WAITING FOR NEVER

CHAPTER 9

It had been two weeks already, and Gia was still in a coma. Things had been enormously awkward between Carlos and Maya and the restaurant was doing just fine.  All employees and people of interest believed that Gia had a very urgent matter to attend to, and had gone out of state to handle it. 

Maya wasn't proud of lying about the situation, but she felt it was the right thing to do. All her employees loved and respected Gia. To them, she was a strong young woman who couldn't be shaken by anything once she put her mind to something. Gia was someone they could depend on, and she wanted to keep things that way. 

She constantly made trips between work and the hospital. As for Carlos, he practically stayed in the hospital. He had assigned bodyguards on every floor of the hospital, and he made sure to double them whenever he had to leave for something. 

Leaving Gia's side when Maya arrived was a different thing all together. Maya went off at him every time she got the chance. There was this one time when Maya tripped and Carlos grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Maya slapped his hands off the minute she gained balance and stormed off without saying 'thank you'.

It took everything he had for him not to treat Maya like all those who disrespected him. The only thing holding him back was Gia. He would not dare lay as much as a finger on someone Gia willingly made a deal with the devil to protect. But it seemed Maya was overstepping. Sure, there was no reason for them to like each other, but Maya was a bit extra. 

"Get out. I want to spend time with her. "

Maya announced when she got there. Not as much as a 'good morning 'or a 'please'. 

Carlos rolled up his sleeves and stood. Then he went over to Maya. His enormous figure towered over her. Maya began to fall back till her back was against the wall. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing? "

Maya asked in a shaky voice. Carlos began to lean in and Maya tried to slap him, feeling that he was overstepping. His reflexes were impeccable. He blocked the slap and pinned Maya to the wall, holding her hand above her and covering her mouth with the other. 

He warned her not to scream. Maya was frozen with fear at this point. He then leaned in so close that one might think he wanted to breathe into her. 

Then he looked her in the eyes. Maya began to tear up. Carlos was fuming with anger and his eyes looked like they would skin her alive. Maya swallowed hard. 

"Listen to me. I've tolerated your insolence long enough. I know that I hurt her. And that you're her best friend. And that is the only thing keeping me from giving you the punishment you deserve. You weren't supposed to know about Gia and I, but if you do, then it clearly means you know what I did to your ex-husband. Gia loves you, and she would kill me if I lay as much as a finger on you. And that is the only reason I have put up with this attitude of yours. I don't like you, I don't know you. But it doesn't mean that I should make your life miserable. You, on the other hand, feel like you're entitled to talk to me like you're above me. I don't tolerate disrespect. Consider this a charming warning. I don't care if you hate me. You're not the one I need to make amends with, so know your place Maya and fix your damn attitude". 

With that, she let her go, and lightly tossed her to Gia's bedside. He then left the room without turning to look at Maya. Maya just stood with her hands to her mouth. She was in shock. She knew how powerful Carlos was, but she always felt untouchable against him, until now. When she was under his gaze, she felt like a helpless puppy. She knew she had crossed him many times, but she didn't think he'd ever react, since he barely acknowledged her existence. 

She turned to look at her best friend and started to cry. She had missed her so much, and life just wasn't the same without her. She wanted Gia to wake up and hug her, and promise that everything would be OK. She really felt lost without her. Things weren't going well with her mentally, she often dreamed about her wedding night, and it really worked a number on her. And she couldn't get herself to be open with Frank, she felt that he was holding back, and she also decided to hold back. 

In the midst of her confession to Gia, her phone began to ring. It was Frank. 

"Hey you." 

Frank spoke as soon as Maya answered. 

"Hey, uuhmm what's up? How are you?"

Maya replied. Her voice sounded off, and she sniffled in the end. It gave her away. Frank knew that she had been crying. But he was a gentleman about it . 

"You sound like you have just watched a very sad movie. You know what? I'll come over to cheer you up. "

Maya chuckled a bit. He was pleased with the results. He arranged to meet Maya at her house in an hour.

Maya said goodbye and proceeded to leave the room. She ran into Carlos on her way out, and he brushed past her like she was invincible. She stood for a while to watch him as he disappeared into Gia's room and then proceeded to go home. 

He pulled his chair closer to her bed and took her hand. Her skin was still smooth. And even though she had been in the same position for two weeks, she still looked beautiful. He gently kissed her hand and let go of it. He then picked up a book titled 'Wuthering Heights' and started reading it to her. 

It had been a month, and Gia was still in a coma. Carlos read to her every day. He had already finished 5 books. He started reading to her because it was the only way he felt closer to her. He remembered the look on her face the first time she saw his library. It looked like she was in heaven. She even started to tear up a little, and he hugged her to comfort her. He hated seeing her cry, even when she was crying because she was happy. He couldn't stand to see her in tears. However, he always managed to make her cry, and he hated himself for every single time he made her cry. 

"Well, that is it  for today, sweet baby. I'll bring you another book tomorrow."

He said and lifted her hand to kiss it. Gia squeezed his hand and groaned slightly. His heart pumped with excitement. He began to smile and call out her name. She finally woke up. 

Gia lazily opened her eyes . At first, she thought she was losing her sight, everything was blurry, and it took a while for her sight to be cleared. She locked eyes with a devilishly handsome man who was calling for the doctor and smiling down at her. He was holding her hand so tight and had started to tear up, saying he was glad she was awake. She was confused. 

The doctor arrived, and the handsome man was still holding her hand. 

"How are you feeling, my love?"

My love? Did this man just call her his love? What was going on? She couldn't help herself. She had to ask.

"Who are you?"