MR. BAD GUY (ENGLISH VERSION)

MADE IN HEAVEN

- I gotta go out for some fresh air, or else I'm gonna smash one of these windows with my head -Tarek said with his gaze lost letting go Pauline's arm-. Call me... whatever.

Pauline nodded sadly giving him a kiss on his cheek.

The waiting room was on the third storey, outside the care intensive unit, so Tarek went through the mazed corridors till getting the street.

Outside it was steamy hot. It was an unusual June in London. There were lenticular clouds on sky, announcing a dog day. He swaggered over Paddington Basin, the channel that flew from Little Venice. He walked over one of the bridges and watched self-absorbed the traffic of tourist boats that floated by joyful and carefree through the Thames river.

London looked beautiful although Tarek couldn't see anything that could relieve that heavy load inside his chest.

He grabbed his phone from the back pocket of his trousers and clicked his job number. He told them as calm as he could what happened. He had three days of leave but this was getting really tricky. They were very supportive and sympathetic with him, assuring he could take so many days he needed. Tarek was thankful. They had treated him always so kindly but the truth is he was a model employee. Always on time, responsible, that poise he had, so needed working with the public. He'd been working there almost a year and never failed them. Now, luckily, he was treated equally.

The rosary's beads that had rolled around his wrist kept on hurting his skin. Now it was the right moment and the perfect place, he could throw it to the Thames. Why did he keep it as though it was a talisman? It was clear God didn't exist.

He retraced his steps to St. Mary hospital. He walked into the Queen Elizabeth wing, Queen Mother. The reception was on the right hand and the coffee shop at left. Tarek went on his way straight and turned right to the lifts and the third storey where it was the waiting room.

Pauline was with Darya holding her hand fondly. They both looked down, lost in their thoughts. Amir and Uma, Enzo's sister, were having some coffee on the corner. Doctor Deacon was there too, as well Duncan and Dave. Following Tarek, it appeared Enzo's agent, Joanna. Tarek felt his stomach in knots.

- Sit down, come on -John led him to a near couch-. You're sweating.

- It's this steamy hot weather. I walked out because I thought I was suffering a panic attack and I'm coming back worse. It's awful. Is there no news?

- No. I would advise you to go. As soon as I know something new, I'm calling you instantly. You're not going to do anything here.

- What about he wakes up?

- If he wakes up, I'm calling you.

- What about he dies? -the tears were flowing from his eyes already.

- I would have to call you with all the pain in my heart.

- If he must die, I would like being with him when he leaves this world -John handed him a napkin.

- The coma is unpredictible. It can last some minutes, some days or some years.

- No, I'm not gonna move anywhere. Whatever it happens, I will be the nearest I can.

- You are very stubborn, aren't you?

- I agree.

The last medical report before they all went away home, was the same. Enzo had been three hours in coma.

The night was going to be long and John was telling him all the time he should go home. Tarek ignored him. He kept playing with his rosary's beads.

He thought: "Once you are not at the bottom of Thames, I'm gonna use you". He unrolled it from his wrist and began to pray. He said one rosary, and when he finished, other one, and then another one. It was as though he couldn't stop, as though that could relieve his pain and gave him courage. His very desperation and impotence left him no other chance. The minutes and hours at night passed by so slowly. The quietness of the room, the scorching heat. Everything was unpleasant and disturbing. That sequence of rosaries like strange mantras helped him to dissociate the sorrow. Not entering a spiral of bad thoughts.

Doctor Deacon kept him company sometimes. His position as doctor allowed him to see Enzo although he barely could say anything. Just he stayed deeply asleep. Once in a while he went away, and then returned.

Tarek was going through the fifth mistery and it was half past five in the morning. John stormed into and Tarek looked up with a bead swinging between his fingers.

- He has woken up -he said with bright smile.