▫️Thirty-two

Ginelle's pov

"Elle dear, Leila's here to see you." Lora peeked her head through the back door where Jo and I were unboxing some books that had arrived today.

"Again?" Jo sighed beside me and I tried not to react. Leila had just been here this morning to drop me off and again at noon to bring my lunch.

It was not even two hours since then and now she was back. I was grateful of her kind gestures but right now I could agree with Jo that she was being too much.

"You know she's not leaving till you see her," Lora chirped before closing the door on us. I gave Jo an apologetic smile since he had to do the rest of the work alone.

I loosened my hair from its bun, marching my way towards my overprotective friend. She was staring at the patterns on the floor, her feet tapping through the boxed tiles.

Leila looked up in fright and suddenly stood up when I tapped her shoulder. She tugged the ends of her watch before passing me a strange smile.

"Are you so idle today?" I pretended to sound offended as I crossed my arms over my chest. She just looked back at me, which wasn't her usual reaction.

The Leila I knew would sass me back. My eyes furrowed when I took a closer look at her. "You look startled, did Louis do something?"

Leila was quiet again but she sat down on the stool, her eyes leaving mine. "I-I have a terrible headache," she clutched her head and closed her eyes as if in pain.

"Did you take the tablets?" I asked as I reached for my pockets to check whether I had any left. Leila had been complaining of her headache all week.

"I took them all, it just doesn't seem to help." She continued to hold her head and I could just imagine the pain she was feeling.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you to accompany me for a check-up." She asked so quietly as if I was the sick one, her face so pleading.

"Do you want to do it now?" She nodded immediately and I looked at her for a moment before leaving to take my purse from the counter behind her.

Of course her health came first.

I briefed Lora about Leila's condition before I rushed back to my friend. I didn't want her to hold in the pain any longer when I could easily help her.

"Let's go," I helped her up and we took a taxi to the nearest hospital. I had suggested going to a clinic but Leila was more comfortable with an hospital so I respected her choice.

I signed a form at the entrance before looking around the hospital wings for a consultation office. The place was just so huge and I was trying to get Leila treated as fast as possible.

"That way," Leila pointed to the right of the hallway we were standing on and I led us to that direction. Strangely, no one was in sight.

"I need to see someone," she mumbled while pointing towards the elevator. Thinking of it now, Louis would have brought her here had he known.

It had to be Louis, I didn't think of what he'd be doing in a hospital.

I went by her directions and soon we came to yet another hallway. This one had nurses and doctors running back and forth, large files in their hands.

Leila turned us to a door straight ahead. At the far end, Louis was pacing back and forth, his hands in his pockets. Upon seeing us, he ran towards us.

I suddenly stood still, a strong sensation cutting through my chest. It wasn't just because Louis was standing in front of the surgery room.

Enzo, Reece, Nana, Rosie and her husband were with him.

I staggered, my mind unbelieving to what my eyes were telling me. I tried to move my feet to hear from them but I couldn't seem to.

My body shook terribly when Nana started to walk towards me. Her face was forlorn, eyes full of fear as she tried to appear calm.

Feeling as if the back of my head had hit a wall, my vision blurred as I tried to reach for her hand. Leila held my arm, she was now the one supporting me.

"W-What is h-happening?" My shaking voice cut through the silence as I looked into the face of everyone present.

No one replied and I felt a tear slip. Nana on my side couldn't even look at my face. Rosie was matching that sombre look as she stood beside her husband.

Enzo and Reece didn't even meet my eyes. Another pool of tears formed in my eyes as I took hesitant steps towards Mr Williams.

"Please tell me, I need to hear it." Mayella's father looked down at his wife then back at me. He had just opened his mouth to speak when the surgery doors pulled open.

Everyone turned to hear what the surgeons had to say but I couldn't even move my neck. The pain in my chest intensified as if I'd been stabbed when the doctors spoke next.

"Family of Grey Marshal?"

I choked on my own sobs, the ringing in my ears making me turn slowly. I looked at the doctor, feeling as if my world had crashed.

"The patient just underwent a three hour surgery, his vitals are okay. We however have to monitor him and keep running tests on him."

He continued to tell us that we couldn't all see him because he was still in a critical condition. Only two of us were allowed at a time.

Enzo spoke to him about some other medical terms I didn't understand but my head was stuck on what the doctor was saying.

Surgery? Three hours? Just how badly hurt was he?

"I just remembered," the doctor scratched his head over the blue clothing. "The patient was brought in clutching this, it must be important."

He brought out a necklace from his pocket and gave it to Enzo beside him and then left. Everyone looked at me for one reason, Grey never wore any jewelry.

Enzo came to place the necklace on my palm, its coldness making my heart clench painfully. I held back tears as I felt the pattern with my fingers.

I had never seen Grey put this on. I stretched out the chain when I felt something else attached to one end. There was a ring there.

I cried.

The feelings I was trying to hold in burst open as I was led towards a bench. I didn't have it in me to care who was watching, I cried like a baby.

The sun was imprinted at the front of the ring.

The tears flowing down my cheeks didn't cease. I tightly grasped the ring as I continued to cry. Why was he hurt when he had promised not to?

Everyone had said that he was the strongest. They had assured me that things would turn out well, he'd be back soon. A month had passed yet he came back wounded.

Just why?

It wasn't fair. He had to be fine, he had promised, I had to see him. With my sudden resolve, I quickly rose up surprising Leila who was still with me.

I wiped my tears with the sleeves of my blouse as I asked her and Louis to take me to see him. They brought me to a door where Nana, Enzo and Reece stood outside whispering among themselves.

