1991
It was just another rainy day in Seattle. The earthly wet scent invaded her nose as she crossed her path into the park. The ground carpeted with leaves that fell from the trees in red tones or yellow. A scratchy sound as her boots stepped on the leaves. One of her hands shoved in the pockets of her rain coat and another holding the yellow umbrella she carried. Her lips opened on a smile as she remembered how he used to make fun of it and at the same time tears invaded her eyes.
Ellie took her hand of her pocket and quickly began to clean the salty water of her eyes. She didn't want to cry anymore. She had enough of crying, but a low sob escaped her throat as she was trying to hold her emotions inside.
"Oh fuck..." She whispered and she stopped under a tree to shelter a bit better from the rain as it started to fall stronger.
"I need to stop this." She spoke to herself while she cleaned her eyes just to find them wet again the next second.
Thinking of him hurt. It hurt too much. It hurt more than she could have ever thought. When she broke up with him, she knew it was going to be hard but someone should have warned that it was unbearably hard. Since that day she has been trying to get her life back on track, but the void that he left was too big. They had been together for two years and they had collected so many memories together that he was impossible to forget.
Seattle smelled of him. Seattle breathed him. Every corner of that city was a remembrance of their love. She had been unable to come back to the club where he confessed his feelings for her and where they shared their first kiss. She never came back to Brenda's because he lived in a building near. The apartment they shared. She tried to avoid the Seattle Church of Christ because that's where they got married. As the thought crawled in her mind, she grabbed the ring that was always with her. Never on her finger since they split, but always in a pocket of a piece of her clothing.
Ellie took it off the pocket of her rain coat and looked at it. It had been two months since she left the house. Two months that exact day and one since she knew she was expecting his child. He didn't know... she hadn't got the courage to tell him. How could she tell him? How would she come up to him and tell him she was pregnant? While handing him the papers for the divorce that none had yet filed for? Images of him kissing the damn girl came to her mind and Ellie groaned low at the back of her throat.
"He's a bastard!" She then said. The ring was put back in her pocket and her tears dried that very moment.
Nothing like remembering the reason why she left to get her back on track. Ellie started walking again along the park. Brenda should be waiting for her at the Storyville. She could not go to her house, but Brenda would always come to visit her at her new apartment or they would meet somewhere around town. Nowhere where she could meet Chris though. The places she knew he frequented were forbidden places to her. Brenda and some other friends used to tell her how he asked about her and that broke her heart but she could not find the space in it to forgive him. She would have forgiven him anything but cheating. That was the one thing she would never forgive him and he knew it.
Ellie stopped walking near the streetlights and pressed the button so it would turn green for pedestrians and waited a few seconds. The rain had subsided a bit and she closed her umbrella, pulling only the hoodie of her rain coat over her head. She hung the umbrella on her arm and stuck both hands inside the pockets of her coat. She bent her head down, looking down at her feet as she crossed the street at that end of the afternoon. She was tired from drawing straight lines the entire day at the office, though it offered an amazing view to Bainbridge Island.
As she got to the curb, she turned right and saw a sea of people coming in another direction. Sometimes center city could be overwhelming, but the Storyville was actually close to her work and an agreeable place. Ellie shivered as a gust of wind traversed her body and she wished she had a warmer coat. The days were getting colder as winter was approaching. Finally, she reached the Café's door and pulled it opened. She was glad to see the fireplace was burning at the end of the room.
The Storyville was a cozy salon with walls covered in wood colors and terracotta couches with round wood tables in front of it. It might seem minimalist, but it actually gives you the sensation of being in your couch at home relaxing while having a coffee or something else that might indulge your soul. Ellie loved it there, precisely for the protective and intimate atmosphere.
"May I help you?" A young bartender came to receive her at the door, but she had already spotted Brenda waving franticly from the back of the room.
"That's my friend." Ellie smiled and pointed so the young man could witness her friend's dorkiness.
"Please, go ahead." He smiled politely.
"Thank you." Ellie smiled and began to walk in Brenda's direction.
"Hey!" She grinned when she got near her. Ellie took off her coat and put it on the couch together with her purse and umbrella. "How are you?" Ellie asked.
"I'm fine." Brenda answered with her green eyes dancing in a mysterious way.
Ellie, who knew that since she came back to Seattle, curled an eyebrow. "What's the matter?" She asked as she sat.
"I saw Chris this morning." She dropped the news.
