Two Steps Behind

Part 28

 "She's out of surgery," Gareth said as he approached. "The doctor said the procedure went well, but they don't know whether there will be brain damage until she wakes up and they can assess her condition. They also can't say when that will be but she's stable for now."

Eddie had asked Gareth to go in and talk to Debi for him, knowing he couldn't go back into that hospital without getting arrested. He honestly didn't care except then he wouldn't be out here to protect Elizabeth from David. He had been losing his mind waiting out here with absolutely no news. He hadn't left the parking lot. Maybe he couldn't be by her side, but he would be as close to her as he could be. He wasn't leaving this parking lot until he was certain she was safe and that bastard couldn't hurt her again.

"Is the cop stationed at her door like they said?" Eddie asked, pacing back and forth.

"Yeah man," Gareth nodded. "He hasn't moved. He's right there on guard."

Eddie pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his front pocket, pulling one out with his lips and lighting it. He took a deep drag, willing the hit of nicotine to calm the raging nerves and anger flowing through his body.

"And the douchebag?"

Gareth sighed. "He's sitting right next to her bed, holding her hand."

Eddie growled, "That motherfucker."

"Dude, you should see it. Actually, that's a bad idea. You definitely don't want to see it. It's disgusting. He's putting on one hell of a show for the doctors and that cop, acting like he's so concerned for his wife. He's telling her he loves her, stroking her hair, begging her to wake up. I don't think that the cop is buying it though. I think he's got that asshole's number."

Eddie kicked the tire of his van in frustration. That asshole had the nerve to play the role of the devoted husband, worried about his injured wife, when he was the one who hurt her. She could be ruined forever because of him. She may never come back, not fully. He might never see his girl in those beautiful green eyes ever again and it was all that bastard's fault.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His head was killing him, rage pounding, temples pulsing. "I should go back in there..."

"No, man, you can't," Gareth pleaded, holding his hands out to ward him off. "That cop will arrest you if you set foot in there. He doesn't have a choice. Look, I know this sucks..."

"You don't know!" Eddie screamed. "You don't know how this feels at all! How could you? I just got her back Gareth! I thought she was lost to me forever and I just got her back! I never thought I could have this! I never thought she would...but now...I've never been so happy! I am completely in love with her and she may never come back to me again! She's alive, but she could still be gone! She could be some shell laying there, no sign of Elizabeth inside. There is no one else for me, do you understand that? She's it! She's everything, and that asshole may have taken her away! I should have been there instead of playing some stupid songs on a stage! I promised I would protect her and I failed."

"Eddie..." Gareth began calmly, "you can't blame yourself for any of this. You have been with her constantly. Man, you've rearranged your work schedule, your whole life, to keep her safe. You did absolutely everything you could."

"Clearly not! Clearly it wasn't enough!"

"Maybe not man, but not for lack of trying. I think that asshole was going to get his shot at her no matter what. You love her. She knows that. She's going to pull through. I know she is. You guys just got started. Elizabeth is going to fight like hell for the two of you to finally have what you always should have had. She will wake up and she will tell the cops what he did and he will go to jail. Then you two can be together and be happy and have everything you've always deserved."