I wanted to dedicate this to my favorite writer on Wattpad. I have read all her books and I find them inspiring... Check her out when you have a chance.
PS. Who is your favorite writer on Wattpad?
Sometime during this chapter the story is going to shift into Emilie's point of view, but will still be written in the 3rd person, if that makes sense... Remember, that this is not edited, so please point out any mistakes.
I hope you enjoy it enough to vote and comment :D
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Chapter 3
Joshua left the room to check on Emilie and Caleb. He found them both asleep so he went back to Tristan’s room. Before he went to sleep tonight he would go to the front desk and ask the ladies to get a pull out bed for Caleb since he was going to stay with his sister.
He did as planned, Joshua got the hospital to give Caleb a bed and he visited them one last time before he went to sleep. Chloe didn’t work today, but she would be here in the morning, he anticipated seeing her. He told himself that the only reason for that was because she took great care of his brother, but in his heart he knew that wasn’t true.
The next morning, when Joshua went to check on Caleb and Emilie again, he found them both awake.
“Good morning Caleb, Emilie” I said nodding in each of their direction.
Caleb said hi, but Emilie didn’t even look his way. Joshua saw that as a challenge and he could never pass on a challenge. He was going to try his best to get her to want to live, even if it was the last thing he did. A plan was forming in his head already; he was going to offer some type of therapy. His therapy was going to be one with a philosophical foundation that instills hope in her life.
“Caleb, did you want to get something to eat, I am going home.” Joshua said
Caleb looked at Emilie, who didn’t even seem to be paying attention to either one of them. He got off the chair and said “Em, I am going to get something to eat, I’ll be back soon, okay?”
She seemed to be giving everyone the silent treatment, since she didn’t answer Caleb either. His shoulders sagged and he walked out of the room looking defeated. Joshua patted him on the back to let him know that everything was going to be fine. They walked out of the hospital and made their way to Tristan’s house, the whole ride was completely silent.
Joshua showered and asked Caleb if he wanted to shower there or go to his house. Caleb didn’t have any clothes there, but Joshua would have found him something if he wanted to shower. He chose to go home, so Joshua convinced him to grab some clothes from his house for next time. Joshua also called a cleaning company to have them come and clean Caleb’s house. He didn’t want the boy to see the mess.
They went to get some food at the diner that was close to the hospital. At first Caleb was hesitant about eating, but Joshua told him not to worry, he could order anything he wanted. They ate and then went back to the hospital. Someone was checking on Emilie, when they got there. To Joshua’s surprise, it was Chloe.
After Joshua asked Emilie how she was feeling and she had ignored him, he’d pulled Chloe to the side and explained the situation to her. He felt like she needed to know that nothing was going on with them, but he just wanted to help Emilie. Chloe laughed at him, but was glad that he told her. Even though they hadn’t said anything to each other, there was some attraction there.
Joshua was secretly glad that his parents were coming to visit, well, to take care of Tristan. It would give him much more time to spend with Chloe and also trying to get to know Emilie and find a way to help her.
He left Caleb in the room and went to Tristan’s room; their parents were scheduled to come tomorrow. He would try to spend more time with Emilie then.
It was a great thing to have your own business, Joshua had already missed close to two weeks of work and since things weren’t looking up per say, he wasn’t sure how much more he was going to miss. He’d called his office to make sure things were running smoothly, but he had started bringing his laptop to the hospital so he could work on the floor plans that he drew for contractors.
His parents had arrived and they had spent a lot of time in the hospital, but Joshua had convinced his mom to spend the night home. He had also told them about the girl that he met in the hospital and he didn’t forget Emilie. His mom offered to pray for her hope to be restored. Joshua himself prayed, but he didn’t know if anything would change.
Joshua’s days were now split between his brother, visiting Emilie and having lunch or dinner with Chloe. On the third night his mom, invited Chloe over for dinner with them and it was great. That was the only time Joshua didn’t sleep in the hospital. Caleb was now staying at the house with his parents and going to school. Joshua treated him like a little brother, since he knew Tristan wouldn’t have it any other way had he been out of his coma.
This was the fourth day in a row since Joshua was going to Emilie’s room. He could see her will crumble day by day and he had a feeling that today was going to be his lucky day. She was going to tell her story. When he arrived in her room, Emilie was in a sitting position; she was still very beautiful despite the defeated look she wore. She was so pale when he’d first met her, but now she looked a little healthier. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were more beautiful.
“Hey Emilie” Joshua said cheerily
She sighed “Hi Joshua, you can come in”
“Feeling better this morning?”
“I guess”
“Well, I am glad. Are you going to tell me to sit down?”
“I… ugh, just sit down” she said in a frustrated tone
“Are you getting angry?”
“Why won’t you leave me alone?” she said in a frustrated tone.
“Em, I am not going to leave you alone”
That seemed to have hit a nerve, because she flinched and said in the saddest voice ever “Don’t make promises you can’t keep or control”
“I am sorry Emilie, I just want to help” all cheeriness gone
“You can’t, just stop trying”
“But I won’t, why won’t you let me in”
“Why should I, I have no desire to do such thing. I don’t want to; I have no desire to live. This is such a cruel world, he was my best friend, my…”
Finally some emotion in her words, she was on the verge of tears. Of course Joshua wasn’t happy that she was about to cry, but he was okay with the fact that she was breaking down. It meant that she wasn’t numb and she would talk soon. He also noticed that she mentioned that he was her best friend. Joshua didn’t know if she realized that but he was going to use that.
