Serilda
"Serilda," the slight brush of hand over my head woke me up.
"Erik," I whispered as I saw him overnight over my face. "Sorry I dozed off." I sat up straighter looking at my surrounding. The drip the doctor had given me was gone. I remember the nurse taking it out.
"It's alright," he sat down on the chair beside me. "You feeling alright?"
"I'm much better. How is Aaron? Can I meet him now?" I asked and felt a surge in my heartbeat. I was here for Aaron and I had slept in such a time. There was no denying the fact that I felt a bit ashamed because of it. My eyes turned to Erik's facial expression. He was smiling and I felt a little lighter. It was like a reassurance that everything was fine.
"Aaron is good but you can't meet him right now," he spoke softly. I stared at him trying not to panic over his words. Taking a deep breath I asked him why.
"Because the doctors are prepping him to be moved to a hospital in San Francisco," he explained.
"First of all congratulations are in order," he smiled taking my hand in his. My eyes stared at our adjoining hands and then at his face. He just gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes this time.
Turning his eyes downcast towards our adjoining hands he just sat there for a while.
"Erik," I called out his name drawing him out of his thoughts. I had a good guess where his views might have been taking him. I wanted to believe that this could have been us in an alternative universe, but I don't think it was possible. We wouldn't have ever got together if it wasn't for her and he would have never let go of her. She might have ruined us but our paths might have never crossed if it wasn't for her. Our paths were always meant to be like this.
"Sorry," a gentle sad smile graced his lips.
"We are moving Aaron to a hospital in San Francisco. He is still not conscious but he could be transferred, don't worry doctor says that he is absolutely fine. I have made all the necessary arrangements there too," he explained but I still couldn't understand why.
"But why? What's wrong here?" I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes but disappeared as soon as it was there. His eyes didn't look into mine.
"I don't want both of you to be here. Especially you, Serilda," why was he saying something like this?
"Just hear me out first," he squeezed my hand. "This city has done nothing for you. All it has given you are bad memories and pain. Having you stay here will bring back those memories for both of you and even me," there was a raw pain in his voice.
"You are expecting and I don't want anything to happen to you and your child. We all have moved forward in our own lives but those memories still haunt me and I don't want them to affect you the same way it does to me. Our past still breathes in every nook and corner of this city. I don't want to see you get hurt. You fainting because of seeing Chyna is an example of that," I closed my eyes understanding his reasons.
"For the sake of my brother and your happiness I would do anything. This place is no longer meant for any one of you. So it's better we would leave to where your home is and that is with Aaron in that city where the past doesn't linger in the corners to hurt you," he spoke gently. For the first time, I felt how caring and gentle Erik could be. Maybe he always was but I was always on the wrong side of receiving it.
"When will we leave?" I asked breathing a sigh of relief. "And can I see him before we leave?"
"Actually he is being prepped up for being transported as we speak. I promise you will see him once we get in the ambulance. We will be using a special plane to get to San Francisco. A nurse and doctor have been arranged for us to travel with us and I've already talked to a doctor in a hospital back in there. We will be going straight to the hospital after landing there," he gave me a full itinerary about everything.
"The doctor has got the drip out of your arm," he pointed ta my other arm and I was glad to see it nowhere around me. I did have an aversion to needles. We sat there in silence and I was fine with it.
I was just relieved that Aaron was fine and we were going back home. Erik was right about one thing. This city had nothing for me. It will just bring out memories that I had taken so long to forget.
"Why don't you get ready now? I will go and check out Aaron," giving me small smile he got out of the room leaving me all alone. I didn't let myself become the victim of my own thoughts. I didn't have the time for it even though just coming here tried to open the floodgate of memories that I had locked away. For once in my life, I was glad to have Erik beside me.
Getting off the bed I put on my jacket and clothes. I was feeling a lot better now. There was no weakness and I felt almost refreshed by just standing up. The anxiety that led me to cause nothing but trouble for my health had gotten down to a level that I could now control. Aaron was fine and together we both were going to be fine too.
A knock on the room had me looking up at the door. A smiling face of Chyna appeared and I just gave her a small smile back. There was no denying the fact that she was a part of the past but more than that she was part of him. She was his sister and there would always be something unfinished between him and me. The last time we had talked he had given me hope and power to not lose myself but yet there was something that hadn't finished between us.
"Aaron is doing fine," she informed me coming in. "I think he is almost ready to be transported."
"Did you see him?" I asked curiosity getting out the best of me.
"I did and yes there is a bit of bruises here and there and nothing permanent. I bet under your care he would be back in no time," I have her a warm smile at her words. I would do everything to get him back on his feet and healthy.
"Thanks for everything," I couldn't ask for more from her. Though she opened a gate to memories I didn't want to remember but she was the one helping me out and I couldn't be anymore thankful to her.
"No problem, I guess I just paid a debt that I once owed you," her words made me stare at her, and the past memories of the days and nights spent on that island resurfaced. She wanted me to marry Nathaniel. Just his name pushed on the memories of how hard I had chased him down. How I had kissed him, pushed him into a corner until he gave in but more than it was the time I had spent with him alone.
