In due time (Completed)

Chapter 62- Pain and grief

Kate

Low whispers floated around like a buzz in my ear, a loud beeping over powered it. The light in the room was strikingly bright as my eyes struggled to open. They felt heavy and almost as if they were glued shut. My left arm felt cold to the touch and was numb with an IV needle jammed into my vein on the dorsum of my hand. I felt another needle in my arm, blood I presumed. A sharp pain shot through every inch of my body as I fully awakened. I traced the voices to the foot of my bed where Alex and my mum stood talking. They hadn't realised I was awake as they seemed quite preoccupied in conversation. I opened my mouth to get their attention but the words got stuck in my throat, resulting in a croaking sounding escaping instead.

"Sweetheart!" My mum beamed and rushed over at the sight of a conscious me.

My vision was still a bit blurry, more than it usually is without my glasses and my mind was still groggy. Little by little, I began to recall the last, who knows how many, hours. Images of Theo and Tyler came to mind before the gun shot rang in my ears.

"Tyler?!" Was my first words as I tried sitting up.

"Easy, Kate," my mum said while linking her arm in mine, assisting me to a sitting position.

As my mind went into overdrive once again, my most feared thought came to mind. My baby! Is my baby okay? My hands automatic went to my stomach in hopes of sensing... anything. Any sign that my baby is okay.

"You're both okay, sweetheart," I heard my mum say with a smile. I didn't even think she'd be watching me.

"I wanted to tell you myself mum, I just couldn't find the right time. I'm sorry." I did feel bad that she had to find out this way. It was never my intention.

"It's okay sweetheart," she kissed my forehead.

"No, it's not!" Alex said, "how can she NOT tell ME that I'm gonna be an uncle? I'm extremely hurt," he faked a pouty face making me chuckle but only for a split second.

"Alex?" My face contorted into worry and my brother knew exactly what I was asking about.

"You don't have to worry about Theo anymore," he simply stated and I instantly felt relief rush through me but fear crept in as I realised that my mum was probably gonna have endless questions. I turned to her, noting the glassy look in her eyes. A stream of tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Mum?"

"Why didn't you tell about that bastard? And what he did to you. Why would you hide that from me?"

For the first time in 6 years, I heard myself admit the truth to my mum. "because I didn't want you to be disappointed in me. Because I made the stupid decision to bring someone like Theo into my life and I suffered the consequences. I was embarrassed, mum."

She hugged me tightly and I winced in pain at her touch. My whole body still felt tender. "Sweetheart, you could never do anything to disappoint me."

As she ran her hand up and down my back while smothering me in a bear hug, my thoughts went back to my unanswered question.

"Mum, where's Tyler?" I asked and watched her face fall.

Their silence had my anxiety through the roof which didn't help in the least bit when it came to my mind creating worst case scenarios.

"Alex? Will someone answer me, please?!" I was almost certain that I was close to having a mental breakdown.

"Sweetheart," my mum began in a pacifying tone that had my heart racing.

"When Tyler was shot, he...his liver was pretty damaged. He needed a transplant."

"What?!" The tears that had been building up were tipped over and began to flow uncontrollably, like how water would flow out of a kicked over bucket. "But he's okay, right? He got the surgery and he's okay. Tell me he's okay?" I was hysterical.