Always, Tulip

▫️Thirty-two

Enzo, Reece, Nana, Rosie and her husband were with him.

I staggered, my mind unbelieving to what my eyes were telling me. I tried to move my feet to hear from them but I couldn't seem to.

My body shook terribly when Nana started to walk towards me. Her face was forlorn, eyes full of fear as she tried to appear calm.

Feeling as if the back of my head had hit a wall, my vision blurred as I tried to reach for her hand. Leila held my arm, she was now the one supporting me.

"W-What is h-happening?" My shaking voice cut through the silence as I looked into the face of everyone present.

No one replied and I felt a tear slip. Nana on my side couldn't even look at my face. Rosie was matching that sombre look as she stood beside her husband.

Enzo and Reece didn't even meet my eyes. Another pool of tears formed in my eyes as I took hesitant steps towards Mr Williams.

"Please tell me, I need to hear it." Mayella's father looked down at his wife then back at me. He had just opened his mouth to speak when the surgery doors pulled open.

Everyone turned to hear what the surgeons had to say but I couldn't even move my neck. The pain in my chest intensified as if I'd been stabbed when the doctors spoke next.

"Family of Grey Marshal?"

I choked on my own sobs, the ringing in my ears making me turn slowly. I looked at the doctor, feeling as if my world had crashed.

"The patient just underwent a three hour surgery, his vitals are okay. We however have to monitor him and keep running tests on him."

He continued to tell us that we couldn't all see him because he was still in a critical condition. Only two of us were allowed at a time.

Enzo spoke to him about some other medical terms I didn't understand but my head was stuck on what the doctor was saying.

Surgery? Three hours? Just how badly hurt was he?

"I just remembered," the doctor scratched his head over the blue clothing. "The patient was brought in clutching this, it must be important."

He brought out a necklace from his pocket and gave it to Enzo beside him and then left. Everyone looked at me for one reason, Grey never wore any jewelry.

Enzo came to place the necklace on my palm, its coldness making my heart clench painfully. I held back tears as I felt the pattern with my fingers.

I had never seen Grey put this on. I stretched out the chain when I felt something else attached to one end. There was a ring there.

I cried.

The feelings I was trying to hold in burst open as I was led towards a bench. I didn't have it in me to care who was watching, I cried like a baby.

The sun was imprinted at the front of the ring.

The tears flowing down my cheeks didn't cease. I tightly grasped the ring as I continued to cry. Why was he hurt when he had promised not to?

Everyone had said that he was the strongest. They had assured me that things would turn out well, he'd be back soon. A month had passed yet he came back wounded.

Just why?

It wasn't fair. He had to be fine, he had promised, I had to see him. With my sudden resolve, I quickly rose up surprising Leila who was still with me.

I wiped my tears with the sleeves of my blouse as I asked her and Louis to take me to see him. They brought me to a door where Nana, Enzo and Reece stood outside whispering among themselves.