To Walk in Her Shoes

Chapter 27

No one had prepared Brittney to the sight she saw when she went to visit Lawrence. He was so pale and only the machines were supporting his life. His parents were at the waiting room and Brittney could see the sorrow in their eyes. Ayden wheeled her to the room and Mrs. Jules hugged her tightly. Mr Jules too came and hugged her and she felt the love of a father and mother that she had never felt for the first time.

She wanted to ask where her dad or step mum were, if she survived the gunshot. But that was not the time to ask. She moved close to the room to see him. She held her hand in her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing loudly. Mrs Jules hand rubbed her shoulder from behind.

"How is he?" She asked in between sobs. "The doctors are not sure of how he is, but each passing day they say there is hope for his survival." Mr Jules replied with a hoarse voice.

Brittney moved even closer and held Lawrence hand in a firm grip. "Please come back to me, to us." She said while her other hand held her tummy. There was a gasp behind her from Mrs Jules. She turned and looked at Lawrence parents who were looking at her with disbelief. "You are pregnant?" Mrs Jules asked and Brittney could only nod her head for confirmation before she was engulfed in a tight hug once more. "We are going to be grandparents." Mrs Jules said while she moved next to her husband who had tears in his eyes.

Brittney turned back to Lawrence and smiled. "Yes Lawrence, you are going to be a daddy to this little one so please wake up." She said. She sat on the chair next to him and started talking to him, reminding him of the good times they had shared. The rest of the family left the room to give them some privacy.

Brittney was shaken gently and she woke up. She did not know when she fell asleep next to Lawrence while holding his hand. "You have to go to your room Britt, it's already dark." Ayden told her. Brittney looked outside and indeed it was dark. "What time is it?" She asked. Around 11 PM," Ayden told her while helping her to stand from her seat. She kissed Lawrence on the forehead and promised to come back early the next morning to visit.

Ayden wheeled her to her room and helped her to her bed. Before he could leave, she held his hand. "Ayden, thank you for taking care of me." She said with a smile. Ayden smiled back at her but didn't say anything for some time. Deep within him, he felt guilty of his mother's actions.

"Am sorry Britt for what happened to you, if I knew what my mother was planning, I would have prevented all this. But I think it's all my fault." He said. When he did not get an answer from Brittney, he looked at her and realized she had already fallen asleep.