All That She Needs

Part 39 : Asha

"Are you alright?" I asked Kayden, who walked beside me, looking strained and distraught. His eyes were red, as if he had been crying. We had just landed yesterday, and now we were making our way down the hospital corridor to see Aiden. Kayden had insisted on coming last night, but Roy told him the hospital wouldn't let him in since it was past visiting hours and Aiden needed to rest.

Kayden only nodded in response.

"Your dad is okay, Kayden. He's going to be okay." I spoke softly to reassure him. According to Roy, Aiden had a severe concussion, bruised ribs, and a partial tear in the ligament of his left knee. Roy said the doctors assured him that while these injuries were serious, they could be managed with proper care. If Aiden wanted to regain his strength and walk normally again, he would need to stick to a strict physical therapy program. He was kept in the hospital mainly to monitor his concussion, especially since he was at a higher risk for complications because of his loss of consciousness.

Chloe, already ahead of us, practically sprinted down the corridor, shouting over her shoulder and forgetting to keep quiet in the hospital. "Come on! Hurry up!"

"Stop running so fast, Chloe! And keep your voice down!" That was Max, trying to be a good doctor/hospital police, didn't realize that he was yelling himself. "There are people recovering here!"

"Oh, shut it, Uncle Max!" my girl exclaimed, as she continued sprinting down the hospital hallway. I heard Max grumble behind me, but he didn't say anything anymore.

When we reached Aiden's room, I saw Roy standing outside, absorbed in his phone. Chloe immediately dashed inside, but I paused when I noticed Kayden standing stiffly, his eyes locked on the door.

"What's wrong?" I asked, studying his expression. I knew he was processing the news about his dad's accident, but the tension in his stance suggested he was bracing for something worse.

It took a moment, but eventually, Kayden seemed to shake off whatever was weighing on him and followed his sister inside. I lingered outside, hoping to talk with Roy. Max stood beside me, looking like he wanted to do the same.

"Asha," he greeted me with a nod, before he greeted Max by shaking his hand.

"What happened, Roy?" I asked.

Roy let out a heavy sigh. "An obsessed woman went completely off the rails—that's what happened. Vanessa tried to reach out to Aiden, but he had blocked her number. So, one night, she showed up at his apartment, waiting outside the lobby. They had a conversation that escalated into a disagreement, and Aiden walked away from her. After that night, he realized she had been stalking him; he saw her car parked near his apartment and sometimes caught glimpses of her hiding in the shadows."

Roy paused, glancing back at the door before continuing. "That fateful night, despite having avoided going out, Aiden decided to go for a jog. He didn't want to feel trapped because of her. He hadn't seen her lurking around for a few days, so he thought she had finally given up. It was a quiet night, with the road completely empty—no other people or cars around. Then he noticed a car following him. At first, he didn't think much of it; it wasn't her usual car."

A knot tightened in my stomach as Roy continued. "But the car kept following him. Aiden thought whoever was in that car might be trying to rob him, so he ran. She sped up probably trying to scare him and at some point, he decided to defend himself. He spotted a big rock on the side of the road, grabbed it, and threw it at her windshield. She must've been startled—lost control for a second—and hit the gas even harder. That's when she slammed into him."

Roy shook his head, a mix of frustration and disbelief clouding his expression. "It could have been so much worse."

I was stunned listening to him, didn't know what to say.