Chapter 42: Chapter 42

He can't die. He can't die.

I repeated the same sentence over and over in my head as I paced in circles around the hospital reception. My hands were covered in dried blood; I couldn't even wash them. I was so anxious and afraid of the worst happening that I only wished for good news about Joshua.

"Alice!"

Betty hurried towards me and hugged me.

"I came as soon as I got your call. Joshua's parents are on their way," she said, breaking the embrace. "What happened?"

I tried to calm myself to explain what had happened.

"Joshua received a call from Madelyn's sister. She said she was going to take her own life. But it was just a way to lure us to her. And when we got there..." I felt a lump in my throat. "She wanted to kill me. But Joshua took the bullet for me." I broke down in tears again. "It's my fault."

Betty hugged me again.

"It's not your fault."

"Of course it is. If I had stayed in the apartment, like he asked... He wouldn't have taken a bullet. So, it is my fault."

Betty tried to calm me down, but it was in vain. I wouldn't be at ease until I knew everything was okay.

"What happened to my son? Where is he?"

Mrs. Scott entered the reception, followed by Mr. Scott and Susanna. One of the nurses nearby, seeing Mrs. Scott's state, approached her to calm her down.

"You need to calm down, ma'am. Your son was taken to the operating room. The doctor will bring news soon."

Mr. Scott approached me and Betty.

"Alice... What happened to my boy?" His voice announced that at any moment, he would also break down in tears.

I let go of my embrace with Betty.

"Emeraude, Madelyn's sister... She shot him." I answered, my voice shaking.

"What?" He looked confused. "Madelyn doesn't have a sister."

Mr. Scott had no idea about the truth between the Chapelle sisters.

"It's a long story, Mr. Scott. But... I'm so sorry this happened to your son."

"And what were you doing with him? Where were you? Why would this girl, who you say is Madelyn's sister, shoot him?"

How would I explain that situation to Mr. Scott? If they knew about us two, at that moment, nothing good would happen.

Seeing my difficulty answering Mr. Scott's questions, Betty intervened.

"Your son was a hero, Mr. Scott. He saved Alice's life."

"My son did what?!" Mrs. Scott asked incredulously as she approached us and heard what Betty had said. "So you're saying... My son took a bullet for you?" She asked, unbelievingly. "Why would my son take a bullet for you?"

Her judgmental eyes were about to crush me.

"Mrs. Scott, your son was a hero," Betty emphasizes her previous statement.

"Silence, Betty! I want to hear her," Mrs. Scott's voice sounded threatening.

"I-I don't know," I retreat.

"And why were you with him?" she cornered me.

"W-We were trying to stop a suicide. B-But... We were deceived. And... Joshua ended up getting shot. In my place," I whisper the last words. "The bullet was meant for me."

My gaze meets the ground.

Mrs. Scott doesn't say anything else and walks away from me. But I bitterly feel that she thinks I'm responsible for what happened to Joshua, or that I should have taken the bullet instead. And she wasn't wrong. That bullet was meant for me, not him.

"Come on. You need to wash the blood off your hands," Betty says, pulling me towards the hallway that led to the hospital bathroom.

"If something happens to Joshua... Mrs. Scott will hate me forever."

I turn on the sink faucet and pour a few drops of liquid soap, fixed to the wall, into my hands, starting to wash them.

"It won't happen," Betty disagrees. "He will be fine! And Mrs. Scott is just nervous. Joshua is her son."

I watch the pink foam run down the drain with the water.

"If I hadn't gone..." I bite my lower lip, feeling the immense desire to cry returning.

"Alice... Don't feel guilty. The only one who should feel that way is this Emeraude. If it wasn't Joshua... It would have been you. Someone would have been hurt."

"And I wished it had been me. Just like Mrs. Scott wished it had been."

"Don't say that, Alice!" she scolds my attitude. "She wouldn't wish you harm. And you shouldn't wish that upon yourself!"

I take a deep breath and turn off the faucet.

"When we're in love... We'd do anything not to see the other person suffer."

"And that's what Joshua did for you."

I shake my head.

"I won't be able to accept that, especially if... Something bad happens to him... I couldn't bear it."

After all, what good would it do to be grateful for being spared from death when the person who saved me... Is heading towards it?

I leave the bathroom and see Joshua's doctor passing by us, heading towards the reception. I follow the same path as him.