They stopped after seeing us approach. I didn't look at either of their faces as I moved to see through the glass at the door. Mayella's parents were with him at the moment.

I saw his body first as he lay on the hospital bed. His hands lay on either side of the bed, the blue hospital gown covering his entire body.

I walked closer to get a look of his face. It was unmoving, some breathing aid connected to his nose and an IV to his arm. He looked so vulnerable that I muffled my cries with my hand.

The Grey I knew was strong and enthusiastic. I wanted the Grey who would get excited to cuddle or wash my hair. I wanted the man whose laugh was the sweetest thing to hear.

I wiped away another stream of tears when Nana came to pat my arm. "He'll be fine, don't worry." Her words made my eyes fill up with more tears.

I didn't want to hear these words from anyone right now. I hiccuped, my tears coming out again when Enzo and Reece went in, Leila and Louis following next.

I didn't even have the courage to walk in for the fear of what would be waiting for me. Did his hands still have the warmth I had come to love? Were things really the way, I had known?

Nana encouraged me to see him, taking my hands as she led us in. She stood on one side of the bed while I took the opposite one. His heartbeat was steady when I observed through the monitor.

Even though Grey had been putting on a straight face during the first times I knew him, it was never to this extend. His face was pale as I moved my palm to stroke his right cheek.

His face was rigid, a slip of my tears landing on his face. I sniffled away as I moved closer, dragging the chair in the room closer to the bed.

His eyebrows weren't furrowed, his lips weren't pursed together, his dimple didn't show, the creases that formed on his forehead when he was upset weren't there either.

There was nothing.

I tearily took his hand, enveloping it completely with my own. It was neither warm nor cold, it was just there. I didn't like how neutral things were, it was terrifying.

I don't know how long I sat there just holding his hand and staring at his face, fear flowing through me everytime the machine continued to beep.

Nana had eventually left me alone but I didn't want to leave, I wanted to keep seeing his face. I had to cling to this hope that came with holding his hand, at least I was seeing him.

Evening came without me even knowing and the doctors asked me to leave so that they'd check on him. I didn't want to but I also wanted him to be fine.

I waited outside the room, my heart so torn with leaving him for just a few minutes. The doctors didn't stay for long and I was back to my spot beside him.

This time I spoke to him, I told him about what I had done when he was away. I told him about the books I'd read alone, how I had waited for his return each passing day.

I stroked his face, his stubble so overgrown now, but he was still as handsome as ever. I kissed both sides of his hands, pleading with him to get well soon.

I told him about how worried everyone was, they'd all been here waiting for him to wake up. I told him of how afraid I was despite my hope even after seeing him.

I told him that I loved him, how painful it was to see him laying there on bed unmoving. I told him so many things and later that the night, the nurses came to tell me visiting hours were over.

I contemplated waiting near the hospital till morning but Leila forced me to go home with her. I didn't sleep a wink that night, waiting for morning to come when I'd see him again.

I repeated this whole procedure for days, my appearance sorrowful each time I had to leave him. The doctor would come, run tests and say that everything was okay but why wasn't he waking up?

There were days when I'd starve myself even after everyone had urged me to take something. Even by force, I just couldn't - not when Grey wasn't.

I could only drink some water and bite a few foods that weren't even an handful. Not caring about myself, my body deteriorated further that Leila had to call my parents.

Ma pleaded with me to eat, she said it was the only way Grey would get better. Her words didn't make sense to me, how was I to stay so carefree when Grey was like this?

Pa came to visit too, he convinced me once to have a meal with him while the doctors checked up on Grey. I didn't eat much but I tried for everyone.

For Grey.

I stayed by his side for that whole week, I would only leave to change my clothes after the doctors had let me stay the nights.

Sometimes Nana would accompany me, sometimes my parents would, Reece and Enzo would also stay with me alongside Rosie and Lora.

Everyone visited him, they'd bring him flowers and get well soon cards. During the nights, I continued to read him our favorite book.

I paused too many times when I remembered his reactions to some of the lines. Tears trickled down each time I turned a page and received no reaction from him.

I would end up falling asleep beside him, my hand grasped on his and my head laying closely beside his. I would wake up to the nurse's check up and then I'd clean his face and hands.

I refused to leave his side, waiting each passing minute for his grey eyes to flutter open and look at me in that tender gaze that made me feel shy.

I longed for that eye contact we'd make across the room when we were hanging out with everyone. Those peeks and smiles we'd exchange when no one was watching.

I missed his touch so much, the goosebumps that arose on my skin each time he trailed kisses all over my face down to my neck. I missed our skin to skin contact.

I missed doing everything with him.

At times I'd draw the curtains at night to look the sky. The stars didn't seem appealing with me watching them alone. Most of the nights were even cloudy, it's like they knew.

I continued to still have hope despite all this. Everyone kept encouraging me, they too were afraid but didn't show it so I picked up courage from there.

Jo and Clarissa passed by a couple of times while my parents continued to live at my place, they would stay with Dalton when Lora came to visit.

I didn't see Dalton and Mayella that week. Jo, Lora and Clarissa would stay with them most of the time. It would be better for them not to see Grey at the moment.

Everyday was filled with tears, waiting and agony.

I sat back on the chair beside him as I adjusted the moon on my ring to the sun on Grey's ring. I wished for an eclipse to occur when we would meet and see each other this way.

It was the only way I could think of.

✪ ✪ ✪

Not so good news but we have to stay optimistic about this man, right?

Did you guys see through Leila's scheme at the start? I think she handled this well.

(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)