The first thing Andreas did when he approached Vlora was to take her hand. He planted a kiss on her forehead, and his heart was filled with relief. Andreas was so thankful that Vlora had survived.
“Vlo.”
Vlora smiled as their eyes met. She let Andreas continue to hold her hand, enjoying the repeated kisses that landed on her fingers.
“You’ll be fine, darling. Don’t worry. You need to rest and I’ll always be here. I’ll take care of you.”
Vlora nodded weakly. “Oh, Reas.”
“What is it?” Andreas asked worriedly, stroking Vlora’s hair gently. “Do you need anything? Or are you feeling unwell?”
“No. Actually, I was waiting for you to come home.”
Andreas was surprised. The smile on Vlora’s face made him catch his breath.
“There is something I want to tell you.”
Andreas swallowed hard, hoping to swallow all the bitterness. But he couldn’t.
Vlora’s smile, the joy in her eyes, it all brought a pain that made him beg.
“Vlo.”
Andreas’ eyes welled up again. His heart pounded uncomfortably, and the air felt like it was piercing his lungs.
Please, God. Don’t do this.
For Andreas knew that he was already on the edge of sanity. His defenses had weakened, and he was sure he couldn’t take any more.
Certainly not. Andreas wouldn’t be able to handle it if Vlora said the one thing he least wanted to hear.
Don’t say it, Vlo. Please.
Vlora returned Andreas’ caress. She looked at Andreas and her smile seemed to widen.
Andreas thought this might be the first time he had seen Vlora smile so broadly. She looked radiant. She was full of joy and then she said,
“I’m pregnant.”
Andreas’ eyes immediately closed when the words of happiness escaped Vlora’s lips. It felt incredibly painful. As if a rusty dagger had stabbed and torn through his heart. Blood dripped, followed by pus. Eventually, each passing second only seemed to deepen the existing pain.
Tears rebelled. Heat burned and Andreas’ defenses collapsed. His sobs escaped and all he could say was sorry.
“Forgive me, darling. Forgive me.”
Vlora was silent. She froze, and Andreas’ reaction was not what she had expected. Andreas should have been happy, and they would have laughed together. But why apologize? Why sobs instead?
“Forgive me, darling.”
Andreas’ eyes opened and Vlora saw them. The look of pain was obvious, something she couldn’t deny.
Vlora took a deep breath. The smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a flat expression that had always been her mask. Consciously or not, her lips then whispered.
“Ah. I lost again.”
*
At that moment, the day had changed. It was only a matter of waiting a few more moments for the sun to appear on the eastern horizon. Noelle, Amanda and Vian cautiously entered the room.
A heartbreaking scene greeted them. A couple was curled up on the patient’s bed. They were hugging each other, perhaps for mutual strength.
Noelle approached the patient’s bed. She reached out and gently shook Andreas. She woke him up.
Andreas regained consciousness and found Noelle signaling him to stay calm, to make sure Vlora didn’t wake up because of them.
“We’ll take care of Vlora.”
Noelle said once they were outside the room. She assured Andreas that he didn’t have to worry.
“Go home and take a shower. Vlora shouldn’t see you in this disheveled state, darling.”
Andreas nodded and accepted Noelle’s hug. “I’ll be back soon.”
Noelle patted Andreas’ back, strengthening her grandson before releasing her embrace.
Andreas left. He walked down the hospital corridor, feeling an emptiness he had never felt before. He really didn’t think his life would reach such a point.
Not once. Not twice. Andreas had repeatedly lost things that should have been his. So he had learned to deal with the emotions of loss. Unfortunately, he never anticipated the kind of loss that would stab him so painfully. Of all the pain of loss he had experienced, this was the one that would undoubtedly leave a lasting scar.
But Andreas was wrong. He thought the pain he felt had reached its maximum limit, but apparently not. Everything could be more painful for him. When he got home and went straight to his room, he noticed something.
Lying on the bedside table. It wasn’t just one, but three. Each one showed two red lines that shook Andreas.
Trembling, Andreas grabbed the testpacks. He looked at the two red lines with a blurred vision due to tears, and his composure faltered. He fell. He sat down. He curled up on the cold floor, bathed in grief.
The grief was like an apocalypse that devastated Andreas’ world. Everything was shattered and erased. Every piece of dream and promise they had made together turned into dust particles carried away by the wind without any feeling.
Fate shouldn’t be so cruel. How could fate inflict such pain that Andreas couldn’t even breathe?
Andreas was tormented. Regret washed over him and all he could say was,
“Forgive me, Vlo. Forgive me. I should have protected you. I shouldn’t have let you get hurt.”
Regret and apology struggled in Andreas’ mind. All emotions fought and created imaginations of the situation that should have happened.
Vlora was pregnant. She surprised Andreas. So, they spent that night in extreme happiness. They laughed and celebrated.
It should have been that way, but it wasn’t. Andreas was slapped by reality. Fate, with such cruelty, had exchanged this happy dream for the most painful reality.
Then Andreas’ eyes opened. His gaze turned red and wet. Anger surged with another fact he realized. He stood up with a grim expression.
“Jonas.”
*