Falling Apart

Chapter 78

Katherine's POV

David has been in and out of my small room for hours now, and I can't begin to comprehend what he's thinking. Not that I want to think about it, but I am aware of the idea I'm proposing. I basically told him that I can easily live without him, and I merely suggested that we give us a break right now.

I want someone to love me for me. I've already seen enough proof of how far David is willing to go for me, how he'll protect me, and how much he needs me. But I can't be with someone who only ever began things with me out of fear or just plain need to be with another. It took me this long to realize that I was just another Nora to him, and I'm not going to play the victim any longer.

"I got you some ice chips." David comes in again, offering me a paper cup. I thank him and put it next to the other various, now liquefied cups of ice next to me. "How are you feeling?" He asks but seems to want to ask more important questions.

"Fine." I chow down on a piece of ice. "And you?" I ask.

"Can we not do this?" He finally says.

"What else is there to say, David?" I sound exhausted but I'm hoping he'll give me some slack. "You want to protect me? You've done far more than enough, but look where I still end up! I just don't want you to have to go through all this anymore."

"I don't care!" He twists his face. "I can decide for myself what I want to do, Katherine. I want you, I choose you, I pick you. If you really don't want me around anymore, then that's an entire different subject. But if this is all because you think you want the best for me, then guess what? You are the best for me. Let me choose for myself."

"David..."

"Is this about Will? Do you want him or something?"

My blood boils at the mention of Will and the idea that I would ever leave David for someone else. "Are you serious right now?"

"Well I can't think of any other reason as to why you're saying these things!" He runs his fingers through his hair. We've been here all day and I can visibly see how tired he is by the bags under his eyes and the drowsiness in his voice. "Who cares how we met, Katherine? The only thing that should matter is where we are now, after everything we've been through. I love you! Why isn't that enough?"

I look away from David and shrug. "Sometimes love isn't enough, I guess."

Before either of us can say any more, a nurse bursts through the door along with a doctor and makes the both of us jump. David is quick to his feet, asking what the problem is.

"I told you! She isn't here, she isn't here." The nurse repeats to the doctor.

I chime into the confusing accusation. "I'm right here." I nearly laugh but the look on the doctor's face alarms me.

"What's going on?" David asks and the nurse runs out of the room.

The doctor can't seem to look either of us in the eye, only scaring me even more. "Your child seems to be missing from the nursery." He coughs. My face twists into even further confusion as I hear the news.

My lungs seem to shrivel as I find a way to breathe after hearing that my child is missing. "What the hell are you talking about?"

All I can think of are the strange looks the nurses gave me when I entered the hospital earlier, after hearing me go on and on about what Ian has done to me. I told them to keep him away, I told them that he'd try to take my child, but they didn't believe me. No one ever does.

The doctor looks as horrified as David. "Tell me you're fucking joking." He glares down at the doctor, tightening his fists.

All the doctor is able to do is shake his head and repeat meaningless apologies. My only thought is how this could've happened but all the while knowing Ian took my child. It was his plan since the very night he got me pregnant, all those months ago, and he actually went through with it.