“Who’s he, who is your best friend?”
This time she screamed “WAS, WAS my best friend”
Joshua gave her some time to calm down and continued, “I’m sorry Emilie, but I can’t help if I don’t know what happened”
“I don’t want your help”
Joshua was getting angry, what did she think? If it wasn’t because he wasn’t ready to go back to Tristan right now and just see him lying there motionless, he would have walked away right then and there and not look back, but instead he slightly rose his voice to match Emilie’s
“You think you’re the only one in pain? Look around you Emilie, THIS IS A HOSPITAL” he took a deep breath before he continued. “I am in pain too; my brother has been in a coma for almost 3 weeks now. Caleb is in pain because of the choice YOU made and every time he leaves he’s worried that you will try to do the same thing again. I thought all of us. Together. We could take care of each other, help each other. I just want to help you Emilie.” His voice broke a little at the end.
“Joshua, you don’t understand. I can’t, I really can’t” she said her resolve crumbling.
“Won’t you tell me why?” he said lost
“Joshua please, I want to forget?” she said with tears staining her rosy cheeks
“Em, I want to help you, I want what’s best for you and Caleb.”
Joshua could see her resolve crumbling down and he knew he had won, if not the war, a small battle. Her tears were flowing freely…
Emilie POV
She had been in the hospital for at least a week, she really didn’t want to be here but no one seemed to understand. She didn’t know why Caleb had chosen that time to come back home. All she really needed was less than an hour and it would have been over. She would have been dead and there would have been no more pain. She didn’t think anyone could understand her pain.
She was in a sitting position right now, she looked much better than before she was sure. They had given her a blood transfusion and a lot of IV. If living was something Emilie was okay with, she would have thanked both Joshua and Chloe for everything they were doing for her. Joshua had been in her room every day since she’d arrived here. She’d made sure not to cry when he was around, but that was hard since he seemed to always be around. Chloe, who she could tell liked Joshua, had visited her often, making sure she was okay and she wasn’t doing anything to harm herself. These past four days he had been in everyday talking about wanting to help her. Emilie feared that she might actually let him help. She didn’t know how he would but he was so persistent…
“Hey Emilie” thinking of the devil…
She sighed and said “Hi Joshua, you can come in”
“Feeling better this morning?”
“I guess”
“Well, I am glad. Are you going to tell me to sit down?”
“I… ugh, just sit down” he was so irritating; she didn’t know why he couldn’t get the hint leave her alone.
“Are you getting angry?”
“Why won’t you leave me alone?” she was getting frustrated.
“Em, I am not going to leave you alone”
She flinched, he literally hit a nerve. She couldn’t believe he’d said that, well he didn’t know so she didn’t blame him. She just hoped he didn’t detect the sadness in her voice “Don’t make promises you can’t keep or control”
“I am sorry Emilie, I just want to help” he said, all cheeriness gone
“I am sorry Emilie, I just want to help” he sounded apologetic, but she couldn’t bring him down with her.
“But I won’t, why won’t you let me in” he said stubbornly.
“Why should I, I have no desire to do such thing. I don’t want to; I have no desire to live. This is such a cruel world, he was my best friend, my…”
Oh! She hoped he didn’t hear the last part, she couldn’t believe she told him. She was going to break down right here right now. She could tell that he heard.
“Who’s he, who is your best friend?”
“WAS, WAS my best friend” She screamed at him, she didn’t mean to but he just didn’t know when to stop. He didn’t say anything else so she calmed down
Joshua gave her some time to calm down and continued, “I’m sorry Emilie, but I can’t help if I don’t know what happened”
“I don’t want your help”
He was getting angry, she could tell because his breathing was coming in short burst and his voice slightly rose
“You think you’re the only one in pain? Look around you Emilie, THIS IS A HOSPITAL” he took a deep breath before he continued. “I am in pain too; my brother has been in a coma for almost 3 weeks now. Caleb is in pain because of the choice YOU made and every time he leaves he’s worried that you will try to do the same thing again. I thought all of us. Together. We could take care of each other, help each other. I just want to help you Emilie.” His voice broke a little at the end.
“Joshua, you don’t understand. I can’t, I really can’t” she muttered her resolve slowly crumbling.
“Won’t you tell me why?” she saw the lost look on his face.
“Joshua please, I want to forget?” she said with tearstained face
“Em, I want to help you, I want what’s best for you and Caleb.” He said in a sad voice
At this point tears were already streaming down her face. Emilie didn’t want to explain herself but if she told him maybe he’d understand and let her die. There was nothing left for her to do, nothing she did was right. She was numb, she would tell him her story, and then he could go running for the doors, no one would want to wait around after that.
She took a deep breath, tears forgotten she looked into his eyes and prepared to launch into her story, it was bumpy one but he asked and he was going to listen.
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Important...
From this point on this is going to be about Emilie. It will not change, unless I see the need to.
VOTE and COMMENT please.