Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Lyric’s P.O.V

There was this continuous beeping noise in the background when I woke up. Opening my eyes, I found I was inside a room with full white walls and bright lights. Groaning, I covered my eyes with my hands. It took a while for me to calibrate my senses, but once I remembered where I was, I almost jumped up.

“Lydia?”

“Relax sleeping beauty, she hasn’t woken up yet.”

Clutching my head at the sudden ache, I fell back on the bed and took the chance to look at my surroundings. I was in one of the hospital rooms and the only other person in the room was Nathan.

“What happened?” I asked him, clearing my throat when I voice came out hoarse.

“You fainted.” He said with a smirk.

“What?” I frowned. I wasn’t exactly the fainting type, so why would I suddenly faint?

“Doctor said it was due to stress.” Nathan shrugged, before smiling slyly. “He also added that it happens mostly to men whose partners had just given birth.”

“Great,” I groaned. “That’s something to look forward to.”

When the room became dead quiet, I had to sneak a peek at Nathan to make sure he wasn’t the one who fainted this time.

Damn, he looked just like Lydia. The male version of Lydia, that is. Both of them had such similar features that it was hard to tell that they weren’t actually twins but siblings.

“What?” I asked Nathan when he kept staring at me intently.

“You’re really serious about Lydia.” It wasn’t a question.

Sitting up on the bed, I looked directly into his blue eyes, Lydia’s eyes, as I answered him. “I was never not serious about Lydia. What made you think I wasn’t?”

“Well…you just seemed like the type who sleeps around a lot.” He shrugged again. “And yet, here you are, thinking about babies with my sister.”

“Did you just slut-shame me?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Even if I slept around, it was always consensual and both parties knew what we were getting into. I have never even looked at another woman since Lydia came into my life.”

“I know.” Nate sighed. “It’s just…”

“Your sister will still love you just as much as she does now, no matter if she loves me or not.” I told him clearly, sensing the root of his insecurities. “Love doesn’t get divided, it can only keep growing. So rest assured, I’m not taking your sister away from you. She was always your big sister and she always will be.”

Nate gave me a wide eyed glance before lowering his head. “Thanks…I guess.”

Stephen was right. Nate might not show it but he loved his sister dearly and was just as protective of her as Stephen, probably even more. In some way, I could understand what he was going through, so I didn’t want to torture him any longer.

“How long was I out for?” I asked him instead.

“Three hours.” Nathan looked at his watch. “Should we go wait for Lydia?”

“Yeah, we should.” Placing my legs on the ground, I got up slowly. “Where’s Mrs. McKenzie?”

“Most of our relatives showed up,” he told me. “Our grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. They’re keeping her company.”

“That’s good.”

Nate and I walked out of the room I had been given and walked the short distance to the room where Lydia had been transferred to. Stephen was inside the room currently, looking after Lydia while their mother was with their guests. There were at least twenty new faces here, some I had met at the engagement party, but some were completely new faces that Nate introduced me to.

But thankfully, I didn’t have to be the centre of scrutiny for too long because Stephen ran outside of Lydia’s room at that moment, momentarily stunned at the new faces that were now looking at him, before he spoke.

“She’s awake.” Stephen told us breathlessly. “Call the doctor.”

The entire corridor sprang to life at that instant as everyone was on their feet, calling the doctors and nurses and whoever else they could find.

I stepped out of the way as the doctor and his team rushed inside to get their tests done. After some time, he came out to inform that family members could now visit but only one at a time.

No matter how much I wanted to be the first person she saw, I stepped aside and let her family visit her first. Everyone had been worried about her, so I couldn’t be selfish. I waited outside with my heart in my throat as one by one, all of her family members went inside her cabin and spoke to her. Stephen waited beside me as her grandparents came out of the room. I shook my head when he offered for me to go in.

Ten minutes…twenty…thirty…and then an hour passed by the time almost everyone was out of her room. I didn’t know who these people were or when they arrived. Everything around me seemed to be moving in lightning speed while I stood still, waiting for my turn to see the face of the woman who was my life.

Finally, after God knows how long, it was Stephen who came out of her room and told me that the wait was over.

“Go on in,” Stephen gave me a pat on my back, a smile on his face. “She’s waiting for you.”

One by one, all the visitors left the corridors and then, finally, it was just me. Stephen and Nathan took all their friends and family and left the area, giving me time to prepare myself before I got to see her.

I balled my hands into fists, swallowing rapidly, trying to keep my emotions at bay. How ‘unmanly’ would it be to admit that I wanted to break down and cry? How will she react when she finds out that I fainted from relief once her operation was successful? But I didn’t think I’d be able to hold back once I saw her face. I took deep breaths to calm my nerves and then, pushed the door open before I my nerves got to me.

Lydia looked up at me as soon as the door opened, her bright blue eyes connecting with mine…and although she was still under the affect of the sedatives, her eyes showed relief.

She was hooked on to multiple monitors and the bed was raised so she could be in a sitting position. Her hair had been shaved off from a corner for the operation and was now all bandaged up. But the bullet was gone. That was what mattered the most. She was okay now.

Words couldn’t describe the emotions that swirled in my chest. Relief, helplessness, pain, anguish…but most of all, love.

“Lydia…” My vision blurred and then I felt the warmth of the tears that rolled down my cheek.

“Lyric…” her voice was barely above a whisper as she lifted one hand slightly.

Rushing to her bedside, I took her hand in mine and kissed her fingers lightly as I knelt beside her bed.

“How do I look?” She asked in that same hoarse voice. “Like Cressida from the Hunger Games?”

“Yeah.” A laugh escaped my lips as I nodded through my tears. “Yes. Exactly like that.”

“Liar.” She whispered, her eyes drooping from sleep.

“No,” I shook my head. “Because you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me…and I’ve never watched The Hunger Games.”

“Never?” She asked sleepily. “How about Divergent?”

“Nope.” I smiled, wiping at my eyes to get rid of these damn tears. “Never.”

“Then let’s watch them together, okay?” She sighed, holding back a yawn. “When I’m out of here…let’s watch a lot of movies together.”

“Alright.” I nodded as her eyes closed gently. “I promise.”

Seeing that she was now fast asleep, I pressed a kiss to her forehead, careful not to disturb her and then, fell asleep right next to her while sitting on the floor, still holding her hand.

Lydia was okay. She made it.