“How is she?”
She bit her lip.Wished that God or the universe or somebody somewhere could help in this moment.“Mr.Patrizio, your wife’s injuries were quite severe.”
“But she looked fine.”
“I know.But it turns out there was a substantial amount of internal bleeding.And while she was fighting hard, it seems that the bleeding was very extensive.We did everything we could, but I’m afraid—”
“No, don’t say it.Don’t say it!”He pushed to his feet, his face distraught.“Geraldine and I have been married for nearly forty years.We were supposed to go to Europe next year for our anniversary.Are you saying we’re now not going to go to Italy?”
Poor man.“I’m really sorry, Mr.Patrizio.Your wife fought hard, but I’m afraid the trauma of the accident was just too much.”
“No!No!”he screamed as the police officer and chaplain tried to calm him.“Why couldn’t you help her?”
“I assure you, we did everything we could—”
Slap.
She reeled back, pain splintering across her cheek from where the man had struck her.
“Gen?”One of the nursing aides rushed to her, then called “Harvey!”as the police officer restrained the new widower.
She touched her cheek then glanced at her fingertips.Blood stained them.His wedding ring must’ve scraped her skin.
“I’m sorry,” Mr.Patrizio mumbled through tears.“I didn’t mean to.I just…”
She shook her head at Harvey, and shrugged off Nancy’s attempt to comfort.“I need a minute.”
She moved to the doctors’ bathroom facilities, washed her hands, washed her face, then locked herself inside a cubicle and sat down on the toilet seat.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, salt stinging the wound already there.But she wasn’t crying for herself.Part of her could even understand why Mr.Patrizio had struck her.This moment had to have crushed him.To lose his beloved wife of so many years?To know he was at fault for what had happened?How could a man ever live with that guilt?
A sob escaped, then another.
Oh, this world was cruel sometimes.How could love like what they’d shared end like that?How could they spend years dreaming of a wonderful vacation only to see it slip away, their dreams crushed and abandoned, like those bloodied rags on the trauma room floor?Poor Geraldine.Poor Geraldine’s husband.She was no expert in legal matters but suspected he might well be facing manslaughter charges.Love for forty years, gone like that.
Her mind flicked to another couple who had been sure they loved each other.How could they have let life get in the way as it had?Their love might not have ended in a stupid car accident, but it had smashed her life nonetheless.And yes, she might have survived and now wore the scars to prove it, but part of her felt like this was a sign from the universe that life was short.That one could hide in the shadows and live with regret.Or one could take those steps necessary and find out if there was a chance to live again.
And yes, there would be challenges, but how long was she going to let fear get in the way?These past weeks had only stirred up the regrets, had only clarified how much she’d missed Kyle being in her life.And while she’d suppressed her feelings for so long, she realized now those feelings were still there, but they lay beneath the surface like a frozen river, and had just been waiting for the moment before the ice was thawed—or had a hole punched through it.
Well, consider herself punched.
She pulled toilet paper from the dispenser and blew her nose, patted her cheeks dry, flushed it away.Unlocked the door.Stared at her red-rimmed eyes.The cut on her cheek that would need a stitch.That cut was a reminder that love made people do crazy things.That people weren’t robots, but emotions were real.
Okay.Today was a new day.She had one chance to live this life.And she was done playing second fiddle to regrets.
CHAPTER10
“So, I’m really happy as it looks like all is tracking as it should.”Dr.Winthrop smiled.“I know it’s been difficult but your kidney is doing well, now that infection is on the mend.”
Phew.“I gotta admit I’m a bit over all the fruits I’ve been eating.”
“Yes.The diet does produce a fairly significant amount of weight loss, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve lost twenty pounds already.My trainers are concerned I won’t be ready for next season.”
“We prefer to take a conservative approach rather than rush things and discover your body wasn’t ready.”
“I understand.Whatever makes me healthy, I guess.”
