Suddenly

Suddenly Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty Three

A Good Citizen

I heard the sound of the gunshot, within my soul I knew what that sound meant, I felt it deep inside me. It's strange how a simple noise or sound represents something so sinister and life changing. The feeling inside me was ghastly, my eyes hadn't seen it but my heart perceived it. Havana's body went limp as the bullet perforated through her skull, the second shot hit me in my chest and I lost consciousness within seconds of the bullet entering my chest cavity. The robbers grabbed Havana's purse and all the money in my pockets after cleaning out the cash register.

Not too far away there was two cops who were on night duty, they heard the deafening gunshots and reported to the scene in their black Crown Victoria. They opened fire on the robbers, the shootout in the street ended with the robbers making it just two hundred yards from the restaurant before they were gunned down by the police.

The street transformed that night; murder and mayhem loomed in the silent corners, once a happy town had now been stained with blood. The shop windows on either side reflected the blue and red lights of the police cars and ambulance. Havana was rushed to City Memorial Hospital and I was taken to St. Thomas Medical Hospital, we had different medical insurances so we were taken to respective hospitals. We both were unconscious and at the merciful hands of the medical staff on duty on that dreadful night.

Havana had suffered a gunshot to the head, the doctors worked under intense pressure to try to save her. Havana was fighting for her life, her vitals were unstable and the baby was in danger. Medical staff had to think and act fast, after quick deliberation doctors delivered our baby girl.

Almost fifteen miles from her I was fighting for my life on the operating table. The bullet lodged on my right upper thoracic cavity, missing all major arteries and organs but I was losing a lot of blood and in danger of going into hemorrhagic shock. I needed a blood transfusion, my blood type was AB+ and the hospital had no stock of the blood type I needed. The innovative admin staff shuffled through the blood donor files and located a local woman who had recently donated blood that matched my blood type.

Her phone rang a dozen rings before she picked up the phone on her bedside pedestal. She clicked the lights on and sat up on her bed as soon as she heard the voice on the other end that said she was a staff nurse of St. Thomas Hospital. She put on her slippers and quickly dressed into something applicable and rushed out making her way to the hospital. She was the same age as I was and in perfect shape to spare a few pints of her blood.

She was a good citizen and wanted to do her part in saving my life. As soon as she got to the hospital she was strapped in and her blood was extracted. Her warm blood coursed through my veins and gave me renewed life. It wasn't too long until my vitals began to stabilize, I was alive.

The blood donor was unaware of who I was and what had happened to me; I had tubes in my mouth and a breathing apparatus on my face. She stayed at the hospital a few hours to make sure everything went along well. After a long wait she finally asked the nurses a few questions on what had happened to me and who I was. The nurses were in liaison with City Memorial hospital and knew of the details of the tragic shooting. They informed the blood donor of the unfortunate events of the night and told her my name and surname.

The blood donor immediately asked the information on my wife and baby; she rushed over to City Memorial to check on the condition of Havana and the baby. In the emergency room, she searched for Havana. "Nurse, where is the woman with the gunshot wound?" she inquired frantically.

"The matron looked her in the eye and said "honey, she passed away soon after the baby was delivered, we tried our best but we couldn't do anything to save her". The nurse told the blood donor that the passing of Havana was a devastating end to a beautiful evening; she explained how a romantic dinner for two had somehow transformed into a tragedy. The woman began to sob in sorrow. She then found her way to the maternity ward and watched through the window as the baby took her first gasps of air through the incubation equipment.

"Which one's your baby Miss?" asked another nurse who was on duty in the maternity ward. The woman continued to cry and barely speak an audible word, she ran out of the ward and out of the hospital.

I was fading in and out of consciousness but still alive and fighting for my life. My dreams and thoughts whilst under the sedated state were weird and hazy; I saw vague pictures and encounters of myself with Havana, reliving moments and memories of her and me.

Havana was calling me, asking me to get up. I saw her in my subconscious thoughts, we spoke like we always did, she looked so beautiful in her sexy white T and her snug blue jeans, we walked barefoot together on the shore of our favorite beach. "Wake up, wake up, it's time for you to get up Mister!" she said to me.

I forced myself to wake and opened my eyes. The nurse greeted me softly and told me where I was. "Havana! Where's Havana?" I asked the nurses, the doctor came in and informed me that Havana and the baby were fine.

The next few days were about me regaining my strength, as soon as I was in the clear the doctors and my parents finally told me the truth and broke the news of Havana's passing to me. Laying there in the hospital bed, starring out the window at the indigo night sky, tears streamed down my face and unto the white pillow case. My wife was gone. My world had ended, my life had ended with hers, and I wished I had died with her. She was my everything.

I was angry and broken; I asked God a million questions as to why He had taken her away. I had to be responsible and do the right thing; my thoughts were on my baby girl in the other hospital. I was making steady progress and I couldn't wait to be discharged from the hospital so I could go see my baby. I also had to arrange for Havana's funeral. My mind was restless and my emotions were at an all time low.

I wished for death, why did God do such a horrific thing to me? Why couldn't He protect Havana? Havana was a beautiful soul who had never hurt anyone, all she ever did was give her love to everyone everywhere she went, she didn't deserve to die.

In a few days I was strong enough and hobbled out of the hospital with the help of crutches under both arms. My dad and mum fetched me and drove me to City Memorial hospital. My emotions were a mixture of gratitude for the survival of my daughter but broken apart from the loss of Havana. My dead wife never got to see her beautiful daughter, Havana would have been so happy to have a daughter; it was her dream to hold her baby girl in her arms. I had so many dreams of Havana holding our baby in her arms, now all she could do was watch from Heaven above.

I looked through the glass window that separated me from my baby; she was all I had left of my sweet Havana. I watched her tiny chest inflate and deflate as she took a breath of air by herself. I began to cry uncontrollably and hug my dad and mum. I missed Havana and wished that she was here, with me, feeling the overwhelming emotions of being a parent.

My daughter had to stay in incubation for a few more weeks until she could build up her immunity levels. Besides I had to arrange a funeral for Havana.

Her funeral was intimate. Her friends and family were all there, standing by my side, giving me the support that I needed. I couldn't hold back my tears; the reality of her not being with me was setting in. I had to prepare myself to never see her ever again.

After the funeral and one by one all the guests and family left, soon they were all gone, I was totally alone. I sat by myself on the couch that we had bought together and spoke to her like I always did. That night in bed I could still smell her in the sheets, she was still with me.

"Lady, why did you leave me? How am I going to do this without you?"