ENDS

42- luck

Third person p.o.v.

Santiago paced up and down the waiting area while Jeanie sat cross legged on the empty bench as they both waited for the doctor to come give them a feedback on Louisa's health condition.

The fear in their hearts would akin to that of the parents and they couldn't hide it.

Asides the both of them, there was a boy who looked to be in his late teens seated at the other end of the room.

Apparently, he had rushed in his mother on a wheelchair over an hour ago.

The gruesome site of how she was stained all over with blood and still dripping had ebbed itself in everyone's memories, it is only by luck would she survive whatever had happened to her.

Deep down the boy knew, but when asked by the doctors he had denied.

He had been abandoned by his father years ago after his mother was involved in a car accident that affected her lumbar spine and left her crippled, sadly he had to live and witness all these from a very tender age.

The two struggled in every way they can to make ends meet and fortunately, things.... No matter how hard they seemed... fell into place at the right time.

They had raised enough to see him through high school and now it was time to send him off to college.

As time went by between him and his mom, things got better but their relationship kept growing sour like there was an inexplicable grudge between the two.

This had gone on for so many years till tonight, when he had pushed his mother's wheelchair down the staircase and saw how so many of her aged bones had tore through her fragile skin in various areas of her body.

He didn't know what had come over him, up till this moment.... He can't grant an answer to the question 'why did you do it?' if he was asked. He couldn't believe how he let his anger get the best of him in the most monstrous way.

Now he's seated in the waiting area of the hospital with some strangers, silently praying that his mother would survive it and promises to change.

He won't deny, he had been a rebel and many times gave his mother a headache.

Many a time, his mother would yell about how she saw his father in him and was certain that a time would come, no matter how much she had done for him, he was going to get up someday and leave.

Just like his father.

And he would have but because he wanted to prove her wrong, that's the major reason he was still around.

They both despised his father and he wanted to prove to her that he was nothing like him and would never be anything like him.

But today, it dawned on him how exactly he was like his father.... Unfortunately, how far worse he was.

His father had never laid a hand on his mom, but here he was living in guilt that he had pushed her down the stairs knowing how vulnerable and defenseless she was.

He still did it.

If anyone hears about this he'd be labeled a monster, even though that's exactly what he is.

Shuffling was heard coming from the backroom and everyone in the waiting room stood to their feet in anticipation of whoever was shutting the door in the back.

The hospital was a small in-town building with a single floor. It could even be mistaken for a clinic.

With limited staff and little space area, they actually did a great job with emergency situations.

A male nurse emerged with a file in his hand.

" Mr. Santiago Gomez?" he called and looked around the room.

Santiago and Jeanie moved forward with so much haste that the nurse had to step at least two feet back to be sure they don't slam into him.

" yes?" Santiago responded with his fingers crossed that nothing had happened to the little girl.

" she's awake and under intensive care, you can see her if you wish. Follow me" the nurse said and began walking back towards the direction he came from.

Santiago and Jeanie couldn't express their happiness enough, their smiles were so wide that their cheeks could explode.

But not only were they happy, they were relieved.

The sooner she got better, the sooner they could leave before Soldo gets to find them.

They followed the nurse to the backroom and that left Colby in the waiting area.

He hadn't realized he was still standing since the nurse walked in till he was the only one left in the room.

He released a sigh and went to have his seat once again.

This time, he changed his prayer point to that of Santiago and Jeanie.

He wishes to have the kind of blessing they just did, for someone to walk in here and tell him his mother is alive.

He hadn't realized he had been crying while he spoke silently to God till he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

He jerked to reality and wiped his face and met with a pretty petite nurse who looked sad at is appearance.

"Are you Mr. Colby Thomas?" she asked but deep down wished he wasn't.

" Yes" he said and stood to his feet, his figure towering over the little nurse " yes, I am" he continued.

A few seconds passed and the nurse finally had to relay what she intended to tell him.

" I'm sorry, we lost her"

Colby felt like his entire world was caving in, but as said before...

It was only by luck would she survive whatever had happened to her.