His Loving Eyes [18+]

39

"Jack, get the car ready," I bark, my voice barely steady. "We need to go there. Now."

Jack nods, already moving, and I follow him out of the office, my mind racing with fear and disbelief. The drive to the cemetery feels like an eternity, each second stretching painfully as my thoughts spiral.

When we arrive, the scene is chaotic—police cars, flashing lights, and a crowd of onlookers. I push through them, desperate to find any sign that this is a horrible mistake.

An officer stops me, recognizing my face from the news. "Mr. Enderson, you need to stay back. This is an active crime scene."

"Where is she?" I demand, my voice breaking. "Where's my wife?"

The officer hesitates, then gestures to a covered body near my mother's grave. The sight of it hits me like a physical blow, knocking the breath from my lungs.

I stagger forward, barely able to stand. Jack is at my side, his support the only thing keeping me upright. "This can't be happening," I whisper, my mind rejecting the reality in front of me. "It can't be her."

But deep down, I know. The nightmare I thought I'd left behind has come back to claim another victim, and this time, it's the woman I love.

As I stand there, the chaos around me fades into a dull roar. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing the name I fear to speak. I feel Jack's steadying hand on my shoulder, grounding me in the reality I desperately want to escape.

"Devon, we need to let the police do their job," Jack says softly, his voice breaking through the fog of my disbelief.

"I need to see her," I insist, my voice shaking. "I need to know for sure."

Jack nods to the officer, who reluctantly steps aside. With trembling legs, I move closer to the covered body. Each step feels like a lifetime, my mind racing with memories of Evelina—her laughter, her touch, the way she looked at me with those loving eyes.

The officer lifts the edge of the sheet, and my world shatters. Evelina's lifeless face stares back at me, her once vibrant eyes now dull and vacant. A strangled cry escapes my throat, and I fall to my knees beside her, my hand reaching out to touch her cold skin.

"No, no, no," I whisper, tears streaming down my face. "This can't be real. Please, God, no."

Jack kneels beside me, his arm around my shoulders, offering silent support. I can feel his grief mingling with mine, a shared sorrow that threatens to consume us both.

I don't know how long we stay there, the world continuing around us as if nothing has changed. Eventually, the officer gently pulls me away, and I feel the loss of her presence all over again.

"We need to find out who did this," I say, my voice a hollow echo. "I won't rest until they're brought to justice."

Jack nods, his expression grim. "We'll find them, Devon. I promise."

The ride back to the house is a blur, my mind trapped in a loop of anguish and disbelief. When we arrive, I can't bring myself to go inside. The thought of entering our home without her is too much to bear.

My heart seizes in my chest, the world blurring around me. Evelina. Not her. It can't be her. I feel a scream clawing its way up my throat, but all that escapes is a strangled gasp.

"Devon, are you okay?" Jack's voice is distant, like he's speaking from the other side of a vast chasm. I shake my head, trying to dispel the fog of disbelief.

I snap out of the terrible thought and realize that I'm still standing in my office.

"This can't be real," I mutter, my voice trembling. "Evelina... she can't be..."

Jack grabs my shoulder, his grip grounding me. "We need to go to the hospital. I just got news that the body was taken there. We need to see for ourselves."

My legs feel like lead as I stand, the drive to the hospital a blur of terror and hope warring within me. Jack's driving is focused, determined, but all I can think about is Evelina. My mind keeps replaying the possibility of her lifeless body, the horror of her being taken from me in such a brutal way.

When we arrive at the hospital, I rush inside, my heart pounding so hard I can barely breathe. "Please," I gasp to the nurse at the front desk. "I need to know about the body that was brought in. Evelina Enderson. Is she...?"

The nurse looks at me with wide eyes, recognizing the urgency in my voice. "They're currently working on her," she says, her tone gentle yet serious. "Follow me."

Every step feels like a lifetime as I follow her through the sterile corridors, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glare on the white walls. The smell of antiseptic fills the air, a stark contrast to the fear choking me.

Finally, we reach a room, and the nurse pushes the door open. My eyes scan the room frantically, searching for any sign of Evelina.

And then I see her.

She's on a hospital bed, tubes and wires attached to her. Doctors and nurses are bustling around her, the beeping machines a testament to her fragile hold on life. Her eyes are closed, but as if sensing my presence, they flutter open. Our eyes lock, and the world narrows down to just the two of us.

"Evelina," I breathe, my voice breaking. She sees me, and a sob escapes her lips, tears streaming down her face. I rush to her side, grabbing her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin, the life still within her.

"I thought I lost you," I whisper, my voice raw with emotion. "I thought you were gone."

"I'm here," she sobs, her grip on my hand tightening. "I'm here, Devon."

I pull her into my arms, holding her close, my tears mingling with hers. The doctors and nurses continue their work as if in the background of some distant dream, but all I can focus on is Evelina, the woman I love, alive and safe in my arms.

"I was so scared," I confess, my voice trembling. "I can't lose you. I can't."

She cups my face with her hand, her touch grounding me, anchoring me to the reality of her presence. "You're not going to lose me," she says, her voice steady despite the tears. "I'm right here. We're going to get through this."

The depth of our shared sorrow, the terror and mourning of the moments that preceded this, seem to dissolve as I cling to her. Every second she's with me feels miraculous, a gift I thought had been irrevocably taken.

Evelina's eyes start to flutter closed, her exhaustion overtaking her. She manages to whisper, "We're going to get through this," before she falls asleep in my arms.

"I love you," I murmur into her hair, letting the familiar scent of her shampoo calm my frantic heart. "I love you so much."