The Truth Behind It All

Chapter 19

July 31,2012

            Adam's heart comes to a stop. "You know where she is?"

            The man nods. "She's at the basement but she's . . . " Adam moves before he could hear the rest of the sentence. He hurries back into the house and starts opening doors clumsily. He looks around him confused. He should know where the basement is. He studied the blue print of the house. But, he realizes, lines in a paper doesn't compare to the real thing. He opens one door. He looks in and sees cars parked in there, the garage. He is about to close it when he sees a familiar silver car. It's Ana Marie's. He felt the assurance that he will find her, lifting his spirits. He walks in the kitchen, opens a door next to what seemed like the pantry and sees a set of stairs going down in a narrow hallway. This is it.

            He approaches the door. Takes a deep breath and turns the knob. But it's locked.

            "Oh, bloody hell." He lifts his foot and kicks the door once. Then a second time. By the third time, he breaks the door down. He runs inside. He couldn't see her anywhere. He searches for a light switch on the walls. His head bumps into what seems like a chain hanging from the ceiling and he tugs at it. In one second, the basement comes alive.

            Adam freezes. At the far wall, he sees her. And she didn't look too well.

            "Ana Marie?" He approaches her but comes to a stop. He sees the cement floor. A pool of blood formed under her. "No. No, no, no . . ." He kneels besides her not caring for the blood staining his pants. He turns her around gently removing her hair from her face. "Ana Marie."

            He sees the jacket she was holding on to. He removes it and finds two bullet wounds. One on her chest, Adam feared it had pierced one of her lungs. And the one in her stomach, was the wound that bled the most. He adds pressure to the stomach wound, praying to God it wasn't too late. He brings his hand to her neck and feels a heartbeat, it was weak, but a heartbeat none the less.

            "Adam, how is she?" Brian's voice came from behind him.

            "Call an ambulance," Adam said looking down at Ana Marie tenderly. But he knew Brian had already called. "Ana Marie? I know you can hear me." He holds her in his arms feeling her cold skin. "Look at me Ana Marie. Please look at me."

            He doesn't know for how long he held her for, until he heard her whimper faintly. Adam holds her tighter. "It's me, Adam."

            She barely opens her eyes, but there was a lost sense to them. Adam could feel his tears running down his face, she was agonizing. "Ana Marie, remember when we talked about getting married? And you said you wanted three dogs, for the three children we are going to have? Well, I hope you don't mind..." She closes her eyes. "But we are going to have one dog. And it's going to be a massive dog like a Great Dane. He will protect you and our children when I am away at work." He starts rocking her back and forth, not able to contain his pain. "But, I promise I will come back home every night. I promise I will make time for you. I promise . . . I promise I won't let anyone or anything hurt you. Alright? I promise."

            The rest of the day went by in a blur. Adam remembers seeing Ana Marie being revived by the paramedics. He remembers when they took her to the clinic. He remembers the long night he waited for Ana Marie to come out of surgery. Brian and James left for London right after Ana Marie was taken to the hospital. There was no dispute when Adam decided to stay in Phoenix. He remembers when Jefferson came to the clinic with his worried cries. He had to hold him as Jefferson saw the closest person he had left, fighting for her life. He remembers the doctor coming out from surgery in his green scrubs as he took his mask off. He remembers the joy he felt when the doctor assured him she was going to survive, but it was going to take her a while to recover.

            He remembers when he first entered the room she was in. He remembers his sight being blurred by his tears as he saw her small and weak body. He sat beside her. He took her hand and shut his eyes tightly. He prayed. He didn't know how long it was since he last prayed, but he knew he needed to pray at that moment.

            He thanked God for his mercy. For His kindness. He promised he would go to church every Sunday, and he was going to volunteer at a shelter or something. He thanked him again for saving Ana Marie. He thanked Him for giving him Ana Marie, and he promised he would take good care of her. That he will love her. In mid-prayer, he fell asleep. He took the most serene, quiet sleep he needed so badly, without letting go of Ana Marie's hand.