James was slowly walking home. The beer did not help him at all, talking to Sam definitely did not help him either. He just made James feel more crappy and guilty. He should have never left her alone.
He could hear Sam’s words slicing through his head.
“You’ll choose pride over your wife?”
Sam’s voice was not the only thing reverberating in James’ head. He could also hear Devon’s harsh question.
“Why are you so selfish?”
Am I really selfish, James asked himself. All I wanted is to have her longer, James thought. All I wanted is too have her forever.
James stopped in front of their apartment door. He bowed his head. I will tell her, he decided. She deserves to know.
He turned the knob and was surprised to find the doorknob unlocked. He was more surprised to see Devon lying on the foot of the stairs, with blood trickling from her forehead. She was unconscious. James rushed to her side, afraid to touch her.
“Baby,” James mumbled, his voice trembling. “Oh my God.”
Devon slightly opened her eyes, looked at James and started to close her eyes again. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” James kept on saying. “We’ll call for help.”
James immediately dialled his Ninong’s number.
“Don’t move her, I’m on my way,” Dr. Alvarez instructed. “You can cause more damage. Don’t let her fall asleep.”
James dropped the phone and immediately lied down beside Devon.
“I’m so sorry, Devon,” James said in tears. “I left you alone, when you most needed me.”
Devon feebly smiled but did not move. “We’re gonna be okay.”
James cried more. “Don’t sleep baby, don’t sleep.”
Devon felt her eyes closing. She could hear James begging her to stay. She could hear James’ sobs. He rarely cried, she thought. I’m sleepy, she thought.
“Don’t sleep baby,” James was begging now. He was squeezing on Devon’s hand. “Don’t you dare sleep baby, don’t you dare.”
Devon answered weakly, “I’ll try.” But she could not barely open her eyes, the last thing she heard were footsteps and James calling her name.
****
James has been sleeping on Devon’s bedside for two nights now. He did not even bother going home. Aling Linda, Devon’s mom, has been begging him to get decent rest. But he would not go home.
“It was my fault,” James kept insisting. “I left her. I left her alone.”
“It was an accident,” Aling Linda countered.
But reasons fall on his deaf ears. He would never let anything happen to her again. He would never leave her alone again.
Aling Linda stayed for a while in the hospital. She insisted on James eating his meals, and talked to the visitors and friends that visited the couple. James was nodding and shaking his head to answers, but offered no effort to converse with the visitors.
Dr. Alvarez walked into the room, while Aling Linda was putting the basket of fruits that James’ workmates have brought. James stood up and walked towards the doctor.
