To Love Again

Epiphany

The title to this chapter says a lot. I hope that y'all forgive me because we are now back to regular drama channel. Yikes! I'm dreading writing the next few chapters because I know it would be full of tears and probably heartache. Waaaahhhh! I also start my set of four shifts again tomorrow, so the updates might be slow but I will try, depending on how busy work is. Anyways, enjoy.

Strong and suggestive language used. Thanks.

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Maine got discharged the next day. Richard stayed with her overnight once more even if she insisted that he goes home. At one point he did and Maine thought she would have some time to think things through by herself but then 45 minutes later, Richard showed up again, albeit looking fresher than when he left. He admitted that he just went home to take a shower and change his clothes. Needless to say, he slept on the uncomfortable chair once more, fitting his long frame in the tiny piece of furniture. As much as Maine wanted to be irritated at him, she couldn't. He was very attentive to her very need. No wonder the hospital staff thought he was her husband. Because no plain boyfriend would act as such. Even Maine had to admit that.

When they both saw the bloodstain on the bed yesterday, she put on a brave front, even went as far as laugh at herself in front of Richard, for thinking that she was pregnant. She hobbled into the bathroom with a smile but as soon as she closed the bathroom door, she cried. At first she wasn't sure why she was crying. But the more tears came, she came to the realization that she was crying for what could've been. That for a moment, there was a minute possibility that she could be carrying their child. That she could be a mother soon. That she could take a part of Richard with her wherever she may go. But one look at the blood stain on her bed and on her underwear took all that away. Gone! Poof! Disappeared. She cried for that.

Maine wasn't aware that at that exact moment, Richard was on the other side of the door, listening to her sobs. Her sobs that seemed to reach inside of him and make him realize as well that he wanted her to be pregnant. He doesn't know when and how he came to such conclusion but now that the question whether Maine was pregnant (with his child) had been answered, he felt this ache deep inside of him. He couldn't really pinpoint wether it's disappointment or grief that he was feeling but all he knew was that he felt this loss inside. A loss to something that wasn't really there in the first place.

Richard was sitting on the chair with his head on his hands when Maine walked out of the bathroom. Her bed was freshly made which means Richard must've asked the staff to change it for her. In a way, Maine was touched by that gesture. Even if he didn't want a kid in the first place, he made sure that she wouldn't see any more reminders of the 'what could've been'. She tried to hobble to her bed but Richard looked up as soon as he heard her and as their eyes met, there was an unexplainable emotion that passed.

Maine couldn't hold back her tears as they came and much to her surprise, Richard was the same. He stood up and went to her. He lifted her up, sat down, carefully placing Maine on his lap. Maine didn't understand the why's and how's but it seemed like at that very moment, her and Richard were sharing the same grief, the same loss. Of what? She couldn't answer. She clung to him as she cried, molding her body to his. And Richard? He engulfed her in his embrace. Leaving no space in between. His arms encircling Maine as he whispered 'I'm sorry' over and over again.

Finally, when both of them were spent, Maine stirred first. She lifted her head up and reached out her hand to wipe the tears on Richard's face as Richard did excatly the same. They sat like that for a minute, just looking at each other in the eye, each occupied with their own thoughts.