ALESSIA
When we arrived at the hospital, Claude’s stretcher was already being pushed towards the operating room. We weren’t allowed to enter, so we waited outside. Cali pulled me and made me sit down. I noticed Francesco was about to sit down too, but Cali shot him a sharp look, and he ended up standing and leaning against the nearby wall. From his appearance, he looked like our bodyguard, alongside Cali.
“Go ahead and cry. Let it all out. Don’t keep it inside because it might only make it harder for you,” Cali said as she gently stroked my back.
I felt like I found an ally. I leaned against Cali’s shoulder, and she patted my arm.
I continued to cry quietly until I eventually grew tired. During the long wait, my eyelids started to feel heavy. I closed my eyes without realizing I had fallen asleep.
I woke up feeling a gentle shaking on my shoulder. I reluctantly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Cali.
“Wake up. The doctor wants to talk to you,” she said.
Then I noticed the man in a lab coat who was talking to Francesco. Cali cleared her throat loudly as she helped me to stand up. The doctor glanced at us and approached.
“Are you the patient’s wife?” he asked.
“Yes, doctor.”
“Your husband is out of danger at the moment. He will be brought to a recovery room. Let us wait for him to wake up,” he said.
I blinked. “When is he going to wake up?”
“We don’t know yet. It might take another two hours or longer. It depends on him.”
“Ah, okay. I will just wait for him to wake up. Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor nodded before leaving. Claude was brought out shortly after. We followed him to his room.
The doctor’s statement that Claude would wake up in the next two hours didn’t come true. Hours passed, and it turned into a day, but he remained asleep. I became extremely nervous when the doctor spoke to me again.
“Your husband fell into a coma. No one knows when he is going to wake up.”
Luckily, I was already seated when the doctor said that. If I had been standing, I might have collapsed to the floor.
Of all the problems we’ve faced as a couple, this might be the most difficult and painful. We’re discussing life and death now. In Claude’s current situation, he’s playing a game of chicken with death. There’s nothing I can do about his condition except pray and hope for a miracle.
Cali never left my side, even for a moment. Only Francesco was the one who would leave, but he would always come back and check on us from time to time. With what happened to Claude, I had no one to blame. I could not just lay all the blame on Francesco or Cali. I was also at fault. If only I had been soft-hearted and accepted Claude back when he was pursuing me, we wouldn’t have reached this point.
Now I realized that not every time one needed to be tough. Forgiving those who regret was still the best option. I had closed my mind. Other men cheat, but their wives forgive them. I should have done the same, especially since Claude didn’t cheat on me. His trust just happened to falter, and that’s what caused the chaos.
I remembered Haven again, the root of all our problems. I reminded myself to ask Ramiro about her once he showed up one of these days, and I would ask him to handle Haven’s case to ensure she rots in prison. That woman was shameless!
It’s been three days since Claude was in the hospital when Cali bid me goodbye.
“I’ll just go home for now. I’ll find something for you to wear. Don’t worry because there are nurses here with you and there are guards outside. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay.”
Cali hugged me.
“If Claude doesn’t wake up, I’ll divorce Francesco, whether he likes it or not. I can’t bear to have a happy life while you’re suffering and alone,” she said before leaving.
I didn’t know how to respond to Cali’s words. But I was pleased with the concern she showed. She cared more than my own parents did.
After Cali andFrsncedco left, I cried while talking to Claude.
“Wake up, Claude. Your children and I are waiting for you. Adrian doesn’t know you’re here yet. We need you. I won’t leave your side until you wake up.”
But despite talking to him every single day, nothing happened. My husband still didn’t wake up.
Three months passed, and I gave birth. But Claude still didn’t wake up. I almost lost hope.
I gave birth in that same hospital. I had a smooth delivery with our daughter, whom I named Cassidy Adelaide and nicknamed her Addie. The baby couldn’t stay in the hospital with me, so Cali took her home and took care of her. I was left alone to watch over Claude.
Ramiro went back to the US to handle Haven’s case. Claude’s parents also visited for a few days, but they couldn’t stay long because Adrian was left in Mainland US. Miss Lucille also visited once, and she cried when she saw me and Claude.
Cali would go to the hospital every day, but she would not usually stay long to make sure Addie was being taken care of.
Sometimes I felt like giving up, but when I remembered Claude and our children’s faces, my courage returned. So I would still talk to my husband, hoping for a miracle to come.
Exactly three months after I gave birth to Addie, heaven performed a miracle. I was sitting beside Claude when I felt something moved. At first, I ignored it, thinking I was hallucinating.
But when I heard a faint cough, I lifted my head.
I looked at Claude, almost in tears when I saw him awake.
“C-Claude!”
“S-Sweetpea,” he spoke softly, but a wide smile spreaded across his face.
I immediately hugged Claude, tears streaming down my face. I cried for a few minutes before pulling away. That’s when I remembered to press the buzzer to call the nurse.
“Thank God you’re awake!” I said, wiping my tears.
“How long was I asleep?”
“Six months. I thought you’d left us, me, Adrian, and Addie,” I teared up again.
“Addie? Who’s Addie?”
“Our baby girl.” I showed him my flat stomach.
Claude’s eyes widened. “You gave birth?”
“Yes. I gave birth while you were sleeping.”
Claude was about to ask another question, but the doctor and the nurses entered. They attended to Claude, so I stepped aside.
I was overjoyed because God had answered my prayers.