"Jered, wait"
Stacy was running after Jered who had decided that he had waited enough after 1 and a half hour. She tried to convince him that Vanessa was probably on her way back. But he wouldn't listen.
"Jered! I thought you wanted to make things alright, why are you leaving? Just wait a little more."
"I am going to her place Stacy." He replied opening the door of his car.
"You will miss her if she has already left."
"I'll come back here then. I can't wait like that. It makes me nervous and cranky. You won't let me call her."
"Fine. I'll go with you. I'll call her in the car." She said getting in.
She looked at him while he was driving, he wasn't respecting the speed limit. His hands were gripping the wheel so tight, it could break. She took her phone and called Vanessa. She didn't pick up. She tried one more time. She was about to hang up when someone pick up.
"Good evening" it wasn't Vanessa.
"Uhm! Hi. Sorry, I've probably make a mistake. I was looking for my friend Vanessa."
"A petite black woman?"
"Yes. That would be her."
"She has been transported to Grace Hospital."
"What happened?" she asked conscious of Jered's eyes on her.
"I can't give you any details but she had been attacked."
"Okay. Thank you." she finished, avoiding to look at Jered.
"Take the next junction."
"Why? Where is she?"
"Grace Hospital."
Stacy didn't know how long they had been in the room with Vanessa unconscious form laying on the bed. She was pale. Despite her complexion, dark sports could be seen on her neck and arms. Her nails were showing how much she tried to escape her attacker. She knew the man was bad news, but had never expected him to be this crazy. Vanessa had several cracked ribs, bruises all over her body. Luckily, the shock received on the head didn't bring a lot of damage, except the open cut at the nape of the neck. There was no inflammation, no internal bleeding, no major issue, at least according to the doctors.
However, they had to sedate her when she got to the hospital due to her blood pressure that was high and the pain she was in. They said she would wake up in the morning. They asked for her and Jered to leave her alone to rest. But Jered was having none of it. He refused.
Stacy kissed her friend on her forehead before turning to Jered.
"I'll be back in the morning. Text me if you need anything."
"Thanks"
Jered was silently praying for Vanessa to be better. He felt guilty. If only he had gone to her place instead of Stacy's. If only he hadn't screwed up in the first place. She wouldn't have been in this bed.
He wished he could have just 5 minutes in a closed room with that piece of shit. He would show him what a real man could do.
He looked at his hands that were shaking in anger, against Trevor for what he did. But mostly against himself for being so stupid. As much as he hated to recognize it, he had hurt her more deeply than Trevor. He had doubted her love, her honesty. He had treated her like he didn't care. HE had hurt her. HE had damaged their precious relationship. He didn't deserve her. He could have lose her and never have the opportunity to win her back, to say sorry and show her how much he loved her. He prayed, thanking God for the cops who had arrived on time, avoiding the rape. He thanked him for this new chance he had to be a better man for her, silent tears running down his cheeks.