Ellie felt her heart coming to a long pause. She could swear it stopped beating that very moment. Her gray eyes pierced on her friends' and then she shook her head.
"I don't care." Ellie blurted regaining control of her emotions.
"That's not true, El." Brenda told her. "It's not true at all. If you don't care why do you avoid every possible place you might find him?"
"It doesn't matter..." Ellie said looking away.
She gazed at the street as tears had invaded her eyes. She missed him so much, sometimes she thought she'd go insane. Ellie took a deep breath to prevent her tears from falling and then looked back at her friend.
"How is he?" She didn't resist to ask though.
"He is sad." Brenda told her and that broke her heart. "He loves you, El."
"A person who loves another does not cheat." She said determined.
"But you are pregnant!" She exclaimed. "He doesn't even know! You must tell him..."
"I know..." Ellie breathed knowing Brenda was totally right on that part.
She needed to let him know. She was just afraid to see him. She was afraid to look in his eyes and lose strength. She had left but she hadn't filed for divorce and neither did he. They were still married. She still had feelings for him. She still loved him with all her heart and soul.
"Then, tell him already. It's been a whole month since you know. You are way too late to tell him already. Ellie..." Brenda crossed her arms on the table and approached her. "Your belly is going to grow, soon it's gonna be pretty clear that you are pregnant. You are ten weeks pregnant girl..." Brenda clapped her fingers in front of her Ellie's eyes as if waking her up for reality. "It's going to show..."
"I know all that!" Ellie raised her tone. "Don't make me more nervous... I know I am on a deadline here to look for him and talk to him. I am trying to find courage. Do you think it's going to be easy for me to look at him? Just to look..." She gulped there and her eyes became blurred. "I can't..." Ellie shook her head. The tears she didn't want to shed, fell down her cheek that time. "Oh fuck this shit." She cursed and cleaned her face fast.
"You two look miserable." Brenda stated while grabbing Ellie's hand for support.
"I thought time would heal but it doesn't." Ellie let her know. "This wound is just becoming bigger and bigger and I miss him... I miss him more and more every day... and I don't let go... I can't just let go..."
"Ellie..." Her friend whispered. "... being that sad won't do any good to your baby. You don't want to have a sad baby..." Ellie giggled there with her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't be a dork." She smiled, running her hands over her eyes once more.
"I do my best to cheer you up." Brenda shrugged with her cheeky smile.
"Their new album is doing great from what I heard." Ellie said.
"Have you heard it?" Brenda asked.
"Chris wrote many of that stuff at home..." Ellie said. "I heard most of it."
"Talk to him, El" Her friend insisted. "You two need to sit and have a proper conversation."
"Brenda, it's not like I left the house in a rampant. I stayed for a while but I was not able to forgive him. Don't put it like I haven't listened to his explanation because I have. He explained many times... it just didn't work out."
"Excuse me..." A voice interrupted the two friends' conversation. "Would you like to order?"
"Yes." Ellie nodded. "I'd like a Chamomile tea, please."
When the boy's head turned to Brenda, she raised her cup of coffee. "I'm good." She added and the boy nodded and went away.
"Ok..." Brenda turned to her again. "I get that and I won't question you. But things changed. He is going to be a father. He is the father of the child you are carrying for Christ's sake. He needs to know."
"We never talked about having kids. Never... we had been married for a year. Chris is just twenty-seven! We are both so young... and the timing... oh my God..." Ellie began to rant. "This is all so complicated..."
"Still..." Brenda said. "Soon, he'll be leaving on tour to promote this new album and what are you going to do?"
"I can't let him go on tour without knowing about it!" Ellie exclaimed. "Let me..." She shook her head. "God... how I wish I wasn't still in love with him..."
"You went to the doctor today. How was it?" Brenda decided to change the subject.
Ellie smiled. "I did and everything is fine. The heart is beating really strong. It beats so fast..." She said enthusiastically and with a motherly love written in her eyes. "You can see the head and the arms and the legs... it's so tiny though."
"Is the sickness gone?"
"Thankfully!" She rolled her eyes. "I couldn't stand the vomiting first thing in the morning. The doctor's medicine was miraculous. I have been feeling sleepy though."
"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Brenda asked.
Ellie shrugged. "I don't have a preference. As long as it's healthy. I am ok."
"Names?"
Ellie put her eyes on the table. "I haven't thought of any. I though... maybe... hum... Chris... would like to choose the name too."
