Time

Chapter 21: Home

The last four hours was a blur. I remember rushing over to a unresponsive Anya, my heart racing at a unnatural rate as panic coursed adrenaline through my veins. I don't know how we got to this hospital, the little town we were staying in doesn't have a hospital and neither me nor our families knew how to get anywhere in this foreign place. Thank god for a local and his wife who were sober enough to sense our panic and cries for help. The only thing I remembered of the half hour race to the nearest town with a hospital was clutching Anya to my chest franticly begging her to wake up in the back of a stranger's car.

"PLEASE!!! PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP HER!" I screamed once I entered the emergency room

Nursing staff and on call rushed towards me "PLEASE! HELP HER! SHE COLLAPSED AT OUR WEDING!"

I must have scared the life out of the night staff of this small hospital with my frantic consistent pleas. Luckily with the rescuing couples help, the doctors finally took a still unconscious Anya from my arms. That's when the adrenaline ran out and my knees gave out as I crashed to the floor with a loud sob.

Moments later our families came rushing through the doors. I was helped into a chair in the waiting room, where I'm still sitting, waiting to hear from the doctor. Charlie tried to acquire information from me, but I didn't hear his questions, I just continued to stare down at the floor. My hands shook as my mind raced with all the possibilities and 'what ifs' of the situation. These doctors had no idea of Anya's medical history, all they know is the information we gave them as the wheeled her away. All they knew were the basics personal information Charlie and I could provide and that she is my wife... hardly seven hours into our marriage and I'm already terrified of losing her.

"Menneer Evans?" I heard my name being called in a accent I now recognized as local these small towns

I jumped up from the chair and rushed towards the doctor, who then proceeded to explain that they took some samples and are running some routine tests but managed to stabilize her in the meantime. I let out a relieved breath at the realization that my Anya is still alive and breathing. Soon after I was led into a small single patient room and in the small bed, bundled up under a bunch of white blankets, laid my sweet Anya smiling her best illuminating smile.

As I made my way around the bed I noticed the IV drip bag attached to her right hand running fluids into her veins and a tube in her nose.

"Hey baby" her soft voice sounded sweetly

"How you feeling sunshine?" I questioned kissing her forehead

"Fine, a little sore from the fall but I'll feel much better once I'm detached from these and you take me home" she assured seductively.

I tried to smile reassuringly even though we both know her fainting spell wasn't something to take likely. I could feel the panicked ache in my chest dissipate just by hugging her tightly to my chest. Soon after, our family piled into the room. True to Anya's cheery optimistic nature, she made light of the situation, jokingly blaming her fainting spell on the excitement of our marriage. Even though I know she sincerely meant every word, she's only saying all of this to calm and distract our wedding guests. It seemed to work, and there's no resisting once she smiles at you.

The doctor just solidified our lie when he came back with all clear normal test results. Of course these doctors won't find anything, since they don't know what to look for. The doctor diagnosed Anya with dehydration as well as a few bruises from the fall and decided to keep her overnight just in case. After a few more reassuring smiles from Anya our family made the half hour trip back to our beach villa. I on the other hand refused to leave her side. Luckily for me this small town hospital staff allowed me to stay with her.

"Look what I got from the vending machine" I announced with a smile holding up a small pack of jelly teddies

I almost forgot about the situation we were in when my green eyed angel squealed and giggled making grabby hands at her favorite treat. Anya scooted over on the bed, wincing slightly, leaving me barely enough space to squeeze in next to her on the tiny hospital bed. Anya snuggled into my side as she opened the packet and popped a teddy into her mouth.

"So where do we go next?" Anya started "I was thinking we hit Cape Town next and go sightseeing. What do you think?"

I couldn't believe my ears. She still wants to continue on this now suddenly ridiculous sounding trip? "Anya-" I sighed "Don't you think it's time we go home? You need to be near doctors who know how to help you"

I felt her little body shift away from me and her green gaze set on me with a 'are you crazy' kind of look "Why would you think that? I told you, I'm not spending my time in a hospital bed Demitri"

Her voice sounded angry but her eyes showed sadness. I didn't mean to upset her. I just, I need her to be okay "Anya, baby please understand, when you dropped to the ground tonight" I paused, I had to turn my gaze from her and swallow hard to keep my composure "it scared the shit out of me and I couldn't help you" I could hear the tears in my own voice as I tried to hold them in "if something happens to you... please baby, you don't have to stay in a hospital just... let's go home"

Anya stayed quiet for a moment, stubbornly thinking over her options. Then she sighs "Okay Demi, can we just finish our South Africa tour? Then we can go home. Deal?"

I let out a breathy chuckle at her negotiating skills but ultimately agreed. I could never say no to her when she looks at me with those beautiful eyes and who was I to refuse her one last adventure?

The next morning Charlie came and picked us up from the hospital and drove us back to the villa where we spent two more days with our families smiling, laughing just enjoying being together in a new place. We all made our way to Cape Town where we said our goodbyes to our families at the airport, promising to take a lot of photos of the remainder of our travels.

We spent a total of three more weeks in South Africa. Touring Cape Town, visiting wild life parks and even visiting some of the more rural areas before Anya came to her senses and allowed me to book our trip home. I loved seeing her happy and enjoying our adventures. She took pictures of everything she saw, spoke to more people than I care to remember and there's no greater ego boost than when the woman you love looks at you like you hung the moon... but I could see her getting weaker. I practically had to force her to eat regularly and she had a tendency to overexert herself when she gets excited. Then she would catch her breath and smile at me like nothing happened.

I looked over to the sleeping angel sitting beside me on our final leg of our adventure. She looks so peaceful. Her head rests against the airplane window, the setting sun highlighting her cute little nose and her perfectly plump lips. I can even see the faint freckles that lay speckled underneath the thick black arch of her long lashes. I smiled to myself, completely content with my wife.

My phone pinged notifying me of emails and voicemails I have neglected during our trip, which reminded me of the reality of work once we get back home. Home? We need to go get Anya's stuff from her old apartment. 'Coz there's no way my wife will be sleeping anywhere else but beside me let alone in a separate apartment 20 minutes away. That's what I did the rest of the flight home. I arranged for a moving company ready to move her into my apartment the second we land. Okay, maybe not the very second we land, but definitely soon after.

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A/N So... it's been awhile... sorry. lot's of things happened in the past few months including me loosing motivation and suffering from writers block. BUT i NEVER stopped working on my story.

i realized that i have a bit of O.C.D when it comes to my story. I don't publish unless I am 100% satisfied with what I have written. hopefully I should have the next chapter out soon (since it's practically finished anyway)

Thanks to anyone who actually reads my story. 

I really appreciate you! 

Cyber hugs to everyone!🤗🤗🤗

Please vote and leave me a comment! 

P.S. seriously considering changing my username to ghostwriter 🙈