Whispers of Yesterday: Lost Memories, Found Love

Chapter 14 - Hospital

Lucius sat at a corner table in the Blue Nile Restaurant, his mind a tumultuous sea of conflicting emotions. He had arrived there with a heavy heart, hoping against hope that Grace would walk through the entrance and prove his anxieties wrong. But as the minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity, his hope began to waver, replaced by a growing sense of disappointment.

He stared at his untouched plate, his appetite long abandoned in the face of his restless thoughts. The table felt like an island of isolation amidst the sea of chatter and laughter that surrounded him. He had allowed himself to hope, to dream of a conversation that could potentially reshape his world, and now that hope hung like a fragile thread on the precipice of despair.

As he considered getting up and leaving, his eyes caught the flicker of a television screen mounted on the wall. A news flash flashed across the screen, and he watched with detached interest. It was about a road accident involving an overloaded goods truck. The images were fleeting—a tangle of metal, a scene of chaos, and the words "girl hit by truck" flashing in bold letters.

A sense of sadness washed over him, a sombre recognition of the tragedies that occurred in the world every day. He closed his eyes briefly, whispering a silent prayer for the girl's recovery before turning his attention back to his own thoughts.

With a heavy sigh, Lucius rose from his seat, his shoulders slumping as he prepared to leave the restaurant. He had given it his all, hoped against odds, and now it was time to face the reality that Grace wasn't coming. He couldn't help the pang of disappointment that gnawed at his chest, the lingering feeling that he had missed out on something meaningful.

As he reached the exit, his hand on the door handle, he paused for a moment, his eyes catching a final glimpse of the television screen. But this time, the words caught his attention, freezing him in place.

"Girl hit by truck identified as Grace Waters, a PhD student at the University of Hawkwood."

The world seemed to tilt on its axis as the words echoed in his mind. Grace Waters. The name reverberated through his thoughts, and his heart clenched in a vies of disbelief. He turned; his eyes locked onto the television screen as the news anchor continued to speak. He saw the images—the scene of the accident, the paramedics rushing, the chaos that had unfolded.

His mind raced, his thoughts a whirlwind of shock and disbelief. Grace, the girl who had consumed his thoughts and stirred his emotions, the one he had hoped to see today, had been hit by a truck. He felt a surge of panic, an overwhelming need to know more, to confirm the reality of what he was seeing.

Without thinking, he pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed his mother's number. It rang once, twice, and then her voice came through, choked with tears. "Lucius? Oh, my boy, it's terrible. Grace... she's been hit by a truck. The news is everywhere..."

His heart sank like a stone, the weight of the news crushing him. He struggled to find his voice, his throat tight with emotion. "Mom, where is she? Is she... Is she okay?"

His mother's sobs continued, and it took her a moment to compose herself enough to speak. "She's been taken to St. Martin's Hospital. It's serious, Lucius. She's in surgery right now."

His chest constricted, the reality of the situation hitting him with a force he couldn't comprehend. Grace, the woman who had captured his thoughts and emotions, was fighting for her life. He thanked his mother, his voice thick with emotion, before ending the call.

His fingers shook as he dialed another number—Dawson, his right hand, his confidant in matters that transcended his criminal dealings. "Dawson, Go to St. Martin's Hospital. And stay with her. Make sure she's safe."

Dawson's voice came through, calm and collected as always. "Consider it done, Lucius. I'll take care of it."

Lucius closed his eyes, his heart heavy with worry and guilt. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts and emotions that he had not been there for her when she needed him the most. He stepped out of the restaurant, his mind a whirlwind of fears and regrets, as he set out on a path that would lead him to Grace's side, determined to make amends for his absence.