Comforting Darkness

Chapter 39: The Tutor, Shattered

When Selina finally came about, she was in a hospital bed with cables and tubes attached to her body as a beeping sound followed the beating of her heart. Her body felt so heavy like never before, it was like she could not control or make it move. Nurses and doctors entered the room and with a tight smile reassured her she was fine now, out of danger and after some time she would be back on her feet, now she needed to rest.

"My-My baby... what happened to him?" She asked and the beeping became more intense as her heartbeat was getting faster.

The doctor hesitated. "All will be fine; we will discuss everything when you get better." He looked at the other side of the bed where a nurse was injecting one more tranquillizer in her IV.

"Paul..." Selina whispered right away.

"He is fine. He was lucky, I must say. He got away with some cracked ribs that can heal quite fast. Sleep now, rest and I will make sure next time you wake up he will be beside you." The doctor gifted her a smile and was the last thing Selina saw before the black veil covered her eyes once again.

She lost track of time with waking up for just a few minutes and then falling into a deep healing sleep. She had no idea how many days had gone by when she finally woke up and could feel her body much lighter than before, although totally numb and unable to move. She managed to lift her head from the pillow and saw her right leg in plaster that reached up to her thigh. The feeling of being shot came back to her as she was looking at her leg and sighed really annoyed.

"Hey, welcome back to the land of the living!" Paul's cracked voice was heard at her side.

She turned and there he was, sitting in a wheelchair. His face was still bloated and bruised and it was obvious smiling was painful to him. One hand in plaster and the other in bandages; his body looked very stiff. Selina smiled back although tears blurred her vision of him; she could not hold the sob that escaped her, when he rolled closer, took her hand in his and leaned to kiss her forehead.

"I'm sorry..." Selina mumbled but Paul stopped her.

"Sorry for what? It was not your fault. I'll be fine in a jiffy and everything will be over before you know it. You are the strongest woman I know... you gave them quite awesome kicks!" He rolled his eyes in a funny way that made Selina smile through her tears.

"Our baby... our son." She said with agony in her voice.

Paul's smile withered away and turned his eyes away avoiding hers. Selina did not need anything more to understand what he meant and a new pain stabbed her heart. She hoped so hard that her vision was just a trick of her mind. She tried to stifle her cries, but failed and her shoulders started shaking uncontrollably as new rivers of tears flowed from her eyes. Paul squeezed her hand and brought her fingers to his lips as he leaned even closer, his forehead touching hers.

"It doesn't matter, my love. We are still young, we can try again once we get well and back on our feet, please don't cry." He said trying to hold back his own tears.

They heard someone clearing his throat and saw the doctor that had previously talked to Selina standing at the feet of her bed and beside him a younger, black haired one.

"I apologize for intruding in this moment and for... the news I bring you but... my colleague insisted that you need to know as soon as possible." He said pointing to the younger man who bowed his head politely. "I am deeply sorry to announce that... indeed we could not save the baby. The knife pierced the amniotic sack and the embryo was already dead when you were brought here... Unfortunately... that is not all." He hesitated again. "The... the knife... tore open your womb in such a way that... it is unable to hold another baby. We managed to save your womb, but you cannot have children anymore... I am so sorry." He cast his eyes on the floor. He always felt uncomfortable giving bad news to young people.