Infliction

30

How will I ever start to ask for his forgiveness? I'm sure he just hates me by now. If he wanted to kill me for real this time, I wouldn't blame him. Even I want me dead, and that's saying something.

"That poor soul," Carlos speaks from behind me, "you do know he's obsessed with you, right?"

I shake my head. No, I did not know that. After today's events he'd have nightmares just thinking of me.

"You want some coffee?" I ask to avoid talking to him any longer.

"No, thank you, I'm caffeine intolerant," he says wittily. I smirk when I remember he drank coffee at the airport and he seems to remember that too so he adds, "I forget sometimes."

"Then I'll get us some water," I say, walking back to look for the vending machine. On my way back with three cold water bottles, my phone vibrates in my hand and I unlock to see missed calls and text messages from Daniel. I give him a call back.

"Hey Dan-"

"Where are you?"

"I'm.. " Do I tell him?

"Damn it, I know you're at the hospital but where are you?" First time he's ever cut me with such urgency.

"How did you- What's wrong?" I ask, stalling in the hallway.

"You tell me," he says, breathing loudly. It sounds like he's trying to catch his breath. "What happened to you?" He asks softly, sounding too close to me over the phone. On instinct, I turn around and my arm falls by my side. I meet his wide eyes that take it my appearance and I can not begin to explain myself.

"I'll explain all this in due time," I say softly.

"Hell yes you will!" He scolds, pulling me into a hug. I hug him back as best I could with things in my hands.

"Where to off now?"

"The ER waiting area," I say, leading him. We make the turn and Carlos and Kyle stand up and give him bro hugs and first bumps, making me crease my eyebrows in wonder.

"How do you guys know each other?" I decide to ask.

"He's my cousin," Carlos speaks first. I just nod and hand them their water. Kyle hesitates before accepting it from me and I sit next to Daniel, looking at the walls when Carlos and him start talking, and since I'm facing Carlos and Daniel has his back turned to me, I signal to Carlos to not mention me in his story. I would like to be the one to tell him that myself.

Two hours have passed and it's like we've been here forever. Carlos is sprawled on the sofa couch and luckily they are comfortable enough with back support and arm rests. Kyle fell asleep for a short while and I am now sitting on Daniel's lap due to his insistence. I like how respectful he's being even though he doesn't understand what happened or why we're all here today.

"Are you okay?" He asks again. I've lost count of how many times he's asked that in the past couple hours.

"Yeah," I respond, giving him a small smile to which he nods and softly plants a kiss on my lips. The light to the room goes off and a surgeon emerges along with two nurses who go their separate ways. He's calm so that's a good sign.

"I'm glad to inform you that Mrs Greigh is safe and sound. I've given her sedatives which will keep her asleep for a few hours, although she has requested for her family to stay with her for the night. I'll see you tomorrow morning," he says, giving us a small nod and walking away too. I exhale loudly and lay my head against Daniel's chest, finally being able to breathe properly. It's like a weight has been lifted off of me.

I clear my throat and look at Carlos with a teasing smile. "Mrs Greigh?"

"She had no ID on her and I had mine so I had to make something up or else they'd ask too many questions," he said in one go, making me smile at his child-like behaviour.

When we enter Vi's room, the first thing I notice is the cold breeze coming in from outside. It's so like her to keep the windows open. She looks at the door where we're standing and smiles at everyone before her face falls when her eyes land on me. I feel my cheat constrict and without much thought, I turn around and speed away.

What was I thinking, of course she'll be unhappy to see me. I didn't realise I was crying until I caught a reflection of myself on the elevator walls. I step out of the elevator and out the hospital, putting on a brave front against the wind and just kept walking.

Kyle's POV
"How you feeling?" I ask when I force myself to sit down and not go after the douche that went after Tess. She's still Tess to me, no matter what. Carlos sits on the sofa next to her and starts playing with her fingers.

"Much better, thank you," she says weakly, showing us her best smile.

"We were all worried about you," Carlos says, "especially Tess."

"Well, I'm just glad you're alive and well," she says, rubbing my hand with her pale one.

"I owe that to you, so thank you. So very much."

She closes her eyes and opens them again, her eyes showing a vulnerability I haven't seen in her before. "She has some difficulties. She was uhm, she was d-diagnosed with bipolar three years ago and took medication for it and we thought she got better but I don't know," she breaks down, sobbing loudly. "She has been admitted twice," she added, looking at anywhere else but me.

"Admitted as in..." Carlos trails off.

"A psychiatric ward on account for depression and suicide. She was also very paranoid and would often hear voices and see things that aren't there and it's too sad to witness."

All I could think of was that I caused it. Because of me she was never at peace with herself, because of me she had to go through all that torment. I do deserve all she's done to me today. And much, much more.

"She overdosed on folic acid to terminate her pregnancy five years ago."

My entire world shut down.