DISTANT

Chapter 41

Kristen; Ricardo; Davina; Emily; Drew; Zenobia; Charlie and the kids watched silently as her chest rose and fell with each breath she took.

The woman cried as they watched their daughter/best friend/sister in law layed lifeless on the hospital bed.

Her hair was sprawled out on the pillow; her right arm was covered in drips and bandages. Her complexion was a sickly pale colour as her eyes had dark circles under them.

"Will she be okay mommy?" Asked Mateo in a meer whisper.

"Yeah baby. No pasa nada" (Dont worry about it) she pecked the child's forehead and layed his head on her shoulder.

"The police just informed me that they've arrested the man. They said he was DUI and will be imprisoned for 25-30 years." Spoke Charlie.

Everyone silently nodded their heads, unable to speak a word.

Drew sat next to her on one of the hospital chairs. He was gently holding her hand as he was tracing patterns if her old scars.
He never saw his sister like this nor did he ever want to see her like this again.

********

He stepped into the empty apartment and peeled his jacket off his sweaty body.

"Zayna?" He called out.

He walked around the house in search of her, but saw the note taped to the fridge.

"Great. Just great." He said sarcastically.

Why do I have to be such a f**k up?! Lord Jesus, please just help me out!!

He sighed heavily and grabbed a beer from the fridge before retreating to the living room.

He thought he was better. Hell! Even his therapist said he was. But unfortunately, no matter the amount of help he gets, nothing can tame the monster that's inside of him.

He turned on the TV and noticed it was on one of the news channels.

"The body of 23 year old Zayna Phillips was found in a ditch next to the highway."

Nate spat out his beer and shot up straight at the mention of his girl.

"Police spokesperson, Claire Jacobs,  said that the car was hit by a drunk driver, who ran a red light causing her car to spin and fall into a nearby ditch. Phillips was then rushed to a nearby hospital where she is now stable but in critical condition."

He immediately switched the TV off, not wanting to believe what that anchor lady just said. He grabbed his cellphone and dialed her number frantically.

"Davina, where's Zayna?!" He asked panicking.

He heard her sobbing before she replied. "She's in hospital, Nate."

"What happened?" He asked squeezing his eyes shut.

"She got knocked off the road. She's now in a coma and the doctor says it looks like as if she got attack because they found nail marks on her wrists as well as a large bruise in the middle of her back and jaw."

A flashback of what happened that morning came back into memory.
Angrily, he threw a punch to the wall behind him. He hissed in pain as his knuckles cracked from the force.

"Nate?" Asked Davina quietly.

"I'll be there in ten."

He stuffed his phone in his jacket pocket, grabbed his keys and jacket and sprinted out of the apartment.

*********

He stopped when he saw her laying on the bed through one of the windows.

He watched as her mother and stepfather cried when they said goodbye. He saw her niece and nephew poke their aunt in hope to get some reaction out of her.

Suddenly the door handle jiggled. He sprung into the janitors closet before any of them could see him.

"Guys I think Nate was the cause of this." He heard Charlie say.

"But how is that possible? Isn't he still in Spain?" Asked Kristen  (Zayna's mom) while sniffing.

Davina let out a heavy sigh before speaking. "Actually Aunt K, he's been living with Zayna for the past few weeks."

Nate leaned closer only to hear silence.

"I want that boy out of my daughter's apartment ASAP. I'm not going to allow him to ruin her life again." Said Kristen angrily.

"Dont worry about it Aunt K. I'll move his belongings to my house."

"Okay guys. Let's get out if here."

The heartbroken family left with a cloud of thoughts above their head.

"Sure just keep rubbing it in my face that I almost killed her. Again." He mumbled before stepping out of the closet.

With a deep breath he walked into her room.

"Joder..... " (F**k) He whispered as he saw just how bad her condition was.

Slowly, he approached the bed with shaky hands. So many emotions ran through him when he sat down and held her cold, pale hand.

"What is it with you and hospitals, Zayna?" He laughed lightly.
"Words can't explain how sorry I am Néna. (Baby) Believe me I did try to hold back, but all I could see was red. Zayna, I love you so much, I can't lose you again or ever."
"You only saw the good in me when everyone else saw me as a ticking time bomb."

He breathed in a shaky breath as he tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Please Zayna just come back. Mateo and Camila are wondering why their aunt is always sleeping. Please Zayna without you I don't know how much further I can go on."

"Just wake up mi amor,  (My love) just wake up."