"I should have never made you agree to something like that and I know it is wrong to drag the past now but I'm just sorry for my mistakes. I guess I always will be," she added and all I could do was nod. The past was past, there was no use trying to remember it or him.
"Everything is in the past now and I forgave you when I got off that island. There was no use hating you when you were just looking out for him," I replied taking a step toward her. She just nodded at my words.
"How is he doing?" I asked as curiosity raged inside of me. "Living a happy married life?" she just chuckled at my words.
"He divorced her almost nine months after the marriage. I guess he understood that she was just going to drown him and ever since he had left her he grew a little happier. He turned back to the brother I knew of," her words hit me straight to the heart leaving me a bit shocked. He had left her, for someone he had accepted with all her flaws. I stood there in silence letting the world settle inside of me. I was trying to process this information.
"I'm happy for him. I really hope he finds someone who loves him truly," I replied with my breath a little heavy. The past memories were trying to let loose but I shut them down. Though I had chosen him for my own sick game of revenge but once upon a time the feelings were real and I had felt guilty for having them. We both stared at each other as if understanding each other.
"I guess he would be happy for you too," her reply just made me nod at her words. "Come on I will show you out. Do you have everything you need?" she asked.
"I do and for everything else left behind I have Aaron," I just wanted to tell her that I was fine and in love but I felt like she couldn't understand that. Deep down there was a look in her eyes that didn't believe my words at all.
"I know you do," she said but her eyes looked past me and then at me. "Come one," she opened the door for me. Walking beside her we got down to the hospital emergency entrance. The entire way we didn't share any words at all. We both were comfortable in the silence because too many words have already been spoken.
"Oh I was just coming to get you," I heard, having me turn toward where Erik was coming from.
"You have everything?" He asked to which I just nodded in affirmation.
"Come on we are ready to move on," he told me making my way to look at the waiting ambulance. Erik's assistant stood beside a car just near the ambulance with a woman in scrubs.
"I would be following you into the car with my assistant and the nurse. Once we get to the plane I would be boarding you with him, the doctor, and the nurse," he explained. "I know you want to travel with him so you can just give me your things and get to the ambulance," he added.
"Thanks," I was glad that I was going to be with him from now on.
"Go ahead," he told me. Turning towards Chyna he gave her a nod. "Thanks for all the help. I will be in touch with you," he added before turning towards me and taking my bag from me. With an arm on my back, he guided me toward the ambulance. My heart thumped irrationally as we got closer to the ambulance. A doctor was already sitting in there checking on the vitals. I still hadn't seen Aaron but I felt like this was a dream. I didn't want to see him ever like this ever. Not even in my dreams.
With the help of Erik and the Doctor, I got into the ambulance. Seeing his face had my world stilled. There was a big tape over his forehead. Small cuts we on one side of his face. Those vibrant eyes weren't open but closed. I looked over his chest which was raising and falling with each breath he took. He was here and alive. One of his arms was in a cast and I couldn't see much of his injuries with him covered in a blanket. He was here. He was alive and I breathed a sigh of relief seeing him. It felt like someone was squeezing my heart since this morning and it had just been released. I touched his hand and the felt warmth sweep into me.
My hand went to his hair and face, a slight brush of my hand just to feel his presence. He was fine and breathing. I put my hand against his heart and felt it thumping underneath my fingers. It was the most calming feeling. He was alright and just sleeping. He would be fine in no time and we would be together.
"Are you alright?" Erik asked and I just nodded as my eyes got teary but those tears were out of happiness. I was just glad that he was fine and breathing. There was nothing more I wanted from God.
"I'm fine," I gave him a smile and he relaxed. "Thank you for everything," I said looking past him at Chyna whose eyes were on me. She just nodded.
"You too thanks for everything," this time I thanked Erik and he just gave me a nod.
"Let's get going then," he said to someone in the front. I saw Erik step back as a helper came in to close the door and seal them shut. Through the windows, I saw him and Chyna standing outside. Erik disappeared and I heard the shutting of the doors in the front. A knock was on the mirror adjoining the front to tell us that we were going to move and I should sit down.
The engine rumbled to life and we started to move. I looked out of the mirror to see Chyna standing waving goodbye. I raised my hand though she couldn't see it and that was when I saw a blur of a moment at the back. A woman was rushing outside. Chyna turned around to see and I could tell from the movements that the woman was screaming and yelling. They were growing distant but that woman was running towards us. Something about her seemed familiar, too familiar as if I knew her. She was in a hospital gown.
The face that came rushing behind them was one I could never forget. They were growing smaller and smaller but that face was something that I could never forget especially when I had chased it once. He was trying to capture her as she ran towards me. Before I could see her face Nathaniel grabbed her and it was only his face that I could see.
He was staring at the ambulance as if he was staring at me. My eyes were glued to the scene as Chyna came running towards him and the woman. I saw the woman fall to the ground with Nathaniel still holding on to her and that was the last I saw of them as I started my way back home.