"Are you Joshua Scott's relatives?" the doctor asks.

"Yes. We're his parents," Mrs. Scott answers. "How is my son, doctor? Is he alive?"

"Yes. Your son is fine," his words travel pleasantly through our ears, leaving us relieved. "By millimeters, the bullet didn't penetrate his lung. We were able to remove it and he will soon wake up from anesthesia and you will be able to see him."

The doctor finishes and heads to another area of the hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott embrace, relieved. And I was extremely grateful that he was okay, that was all I wanted.

"Now we just need to find the person responsible for this," Susanna commented, and then her gaze fell on me. "You were there, Alice. Did you see where the person responsible went?"

I suddenly remembered that after Joshua got shot, I didn't see Emeraude around anymore. "She ran away," I replied.

"She was a girl?" she looked at me confused.

"She was Madelyn Chapelle's sister."

"Madelyn Chapelle?" Susanna looked at her parents still confused and then looked back at me. "Joshua's ex-girlfriend?" she furrowed her brow. "I didn't know she had a sister."

"I didn't know either," Mr. Scott added.

"Her family hid her from the public. They didn't want anyone to know about her because of a serious problem she has. And it was because of this problem that she became obsessed with Joshua."

"Then we have to send the police after her. If she's crazy, she needs to be arrested."

"As soon as Joshua gets better, we will," Mr. Scott replied.

***

I bring the coffee cup to my lips, trying to stay awake. I wouldn't leave the hospital until I saw Joshua.

"Are you still here?" Susanna asked as she approached the reception desk, seeing that even after Mr. and Mrs. Scott and Betty had left, I remained.

"I will only be able to sleep well after seeing Joshua."

Susanna sighed and put her hands in her coat pockets.

"You don't have to feel guilty about what happened."

"I know. But still... I need to see him."

Susanna narrowed her eyes as if she were thinking about something.

"Alice..." she briefly moistened her lips. "You and Joshua, are you having something?"

I feel my heart freeze.

"W-What?"

"Don't lie to me," she said briefly. "I know my brother. And your behavior today revealed many things. Besides... Unlike my parents, I follow the news about Joshua. And I know you're the girl he's dating." She launched, straightforward. "At first, I thought you were just his escort. But after today, that talk of one praising the other's work was too forced."

I sigh. Susanna was smart, so I wouldn't be able to fool her.

"I was apprehensive about telling you. I was afraid of how you would react." I look at the ground.

"And you did the right thing." I look back at her quickly, surprised. "Because you two can't be together, Alice."

Her words felt like acid going down my throat.

"H-How?"

"I'm sorry, Alice. But... I just want the best for my brother. He's impulsive, disorganized with his own life. He may even think he loves you, but... He doesn't even know what that is." She sighs. "I'm just trying to take care of him. And I know you understand me. I know you would do anything for your family. After all, that's why you left Brazil, right? In search of better opportunities to help your family."

"But... I can't just abandon Joshua like that."

"I know it's difficult. But... It's necessary. If you stay here... You'll only hinder Joshua's life, but if you go back to Brazil, Joshua will forget about you. And he needs that."

"But, my job is here."

"I know. But, don't worry. I'll take care of everything. I'll give you a sum of five hundred thousand dollars for you to rebuild your life there." She approaches. "Family is more important than anything, Alice. And I know you understand that. I'll give you some time to say goodbye to Joshua, and when you come back, I'll give you a check for the amount I told you. And you'll go back to Brazil."

Susanna finishes and heads to the coffee maker fixed on the wall behind me.

***

I enter Joshua's room. He was sound asleep. I approach the bed, observing him more closely. I feel a tear roll down my face. I didn't want to leave him, but if Susanna disapproved of our relationship, Mr. and Mrs. Scott would also disapprove, and I didn't want to bring problems to Joshua. So, for sure, without me, he would be better off.

I gently rest my hand on his, observing the wires that connected him to the machines.

"I'm sorry for leaving like this," I whisper. "But Susanna is right, I'm not the best for you." I sniffle. "And I'm sorry for only saying this now... But... I love you too, Joshua. And it's because I love you that I have to leave."

I lean towards him, placing a lingering kiss on his forehead.

"Goodbye, Joshua," I whisper.

I return to my normal posture and head towards the door, taking one last look at Joshua before closing the door.