"Oh Ellie..." Brenda grabbed both her hands and gave it a light squeeze of support.
She understood that what she was going through was not easy, but she knew it wasn't easy for him either. She sees Chris quite often and he always looks so down and unhappy since Ellie left. Just like she does. Her friend lost the glitter in her eyes. She lost the sparkle in her smile. The only times some light comes back to her is when she talks about the baby.
"How's things with... what's his name?" Ellie smiled.
"Oh my God..." Brenda almost yelled. "Ralph... he's name is Ralph. I cannot believe you still don't know my boyfriend's name."
"It must be the hormones." Ellie laughed.
Brenda wanted to tell her that in that case Chris was pregnant too, for in the morning, she had to remind him of her boyfriend's name too. They were a mess and none of them admitted it. Two stubborn souls that were so in love with one another and unable to exist separated.
"Things are good... pretty good actually." She rephrased in the end.
"Define pretty good." Ellie released a laughter. "pretty good and is yeah... good... or pretty good as in ... wow..."
"As in wow." Brenda told her with a huge smile on her face. "He is so amazing."
"Is it now that I am going to your wedding?" Ellie joked. "Be your maid of honor..."
Brenda shrugged. Meanwhile, Ellie's tea was brought. The scent of the Chamomile surrounded them both as the boy began to pour some in the cup. Then, he rested the small kettle on the table and put the cup of tea in front of her and Ellie gave him a bill to pay for it.
"Who knows?" Brenda said when the boy left. Ellie was holding her cup of tea and blowing it while hearing her. "We are great together. I won't deny that. We have something good going on. We bond really well. Sex is great..."
"Be careful with sex." Ellie joked. "Sex makes babies." They both ended up laughing loud, yanking a scolded look from the old couple at the table next to theirs.
"How did you get pregnant Ellie? Do have any idea how it happened?"
Ellie smiled mischievously and nodded. "I know very well how it happened." Brenda tapped her hand.
"Shut up!" She told her. "I don't mean that. I don't want details..." She laughed loud again.
"I forgot to take the pill." Ellie told her. "All that mess had happened and we were trying to make things work and connect again... but it all the confusion and the constant fights and stuff I forgot to take the pill... I forgot it..."
"I assume Chris knows of that part."
Ellie nodded. "Yes. We thought nothing was going to happen... you know once..."
"Once is enough." Brenda stated.
"Oh really?" Ellie rolled her eyes. "I haven't noticed it."
"Look..." Brenda pointed outside. "It's raining so much again."
"God damn... It's going to take me forever to get home." Ellie complained. "The traffic is going to be insane."
"Did you leave your car at the office?" Brenda asked her.
"Yes..." Ellie nodded and sipped on her tea. "I walked here. It's near."
"Are you done with your tea, Ellie?" Brenda asked. "I need to go. Ralph is waiting for me to have dinner." She smiled in the end with her eyes dazzling with enthusiasm.
Ellie smiled. "You are living with him..."
Brenda rolled her eyes. "I am not... he stays sometimes..."
"Right." Ellie said, giving a last sip on her cup, putting it down on the table and getting up. "Let's go. I am done. I also need to rest."
"It's a lazy baby." Brenda laughed while putting on her coat.
"Indeed." Ellie affirmed. "I feel so sleepy... the whole time!" She finished closing her rain coat and grabbed her umbrella and her coat.
"Chris always made fun of your umbrella." Brenda giggled.
"I know..." Ellie breathed, but she didn't smile. Remembering him was so hurtful.
"I'm sorry, Ellie." Brenda excused herself and rubbed her arm in support. "I am stupid."
"It's ok." Ellie told her. "I need to get used to hear his name. We have many friends in common..."
"Ellie, you need to sit with him and talk." Brenda reminded her. "Sooner rather than later."
"I will." She said. "When I am ready, I will."
The two friends walked out of the café and stopped outside on the sidewalk saying the last goodbyes. It was still raining, maybe even more than when they were inside. Ellie opened her umbrella and gave Brenda a last kiss. Brenda walked up the street and she walked down the street towards her office to pick up her car. From upon her yellow umbrella came the lively sounds of rain drops. As the rain fell on the gray stone sidewalk, it began to soak the bottom of her jeans, and wetting her black ankle boots, making it glistening to a sparkle black. Ellie fastened her pace, passing in between people hurrying back to their homes, so she could reach her car soon for the rain was just becoming too intense. A few meters ahead she spotted a tall figure stopped under the awning of a music store looking at the window. Ellie came to a violent halt as she recognized that man, making the woman on her back crash against her as she stopped so suddenly. She gave a step forward as the woman crashed against her but her eyes never left him.
