his parents and siblings in a car crash when he was young.

Rebecca had lost her parents at a young age too. When she thought she had her brother, he too died leaving her alone with her baby nephew, Nathan.

Michelle had lost her father to cancer, after he fought for his life for so many years.

Derek didn’t plan on losing his brother, cousin and best friend. They weren’t in talking terms, but death was out of the question because they couldn’t do anything without the help of each other.

Derek knew his next sentence was a difficult one to say but he had to be strong for his family and try to come to terms with the doctor’s report, whatever it may be in the end.

“You say, you will observe my brother for a while using the life support to know if his brain is really dead, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then, observe him with the life support for a month. If he doesn’t wake up… confirm him dead.”

Rebecca and Michelle stared at Derek in shock. What was he saying? Was he already giving up?

“A month is too short!” Rebecca yelled. She couldn’t believe Derek would say that.

“Nathan is going to be on life support for as long as possible, until he wakes up.. I don’t care what you think or say, Derek. I don’t care how long it takes… I can’t lose Nathan.” Michelle said the last part in tears.

“Michelle is right. We can’t give up on him soon… Nathan is strong. I know my baby will make it.”

For once, Rebecca and Michelle had agreed on something.

Mr. Howard left with the doctor to his office to sign some necessary documents.

Leah arrived at the hospital that day, like she had promised. She comforted Michelle and Rebecca.

They weren’t allowed to go in and see Nathan because he was in the ICU. They could only see him through the glass window.

This is the first time Michelle was seeing Nathan so weak. He had tubes all over his body, with bandages on the injured areas. She couldn’t look at him anymore.

This man brought happiness to her life. Seeing him this helpless and not being able to do anything, made her feel really worthless compared to him.

Why couldn’t she bring him out of this, like how he brought her out of her sorrow once before.

She continued sobbing and didn’t intend to stop anytime soon. If her tears were going to make Nathan wake up, then she was ready to cry a river.

Hours had gone by, but none of them were ready to leave. Waiting was a way of making them believe that something positive would happen.

Leah had gone back home to take care of Sandra.

Mr. Howard had tried to persuade his wife, Rebecca to go home but she didn’t budge. She wanted to be present and not miss a thing.

They were still at the hospital when the cops arrived. They came with some of Nathan’s belongings that was found in his car. They handed them over to his family.

Michelle was looking through Nathan’s phone when she saw missed calls from Chloe, indicating that she had called him several times just before the accident.

“Chloe?” she whispered to herself but Rebecca managed to hear her.

Rebecca stood up from her seat and walked towards Michelle. She snatched the phone from Michelle and looked through the phone herself. She noticed that this 'Chloe' had been bothering her son.

She was the reason her baby was in his present condition. She would pay dearly for what she has done.

Rebecca immediately left the hospital to the surprise of the three of them who remained.

What was she up to?