RIVER (An Eminem FanFiction)

Chapter 32

October 25th 2023
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Sophia's POV

I press the call button and wait for an answer...

"Officer Ben McKenzie, what may I do for you?" He finally picks up.

"Hi, its Sophia. Are you still at the hospital?"

"Oh, hi Miss Whitely. We've just left but I can turn back if you need?"

"That's ok." I pause, do I really want to do this? I guess I'll never know if I don't try. "How would I go about dropping the charges against Marshall?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea miss? Is it really what you want?"

"I just can't put him through that. I need to talk to him about something and our daughter needs him, she needs her dad."

"Very well. I'll get them dropped but if you ever, no matter how far into the future change your mind, the evidence will still be enough to get him put away."

"Thank you, really."

"I'll be in contact if we need anything from you. I hope you recover well." He hangs up and I put my head into my hands.

That may have been the dumbest choice I ever made.

I hear the door open and see Hailie come into the room.

"Hey, I'm just heading to pick Lainie and Stevie up. Do you want me to bring Ava? Do you need anything?"

"I dropped the charges."

"What?"

"The charges, against your dad. I dropped them."

She hugs me gently, careful not to disturb any of my injuries.

"Thank you Soph. Thank you."

"Maybe bring Ava tomorrow? I've got a lot on my mind. Could you maybe stop by your dads? Pick the ring up, please?"

"Of course. You know you don't need to be pressured into anything, right? If the charges are something you want to pursue, don't feel as though we hold you back."

"Thanks Hai."

She leaves the room and I press the call button beside my bed, shortly after Jackie walks in with a smileon her face.

"Sophia, what may I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could maybe go and see Marshall? Is that possible?"

"I'm sure its possible but I'll just check with your doctor. Is it really what you want though?"

"Its what I need." She nods, almost as if considering my response.

"I'll go and check if we can sort that out then."

I wait for a few minutes before Jackie comes back in with a wheelchair.

"You can go but you have to stay in this alright?"

"Thank you."

Tanya comes in and stands with Jackie at the side of my bed.

"Right, we're going to help you stand and get into the wheelchair but you may experience a degree of pain. Just to double check, are you sure this is what you want?" Tanya asks with a smile which I reciprocate and nod in response.

The two of them each hold under my arms and begin to lightly guide my weak body to stand. A sharp pain runs through my side causing my knees to buckle but they thankfully react and keep me upright.

As I sink down into the chair I feel the relief, I'd only been up for ten seconds tops, he must of really beat me.

They push me out of the room and to my surprise we stop only a few doors down the ICU corridor.

Tanya pushes the door open and allows Jackie to wheel me through before she leaves me alone in the room, face to face with the monster that I love.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, mentally preparing myself before I open them and begin to take in his features.

He looks just the same. Yeah, there's a few bandages on his wrists but he still looks like the man I fell in love with seven years ago. He still looks just like the man I told I was pregnant five years ago.

Maybe I've just always seen him through rose tinted glasses? Maybe he's always had it out for me? Have I just been too blinded by my love for him?

I want to hate him. With everything I have I so badly want to hate him but no matter how hard I try, I just can't.

He looks so vunerable. I used to think he was indestructable, nothing could ever touch him. Oh, how wrong I was.

He hurts, just like everyone else and if I know even the slightest about him, I know he was blinded by rage and as soon as he realised what he'd done he was consumed by guilt, driving him to this.

I'm not trying to justify what he's done, well maybe I am a little but I still know it was a real dick move. I know he should go to jail but I love him too much to see that happen.

I finally build up the courage and place my hand on his arm slightly above the bandages, tears already streaming down my face.

"Why didn't you just ask?" I say referring to the proposal he confessed in his letter. "You could of asked sooner. I would have said yes. We'd have our daughter and we could be our own little family. Why did it have to be this way?"

I grip his arm a little tighter and sob a little more.

"We could of had the fucking world Marsh. You know, I should hate you but I don't. I fu-fucking love you. You have to wake up, you just have to. For your children. For me. For us."

I cry more, feeling the pain start up in my chest, a sudden reminder that he hurt me so bad.

I pull back from him, feeling my chest tighten as I stuggle to breathe. No, no, no. This can't be happening, I haven't had a panic attack since he kicked me out.

My heart starts to race as I deaperately gasp for air and press the button beside his bed.

Jackie rushes in not even a second later.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She says and rushes over to me.

"I h-ha-have to-to get away fr-from him." I manage to get out as a look of understanding washes over her face as she quickly begins to wheel me out of the room, closing the door behind me.

She comes around to my front, wrapping her arms around me.

"Shhh, shhh. It's ok, you're ok." She says and strokes over my hair. "Deep breaths."

I begin to breath as she instructs. In and out, in and out. I keep repeating in my head.

Do I have to live my life in fear? Do I have to live in fear of a man that I love?

As though there's a hand, holding my mouth closed preventing me from screaming for the help I so desperately need to recover from this...

A/N - took a little while to get this one out sorry, I've been a little busy.

As always, any feedback or suggestions are welcome.

~ Im 💕