CHAPTER 1

1.5K 57 12
                                    

I walked through the isolated corridor, keeping my eyes fixed on the last room. It was around nine at night, and everyone were either back home with their loved ones,having their last supper for the day, or in the hospital with their loved ones,wallowing in pain, and I, fell in the second category. Feeling my body go numb due to the pain I was going through emotionally, I fisted my palm and blew into it, rubbing them hard to bring myself back, to build courage to face Ryan, who lay on the other side of this wall.

"You can do it! yes, Andy. You can, for him. anything for him" I repeated this in my head again and again until I reached the door of his room and kept my hand on the cold, unwelcoming door knob. I twisted it and opened the door, peeping through the small gap as I slowly pushed it open to reveal my husband, on the bed, looking pale with all those goddamn wires carrying blood pierced into his skin. It broke my heart even more to witness this. I bit my bottom lip so hard that I drew blood out of it immediately. He does not deserve this, God. No....

"Mum?" I questioned, with utter confusion when I found her sitting on the chair, watching Ryan.

Vivian William, my mother. She and dad had abandoned me when I married Ryan. I was 21 then and Ryan was 23. According to them, Ryan did not fit the damned higher class category. Dad was a millionaire, having a chain of restaurants every fucking where, and he did not understand that it was only him and mum that were rich, not me. I was poor, in fact, poorer than Ryan. They tried their very best to separate us when I confessed them about our relationship. They were furious, mad and unstoppable, and I had their blood running through my veins. Things were very hard in the beginning without them, but everything started to ease out and fall back to normal because I had Ryan; the love of my life and of course, our little baby girl after two years of  marriage. Mum softened towards us after she got her grandchild, but I watched her cold attitude directed towards Ryan when she thought I was not watching, but I let it slide. So, her sitting next to my bed ridden husband caught me by surprise, but at the same time I was happy that mum had come.

"Come out for a second, Andra." she whispered, as she got up and walked towards the door with her poker face. My gaze lingered on Ryan's sleeping form for a few seconds and immediately turned back and walked out as I shut the door slowly behind me .

"Mum, thanks for coming, it means a lot..." she cut me off before I could finish what I had started to say.

"What did the doctor say?" she looked at me straight in the eye, as if she knew that now she had the power to control me. Something she couldn't do a few years back.

"He said that Ryan would be.." she never lets me to complete a sentence.

"That you're husband won't walk again!" she spat the sentence on my face and it felt harsher and more painful this time.

I just looked at her and turned my vision towards the door to my husband.

"Don't be so harsh, mum." I whispered, feeling deflated and exhausted just by her tone. I never expected her to do this to me. Not at a time I wanted her the most.

"What will you do with a crippled man like this? What will little Evania do?" she whisper yelled at me, and I fisted my hand, keeping my gaze fixed on the white, pale, lifeless hospital door. If she did not see the anger that was brewing in me by now, she would have to face my damned wrath.

"Eva needs a father who is functional and not a bed ridden man. She is just 7 years old for Christ sake and you are young, honey. Leave him, baby, at least now. We will see to it that he receives good treatment and money to keep him going for how many ever days you de..."

"Get out of my sight!" I yelled.

 This was all it took to break me. This was enough.

"Please keep the voice low, ma'am. There are patients sleeping." the nurse who came out a room said. I immediately apologized and looked at my mother who was still staring at me with wide eyes and parted lips.

"Did you just..." she whispered, not being able to believe what she just said.

"I said what I said. Don't you dare talk about my husband like that! Now please go away and leave us alone!" I spat with anger and kept my hand on the knob on the door to get in. I wanted to be beside him. Desperately.

She pulled me back with force and slapped me on my cheek. Her eyes were reducing to slits and she looked like a beast ready to spit fire.

"How dare you use that tone on me?" she whisper yelled, again.

"How dare you talk about my husband like that? He is a human, your son-in-law. Give him that basic respect, mum." I spoke, feeling disgusted with the whole situation. Tears threatened to break free, but I held it all in. I can not break in front of her, not now. Her slap, and words stung me emotionally, and not physically. The pain was not on my skin, but in my heart.

"He would be nothing to me if he cannot take care of my daughter and grandchild." she said, trying to justify her filthy words and actions.

"Mother! You have to stop this conversation, now! If you are here to talk me into signing a divorce paper, then please cleanse your head from the damned thought right here and leave immediately. I will not leave him! Not now or ever! Hammer this into your heads." I ran the tip of my fingers through my hair, feeling somewhat calm. I had to soothe myself, or else I would use unhealthy words on her.

"Come home with Eva, Andra." she spoke, ignoring everything else I just said.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" I spoke with clear voice laced with frustration. I tried my best to not cause a commotion here. Not wanting to hear anymore, I said goodbye and pushed open the door. But before she left, she spoke a few words that broke me multiple times all at once. Who ever said that words were sharper than sword, were damn right. It did hurt like a bitch.

"You will leave him soon. Just like how you used to throw away all your old broken dolls for new ones."

The whole night, her voice kept echoing through my ears and I sat there, on the stool that my mother had occupied just a few minutes back, with dried tears and a running nose as I watched the peacefully sleeping form of my husband on the bed.

As I watched him, I became stronger and more determined to face the next day. I had married him out of love and only love,and I would do anything for this man in front of me. I was mentally getting prepared for his physical need.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello my loves.

I hope you liked the update. Please let me know what you all felt.

Until the next update,

RLJ.

BEYOND LOVEWhere stories live. Discover now