Behind The Mask

Chapter 65

Michael's POV

My life has been put on suspension for nearly 2 months now. I can sit by Nooki's side and hold her hand and talk to her. But she is still in an induced coma and doctors pump her with all sorts of medicines to keep her and the baby alive and fight against the damage on her kidneys.

Now she looks pregnant – her tummy is definitely rounded and hard to the touch. I touch it so many times and talk to our baby, asking it to hang in there and not give up on life. Marieke and Wayne postponed their wedding. And I know that Anouk would feel so guilty if she knew of this. We tried so hard not to disturb their plans. And it all came crashing down into my head.

Today, like on any other day, I am sitting by Nooki's side. Her face is so pale...she looks so small and frail. I take her hand in mine and bring it to my lips.

"Please, be fine. You have to be Okay so the doctors can wake you up. I miss your blue eyes...and your ironic voice. I miss the way you crook up your eyebrow when you challenge something I say...and the way you say "bullshit" in your Afrikaans accent. Yea, I actually like the way you curse. You have a sort of class in saying it. I love everything about you, baby, even your fiery temper and your stubbornness. Please come back to me!"

I feel good, just talking to her, because I know that she can hear me. I just know it. Just then, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and felt a jolt of joy: it was Janet. I surely need to hear my baby sister's voice. She's been so busy with her world tour lately, I've left her totally out of the loop with everything going on.

"Hello, Applehead! How's my favorite big brother doing?"

"Hi, Dunk...I cannot lie...I'm not doing good....not good at all."

"What happened??? My God, please tell me you didn't break up with Anouk!"

"No...I didn't. But fate is trying to break us up....Janet, I'm in a hospital right now...I'm watching over Anouk....she's ill...she's very ill... She could...she could lose the battle..."

"No! No, no, don't tell me that! That girl is strong! She's a fighter. I know she's sick...she has diabetes...but she is strong...."

"She is...but she is fighting for two now...Janet....I know this is the shitty way of finding out...Anouk is pregnant...and....and she's my wife now."

"Michael! That's amazing! I know how much you want to have your own babies....Oh....God, sorry! This sounds so crappy...when you just told me she's so ill...What happened?"
"The baby...She has type I diabetes....the bad type of diabetes...I mean, the more serious one. She...she should have got a doctor's approval to get pregnant. She....I didn't even know that she was trying to get pregnant....She just told me when it happened...."

"She wanted to surprise you...Poor girl...she wanted to make you happy..."

"Yes...she disregarded her condition....and wanted to give me what I wanted so badly....and now...."

I can't hold it in anymore and start sobbing.

"It's been over 8 weeks since I found her...unresponsive....and the doctors put her in a coma...and I am just sitting here by her side and praying to God that she's alright."

"Oh, my God, Michael! This is so terrible! Look...God, and I wanted to invite you guys over to celebrate the end of my tour....I'm back tomorrow and no matter how tired I am, I wanted you guys to be the first people I see back home...and mother. Now...I'll come to the hospital."

"That's Okay, Janet...you don't have to..."

"But I want to do it! You need some moral support. I'm your sister, Michael. I wouldn't leave you alone in such a situation."