A Lover of Rain

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO:

It was around one in midnight when Shay got a call from Jacob's brother that he got into an accident in Kawit from the heavy rainfall last night. It was better for us to call someone than to take a bus to Cavite especially during midnight which was why I asked Eric for help. It wasn't even twenty minutes when he arrived outside our house to drive the three of us to a hospital in Kawit where Jacob was currently in. I kept glancing in the backseat where Shay and Maya were sitting in and I could see the panic coursing through her body while waiting to arrive in the hospital.

My hand clutched on the seatbelt while closing my eyes shut. I couldn't help but take responsibility since I was the one who called Jacob and told him about Shay's situation. If I haven't done that then maybe, Jacob stayed safe and nothing dangerous had happened yet here we are. I was trying to keep it all together but didn't realize the guilt was visible when I felt Eric grabbing my hand to calm me down. He was just silent while his other hand was gripping the steering wheel. My eyes would glance in his direction from time to time even though my mind would get reminded of his friendship with Clare that's disturbing my heart. Our palms were just touching each other at first until I felt his fingers slipping through mine. His very touch sent comfort through my heart even just a little.

When we got in the location of the hospital that Jacob's brother, Joshua, sent us the sun was already rising. We traveled for hours when the news broke out just so Shay could be there when he woke up from the car accident he'd been in. Shay almost ran out of the car even though Eric hadn't hit the brakes yet from the way she got out of his car to enter the hospital. We followed her inside after parking the car in front of the hospital until my eyes looked up and realized we were heading to the ICU.

"What happened? Is he awake? Tita, what's wrong?" Shay cried while talking to Jacob's family.

"It's bad, Shayla. I'm sorry..." Jacob's mom replied as she choked in her own tears.

Shay was shaking when Jacob's parents told her everything that happened. Someone who looked like Jacob greeted us when he noticed we were standing near to where they were. "You're Jacob's brother?" Eric asked before reaching out to shake hands since they talked on the phone earlier for the easiest routes we could take to the hospital.

"Yeah," His eyes glanced over at his family still having a conversation with Shay. "The doctors said he's still unconscious and it's been seven hours. All I know is that he's in a serious condition, but they're asking us to keep praying for Jacob." My breathing started to tremble from the information I got about his conditions. My eyes closed shut to calm myself down, but I couldn't stop my hands from shaking. I felt Maya grabbing my shoulders as she started crying.

"Who found him?" I asked despite the difficulty I'm having with breathing.

"Just a couple walking by. I think they recognized Jacob since they attended our church." Joshua took a deep breath while still glancing over his parents.

Shay was hugging Jacob's parents to comfort them from what happened as I heard her apologize. "If you can pray for my brother, I'd appreciate it a lot, please." Eric nodded his head before Joshua walked over to join his parents from talking to Shay. There were empty seats in front of the ICU where the three of us stayed. I was just silent in my thoughts for a while when I heard Eric speak that made it even harder to hold my tears back.

"I waited for your call." He uttered with sadness in his voice.

If I look into his eyes, it will only break my heart even more. Eric had no idea how much I wanted to dial his number and hear his voice the moment I saw the note. All the fears and doubts I had on myself, I was ready to let everything go during that night, just so I could be with him. He's the only one I want and I've been feeling desperate when it comes to Eric. I've been dying to know these days if he feels the same, but I'm scared to find out that it wouldn't be me who keeps him awake at night.