Hard times are often blessings in disguise. Life, well no one said it's gonna be easy. It'll just get harder and harder and for a moment you'll think it spared you, you'll think it's over. And just when you'll let your guard down it'll hit you with...
As promised, I never left Zac's side. We zoomed to the hospital as fast as we could, barely dodging cars but I wasn't going to complain. I sighed in relief as soon as we saw the National Hospital right around the corner. He stopped the car as far from the entrance which honestly was weird. My heart was beating fast, this was the first time I was going to meet Nat. I looked at Zac who looked nervous too. I caught his hand in mine and rubbed soothing circles with my thumb.
"It'll be alright, okay? I'm here, I won't leave your side." He gave me a weak smile and we exited the car together.
He took slow strides towards the hospital, as if doing this on purpose to waste as much time as possible. We went straight to the elevator, where gladly we were alone. Zac pressed the button and the elevator started moving.
The ride was silent and long. Not the comfortable silence, it was filled with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. I could feel Zac's muscles tense up as soon as the elevator stopped and it's door opened.
"What do you mean it's family only? we're going to be family pretty soon. Let me in!"
A guy who I presume was Jason was standing right infront of two security guards as they pulled him back.
"Can we get some backup?" One of the guards yelled in his walkie talkie.
"Oh I'm going to kill that bastard. How dare he come here? He nearly killed Nat." Zac fumed as he pounced at Jason but I pulled him back.
I hugged him from behind and said soothing words to calm him down. We don't want to put up a scene. We were soon joined by Liam and Chace, who helped me keep Zac at bay.
"No, I'm not leaving her side. You don't understand, I need to see her!" Jason pleaded as more security guards tried to pull him back. Geez, that guy was strong.
"Let him in." A feeble voice said in between all the noise. I've never heard that voice before but it looked like it could break any minute. But I instantly knew who it belonged too. Natalie. She woke up. Zac was frozen. He didn't even blink. Even I was shocked. We were not expecting this. Liam, Chace, everyone. Even the guards stopped for a mere second. Doctors rushed in from every corner, asking nurses to check Nat's blood pressure and what not.
"Jason honey, is that you? Where am I? what happened?" Nat said from inside the room.
The doctors signaled the guards and Jason was allowed to get in.
"Oh no he's not, I'm not letting that bastard anywhere near my sister." Zac furiously stomped towards Nat's room where the doctors told him to not put any kind of pressure on her as her condition was still sensitive. I wasn't allowed to go in but I stood by the window to keep an eye on Zac.
Liam joined me.
"Hey?"
"Hey." We just stood there. Watching what was happening inside with hawk eyes.
Right now, Jason was sitting beside Nat on a chair and was holding her hands. Zac just stood behind him in a corner. Even with the bags and messed up hair, Zac looked so striking. He had absolutely no emotions in his eyes, he stared at Nat blankly. Something was wrong. But what exactly? I did not know.
"I'm gonna go call Mr and Mrs Jones, they need to know she's awake." I nodded at Liam and saw that Chace was no where to be seen. Poor guy, must've been so hard on him. I made a mental note to talk to him as soon as I see him again.
Zac's POV
As soon as I went inside after Jason, I couldn't have been more happy. Nat was awake. She was going to be healthy and walking in no time but to my dismay that was not going to happen with me around. She was going to get healthy and out of this hospital in no time but with Jason and not me. Why God, WHY? I was probably being punished for being an ass brother who could not take care of his sister.
Natalie remembered Jason immediately but she had no idea who I was. She kept asking Jason why I was staring her like that. She had no idea who I was? Her only brother? I think I deserve this. I think Natalie deserves better than me and that's exactly why she has no idea who I am. My eyes were burning, I was going to pretend I was strong, at least infront of Nat. So I just stood there as Jason held Nat's hands and told him how he loved her. That liar. I just stood there seeing them in their own happy bubble. I'm not going to lie but this was starting to become unbearable. I couldn't see Jason with her anymore.
"You, Out. NOW!" That was it, this man had the audacity to drunk drive with my sister in his car and then show up at the hospital like nothing ever happened? Not on my watch. He's going out. I don't care if Nat remembers me or not, I still care and will always and This man sitting right in front of me right now is not going to be a part of her life anymore.
"What? are you insane. I'm going no where." He stood up and yelled.
"Oh yes, you are. Don't make me do something I might regret later, although I doubt that." I took a threatening step towards him, but stopped right where I was when I saw Nat's eyes widened. I can't do this to her.
"Oh yeah? You think you're so mighty and strong? The great Zachary Jones who couldn't even take care of his own sister? The one who was doing God knows what when she was rushed to the Hospital. At least I was by her side. Be grateful Jones, not every one is as selfish as you. I love Natalie more than you ever could. You're the one who should get out, not me." He yelled and pounced at me.
Too dumbfounded at what just happened, I didn't move as he punched me right across my face and my nose started bleeding. Someone must've called the doctors and guards as they told us to get out. The guards took Jason with them, as Zoe came rushing to my side. She looked at my bruised face and gently stroked it. She took out a tissue and wiped the blood off my face. Her soft touch caressing my face. I looked at her, her big brown eyes shown with obvious worry and fear. I took her hand in mine, and kissed the tips of her finger. She blushed a little and then hugged me. Her sweet strawberry-vanilla scent calming me a bit. It's going to be alright. This is a storm, it'll be over soon. I kept chanting this mantra as I watched nurses and doctors rush in and out of Nat's room.
After what seemed like hours, a doctor came out and what he said next, broke me completely.
"Mr Jones, I'm so sorry but we couldn't save her."
That was it. That was my moment. Brick by brick my walls came trembling down. The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down my face. I feel the muscles of my chin quiver like a small child. My walls, the walls that hold me, make me strong just collapse. Salty tears rushed down my cheek drenching my shirt. I start shaking, I can't stop. I can't stop. Why can't I stop crying? This pain, it seemed eternal. This pain, it'll be leaving a deep ugly scar. The void in my heart, the empty space, nobody will ever fill it. Nobody.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