"Watch out!" The woman told her rudely. "You just don't stop walking like that!" The woman yelled furious. Ellie began to shake and looked at the woman rather lost and confused.. "Are you a junkie?" The woman frowned. "Get lost..." She still added.
"I'm sorry..." Was all Ellie could whisper while hypnotized with him.
The figure dressed in black with hands shoved in the pocket of his black jeans. His curly black hair was tied and his earrings were shining under the dim light of the store. She could perceive his pouty lips and his perfect nose and even the vibrant blue of his stunning eyes as he gazed at the window of the store. He was probably sheltering from the shower that was falling down Seattle. Ellie felt her lungs freeze in place and she gasped for air. Her chest was gluing on her back as her eyes drunk in his image. Her head span momentarily and then he moved and Ellie, afraid he'd seen her, turned her around and started walking on the opposite direction but she didn't care. She started to walk fast up the street. She was not ready to see him. She was not ready to talk to him. Her heart was running a mile per milliseconds. It was about to jump out of her mouth. Her hands were still shaking and so were her legs. Her lungs were still not expanding enough for her to breathe properly and her eyes were complicating her vision for they were completely blurred with tears. She still moved on, bumping into people sometimes and keeping her fasten place.
Chris looked up at the street and saw a yellow umbrella. His heart skipped a beat instantly. He stood on the tip of his toes to see better. It was a yellow umbrella.
"Fuck..." He whispered, feeling like the world was coming down on his shoulders.
Feeling his heart speed at its maximum rate and his legs failing, he didn't think twice. Chris stepped out in the rain and started pushing people around to fasten his pace walking up the street not to lose sight of that umbrella. No one ever had a yellow umbrella except for Ellie and it had to be her. His gut was telling him it was her. When he got nearer, he could recognize her straight black hair falling over her back. Her long legs inside the tight jeans he had offered her. It had been the last present he had given her. He didn't hold back. He had to talk to her.
"Ellie!" He yelled.
Ellie heard his voice yelling her name and more tears came to her eyes. She pretended she didn't hear him and kept walking, maybe he would give up. She was not ready to face him. She was not ready to look into his blue eyes. No... not yet... She began to gasp for air again as she was trying not to cry.
"Ellie, stop!" He yelled again.
Her heart sped even faster and there she also fastened her pace. She was on the verge of start running as she was just hearing his voice nearer and nearer.
"Ellie..." He called again.
"Go away, Chris." She said without looking back. Her voice cracking in between words as she choked on her tears.
"No..." He managed to grab her arm. "Stop... Ellie!" He exclaimed making her stop.
"I don't want to talk to you." She said without turning back to face him for she had her eyes filled with tears.
"We need to talk." He said gasping a little from the running. Chris walked around her and Ellie raised her head to look at him. "We need to talk..." He said sweetly and his eyes glittered. "Ellie..." He whispered her name.
"Don't..." She shook her head.
Just hearing him say her name made her want to hold onto to him and never let go. Her love for him coming out of her pores that very instant and she wasn't able to sustain the tears in her eyes. Her lips trembled a bit and the salty water ran down her cheeks.
"We have nothing to talk about." She told him. "We have done all the talking, Chris. We have tried everything and it didn't work."
"Because you don't believe in me." He said. "Fuck, Ellie. You are supposed to trust me and you didn't..."
"What do you want me to say?" Ellie asked him. "No one told me... I saw it..."
"But what you saw... it wasn't exactly what you saw." He claimed.
"Isn't that what they all say?" Ellie tried to smile.
Chris frowned and pulled her under the awning of the café behind them.
"Don't be sarcastic... I cannot stand sarcasm right now." He told her. "Ellie...." Chris looked in her eyes and she looked away, not standing his sweet and loving glare. "I don't even know who she is. I don't know anything about that girl... not her name... her age... where she lives... I had never seen her before..."
"Enough, Chris." Ellie told him and cleaned her tears. "Enough..."
"Ellie, please..." He grabbed her hand in his and wrapped his fingers around hers. His blue eyes shining so much and piercing into hers. "Please..." He whispered approaching her.
