Meant To Be

Chapter 19

19.

Minutes seem to pass by like years. The white boring walls of the waiting room were a reminder of where I am and what am I doing here. The disturbing scene playing in my head over and over again. To the corner of the room, a tall light skin man stood. Refusing to sit down he hold on to his beanie, his fingers turning white as he holds it with his hand. His black hair all over the place. No tears...but fear in his eyes.

The same fear I was feeling as I see doctors and nurses pass by yet there is still no news about Archie. I can practically hear my heart racing against my chest, sweat running down the back of my neck. All of a sudden I see tears falling and I realize I am crying. Praying to the Lord above for Archie's life because he did not deserved this.

And then there is Michael, or as Archie calls him, the kid. It breaks my heart, really that he was not safe with us, it does not matter how much we try to protect him...he will never be happy or safe with us. After all, Archie has always been right...having him with us just complicate things.

It is hard. Really hard to think when was the last time Archie and I shared a moment of kindness and appreciation with each other, fighting has sadly become our routine and many days have gone by since we were together. Regardless of everything that has happend he was still my husband and sure we didn't get married under the best circumstances, but I owe him the respect a wife should give her husband. He has become part of my reality, and to see him vulnerable and defeated,...it dented my heart. 

"Mrs. Andrews?"

The pretty nurse approached me, wearing dark blue scrubs and holding a clipboard, her face didn't seem to show concern. Her sandy hair in a messy ponytail.

" how is he?"

" we were able to take out the three bullets. Unfortunately there was very bad damaged done to the spine. We are not sure when he might wake up, at this point all we can do is wait. However, we did the best that we could...he is alive. You can go in to see him, but only for a bit"

I turned my head to look at Jughead, but his eyes were lost. He wasn't strong enough to go see him and maybe I wasn't either, but I had to try.

I followed the nurse a few steps behind, scared of what I was about to see. As we made our way to thru the long corridors, I start taking deep breaths in anticipation of what I might find.

1987

The room number was 1987. The door made an awful noise as she guided me inside. My gut was right after all. This was too painful see.I closed my eyes immediately as the sight in front of me became more visible.

There he was.Defeated. Archie Andrews on a hospital bed unconscious. And it hurt so much to see him like this. He has always been strong for everybody, and now he was plugged to an oxygen machine, depending on it to stay alive.

His face is still warm, I can tell as I press a long kiss to his forehead. My own tears falling on his face. I take in his manly features, tracing his jaw with my eyes. Without thinking, My lips are suddenly on his. A tender long kiss was enough for me to choke on my own feelings.

And that's when it hit me. And it hit me hard. I had feelings, deep feelings for this man. And the thought of loosing him was as scary as death itself.

But the words of my father play in my head over and over again. His lessons thru the years have never been useful untill now.

"Revenge has to be planned with your mind cold, that way you will never have any regrets"

"You are a Lodge, Veronica, you can never be afraid"

" never hate your enemies, all that does is confuse you, all that does is distract your mind from what really is important"

And what was important to me right now?. Archie, his life is important.

" always look around you,never trust anybody remember that at the end....only your family will look out for you"

One of the most important man in town was at the hospital. It has been at the hospital for nearly four hours. And in those four hours the only security guard of the hospital has not been seen. Not to mention he was on one of the furthest room,away from all other petients. The window facing towards the back of the hospital, nothing but an old dumpster, and a few bushes right outside.It was just so...accessible?. Easy enough for anybody to climb up and break the window.

Ofcourse!

How could I've been so careless?, how stupid could I be that I didn't noticed the obvious?. This is freaking Clemenza, he probably has connections everywhere in Riverdale. He already knew Archie was at the hospital.

Rushing out of the room, I ran towards the waiting room. Jughead had a large cup of coffe in his hand. Vince was by his side.

" Jughead, come with me...NOW!"

I didn't let him argue.I grabbed his free hand and dragged him to where Archie was, Vince right behind us. I closed the door.

" what the hell?"

His coffee cup hit the floor when his eyes fell on the body laying on the bed. He placed his hand on his arm. Not a word came out of his mouth. He was in pain from seen his friend like that. 

" Jughead listen to me, whe need to get Archie out of here"

" what?...what are you talking about?"

" look around you....ten rooms were empty before this one, the security guard has not done his rounds since we got here...it's a trap Jughead"

The realization of what I was saying showed in his face, after all he has been in this businness for a while to know that nowhere was safe. 

" Shit!"

" what the hell are we gonna do?"

Right on point the nurse opened the door. Her eyes scanning the room. But beforre she could say anything Jughead was already intimidating her with his stare.

" We need the discharged paperwork for Archie Andrews please"

" the what?, sir are you out of your mind, the patient just came out of surgery"

" I don't care, his wife wants to take him home"

" is this true?"

" yes"

" if you take him home remember that you assume all liability regarding the patient"

" yes we know. Paperwork please. ASAP"

She didn't argue back. Perhaps she was scared of Jughead, either way I was just glad I wasn't here alone.

" Vince I need you to go down and drive an ambulance to the front of the hospital"

" how the hell is he suppose to do that?"

" he is a mad man with a gun, he will figure it out. We cannot trust anybody else to drive the ambulance to the house"

Everything was happening too fast.

" hello?, dad?...I need you to get me some medical equipment...umm....I don't know, oxygen machine...a heart monitor plus everything else you can get. I don't give a shit if you need to steal it. I need it now, bring it down to Archie's house.yes thank you"

Jughead and I shared a look that only two guilty people would shared. It was not the best solution but it was the only one we had. The fastest we get Archie out here, the better.