Chasing Sanity (Chase Series #1)

Chapter 14

Charlie held Kelly's hand when he noticed how she moved her head a little.

He was sitting beside her while she was lying down on a stretcher bed in the ambulance they were in. They were on their way to the hospital. It was clear that Kelly really needed medical attention. She hasn’t fully regained her consciousness yet and still unresponsive. She also needed the help of an oxygen mask to be able to breath properly after being trapped in that storage room.

She suddenly creased her forehead.

“Hey, love,” he softly said as he kissed the back of her hand. Hindi pa rin naiibsan ang kaba at pag-aalala niya sa asawa niya.

Her chest rose and fell. She kept creasing her forehead until she slowly opened her eyes.

“Love?”

Humugot ng napakalalim na hininga si Kelly pero muli niya rin itong pumikit.

He kissed her hand again.

Seeing her like this made him weak. Nasasaktan siya at naaawa dahil alam niyang hindi maayos ang kalagayan ng babaeng pinakamamahal niya. Kung pwede lang na makipagpalit siya kay Kelly ay gagawin niya.

But then took a deep breath again and slowly opened her eyes.

Lalo siyang naalerto.

“Jack...” she mumbled weakly.

Tama ba ang narinig niyang pangalan na bigla na lamang sinambit ng asawa niya?

“Jack...”

Sa puntong iyon, naramdaman niya na para bang may kung anong anong bigla na lamang kumurot sa puso niya.

“Jack,” she mumbled again.

Kahit pa may naramdaman siyang bago sa sistema niya’y isinantabi na niya muna ’yon. He focused on her, holding her hand tighter. “Love, it’s me. I’m here. I’m your husband...” he said in a lonesome tone as he began shedding tears.

Her chest rose and fell again. She finally closed her eyes.

* * *

Kelly woke up and opened her eyes only to see a blurry white ceiling.

“Love, hey...”

Ipinikit niya nang mariin ang mga mata niya nang may marinig siyang isang pamilyar na boses sa tabi niya. She also felt a warm palm on her head, stroking her hair.

“Love, are you awake?”

She felt odd. Parang ramdam niya ang biglaang paggising niya. Ramdam na ramdam rin niya ang nasal cannula na nakakabit sa ilong niya. Kaya’t pinilit niyang imulat muli ang mga mata niya. This time, her vision’s clearer. Nakita na niya kung paanong inilapit ni Charlie ang mukha nito sa ulo niya. Hindi nagtagal ay naramdaman niya ang mga malalambot nitong labi na marahang humalik sa sintido niya.

She took a deep breath and curved her lips a little. “Charlie,” she called with her hoarse voice, “Anong nangyari? Nasaan tayo?” she cluelessly asked.

Mabilis siyang tiningnan ni Charlie sa mata. It was weird how he looked so calm but anxious at the same time. “We’re in the hospital, love. You passed out because of suffocation when you were trapped in that storage room,” he softly said to her as he kept stroking her hair.