His free hand took hold of her face, his thumb caressing her near her ear and Ellie wanted to move back and seemed glued to the ground. His scent reached nose and she closed her eyes trying to get some reigns of her feelings.
"Let me go, Chris." She said opening her eyes, to find his face bending over hers. Their forehead touched.
"I love you." He whispered.
"Chris..." She whispered back. Their noses touched. Her hand had involuntarily curled with his. "Let me go..."
"No." He still whispered and Ellie felt his warm breath caress her lips.
He was an inch away from kissing her and that's when, by taking both hands to his chest, she pushed him abruptly. Chris didn't offer resistance.
"Let me go!" She almost yelled, feeling dizzy.
"Ellie!" He yelled seeing her running to cross the street. "No... Ellie... watch out!" He yelled really loud but it was too late.
Ellie looked up at the lane and saw a bicycle really close and seconds after she was hit strongly by the bicycle that was descending the street. With the impact, she fell violently on the ground. Chris ran there immediately.
"What the fuck, man!" Chris grew to the man and pushed him back. "Can't you see people crossing the lane?" He yelled.
"Chis!" Ellie called him contorting on the ground. Her clothes soaked wet. "Chris, call an ambulance." She cried holding onto her lower belly.
"Ellie..." He kneeled near her and pulled her head to his lap. "What is hurting?"
"My belly... please call an ambulance." Ellie cried and winced. "Oh God..." She cried and contorted a bit more.
"Miss..." The lady from the kiosk approached her. "I already called 911. They are coming. Stay calm."
"Babe, what are you feeling?" Chris patted her soaked hair not caring how the rain was drenching him too. "Talk to me Ellie..."
"It's my belly... it hit my belly..." Ellie cried desperately.
"Miss, I am so sorry." The man stayed there. "You appeared in front of me too suddenly and I didn't have time to brake."
Chris looked up at him. "And what about your fucking velocity. Don't you think you were a bit too fast in a lane full of people and raining nonetheless?"
"I am sorry sir." The man apologized again.
"Where is the fucking ambulance?" He yelled looking around.
Soon, the siren began to be heard and the traffic on the street stopped and made space so the ambulance could pass through the intense traffic on the street. Not only because of the rain but also because people stopped to take a look at what was happening at the bicycle lane. The ambulance stopped quite near and the paramedics, a man, and a woman, came out with a bag of first aids and kneeled near Ellie.
"What happened?" The male paramedic asked.
"She got hit by a bicycle... but it was a strong hit." Chris explained. "After she was thrown on the ground with the impact."
"Mam... where does it hurt?" The paramedic asked.
"My belly..." Ellie contorted. "My belly hurts too much." She winced and Chris bent over her and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"It's ok, baby." He whispered still patting her hair.
"Your lower belly?" The mas asked for that's where her hands were resting.
"Yes." Ellie confirmed.
"Please take your hands away so I can take a look." The paramedic asked.
"Ellie, take your hands away sweetheart." Chris held her hands and pulled them away.
"Chris." Ellie looked in his eyes and was about to speak when the paramedic pressed her stomach and she released a loud yell. "STOP!" She said contorting. "Please... stop..." She cried.
"Stop..." Chris pulled the paramedic's hands away from her. "She is in pain!"
"I have to examine her." He claimed.
"What's your name, mam." The woman asked her, filling her file.
"Ellie." She answered.
"Surname?"
Ellie and Chris exchange a look. "Cornell." He said. After all, they were still married.
The woman eyed them above her glasses and then wrote down on her file.
"Ms. Cornell, we are taking you to the hospital now. You need to be checked." The paramedic told her. Then, she spoke to Chris. "You cannot come with us in the ambulance. The vehicle has only one space vacant and I need to take that space to assist her."
"What hospital?" Chris asked.
"Seattle Medical Center." She said. "You can meet us there."
"I'll meet you there." Chris spoke to Ellie.
"You don't have to." She told him.
"Yes, I have to," He said firmly looking in her eyes. "Don't even try to convince me otherwise."
"Sir, you need to move away so we can carry her..." The male paramedic asked Chris to step back and he did.
He got up and watched how they tucked Ellie carefully on the stretcher. Then, he saw a taxi passing by and he stretched his arm at it. Chris opened the back door and entered the cab.
"Seattle Medical Center, please." He told the driver.
Chris saw the ambulance pass through the intense traffic and he started feeling a little impatient as he knew it was going to take him a while to get there. The three lanes were filled with cars that rolled truly slowly and sometimes stopped due to the traffic lights. He started feeling a bit cold as the clothes were starting to get dry on his body, but he didn't care. His only concern was to get to the hospital to know how she was doing. Thirty minutes later, the taxi parked in front of the hospital's main entrance. Chris grabbed a 20-dollar bill and put in the hand of the driver not caring with the exchange.
"Thank you." He simply said, opening the door and running inside the hospital's emergency room.
As the automatic sliding glass doors opened, it seemed like he entered a new world. It was so chaotic inside. Crowded with people. Paramedics running from one side to another delivering patients. Children crying by the hands of their parents, probably tired of being in such a hostile environment. The bleach scent intoxicating his nose. People reaching for doctors randomly trying to find some news of their loved ones and Chris looked around trying to find a way to locate Ellie. Finally, he spotted a front desk behind a group of people that were arguing with a nurse. He went there.
"Good evening." The women on the other side of the counter greeted him with a smile on her lips.
"Hi..." Chris told her trying to smile back at her but he was not sure he had managed to do it. He was too nervous. "I am trying to find my wife... she arrived in an ambulance. She was run by a bicycle..."
"What's her name, sir?" The woman asked looking at the files she had in front of her.
"Ellie Cornell." He said.
"Just a moment."
Chris tapped his fingers on the counter while the woman looked at the files carefully. Then, she raised her head and smiled at him.
"She is at the second floor. You follow the blue line on the floor and you will reach the elevator that will take you there."
"Thank you very much." He told her already leaving.
He looked at the floor and started following the blue line as he had been instructed. He ended up at a much quieter part of the ER. The fuzzy ambience was left behind and he was so glad because his head was pounding really hard. When he reached the elevator, he pressed the button three times in a row and then waited, walking in circles. When he finally heard the beep and saw the doors opening, he ran inside and pressed the second floor. He got even more nervous as the elevator made his way up. When he reached the right floor, everything was very quiet and he found a long corridor. He saw another counter with a nurse behind it and he walked there.
"Good evening." He said as the nurse was up and with her back turned at the counter.
She turned around holding a pile of files in her hand. "How can I help you?"
"My wife, Ellie Cornell, is on this floor..." He said.
The nurse smiled. "She is making an ultrasound but you can wait in room 13, if you want."
"That would be nice." He told her nervously.
"Third door on the left." The nurse pointed.
Chris entered the door pointed by the nurse and stood in the middle of it looking around at the dull cream empty walls. He freed his hair and shook it with his fingers, letting his curly locks fall free over his shoulders. Then, he shoved the hands on his still humid jeans and took a deep breath. There was nothing he could do but wait, but he was so impatient...
After a few seconds of standing still at the same spot, he approached the large window and looked outside. A diluvium was falling over the city and at the same time, he shivered feeling cold. He took off his jacket and rested it opened on the couch so it could dry a little and stayed on his black sweatshirt with number 90 in white engraved on it. He palmed his sweat shirt to confirm that it was almost dry. How he wished he'd take his boots off, but suddenly he heard noise and looked at the door.
"Ellie." He walked up to her as she was brought inside pushed in a wheel chair by a nurse.
"She's fine." The nurse smiled.
Chris opened his wonderful smile too and Ellie looked away, feeling her heart shattering in tiny pieces. She was still in love with him. Nothing had changed...
"I am fine." She gathered strength to say.
"They are both fine." The nurse said and Ellie felt herself shrink in the chair with the sudden revelation.
She didn't want him to know like that but it was too late.
"Both?" Chris asked looking a bit lost. His eyes travelled from the nurse to her and back again, looking for an explanation.
"Her and the baby." The nurse clarified.
Chris's eyes fell on Ellie's in seconds and stopped and they both stared at one another without sharing a word. Then, Ellie saw his eyes watering and getting darker. His lips trembled softly and he gulped a sob and his face turned pale. A wave of betrayal also lingered in his glare. The hurt and pain that started showing on his face let her know that he was getting the wrong idea and she opened her lips to speak, but it was too late. Chris cleaned the tears from his face and left the room without saying anything.
"Chris!" Ellie called him. "Chris..." She said again, but he didn't come back. "He got it all wrong." She whispered feeling her eyes watering too.
"I am sorry." The nurse excused herself.
"No..." Ellie shook her head. "It's all my fault... I should have looked for him and tell him and I didn't..." She started crying. "He got it all wrong..."