Without You

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗

Sheldon's POV:

The sudden chime on my phone disrupted the monotony of the ongoing history lecture, sending a jolt through me. The message was from Emily, and its urgency left no room for hesitation. I couldn't focus on the teacher's words any longer, my mind consumed by a torrent of questions. What had prompted her to visit the Women's Healthcare Clinic? Is she okay? The relentless stream of thoughts propelled me out of the classroom, leaving the lecture and the history of ages behind.

I swiftly went to inform Jessica about Emily's message, but the decision to keep her in the dark about it felt like a responsibility that rested solely on my shoulders. It meant she was hiding something from her, that's why she messaged only me, not her.

Racing against time, I retrieved my car and navigated the unfamiliar address, my mind consumed by the worry etched on Emily's words.

Upon entering the clinic, the reception area held a palpable tension, with three women engrossed in their official duties and the lounge appearing eerily vacant. In my urgency, I approached the counter and asked, "Excuse me, has Emily, Emily Andrewson visited here?" My words seemed to fall on deaf ears, lost in the whirlwind of their professional tasks.

Frustration mounting, I checked my phone to find that none of my messages or missed calls had garnered a response from Emily. Before I could delve further into my concerns, a middle-aged woman interrupted my thoughts, addressing me directly. "Hello, is this Mr. Sinclair?" she inquired.

I replied, "Yes, I am. Has Emily, Emily Andrewson, visited here?" The weight of worry and confusion was etched across my face.

"Yeah, she is admitted here. The operation is going on," she casually relayed, unaware of the storm her words unleashed within me. "What? Operation? What kind of operation is going on?" I demanded, my curiosity spiking.

The woman's response was matter-of-fact, "Abortion. She is having an abortion." Her words hung in the air, and a sudden realization dawned upon me. "I think you should be by her side until she recovers completely. I observed her; she is very lonely, and she really needs someone. After all the dilemmas, she finally decided to call you by her side. It means she trusts you," she added, her words echoing in my ears.

A wave of shock and understanding washed over me. Emily, who had been enduring a silent struggle, had chosen to confide in me. The pain she had concealed from everyone was now laid bare, and the gravity of her decision settled heavily upon my shoulders. Without a second thought, I made my way to her side, realizing the profound importance of being the anchor she needed in this challenging moment.

As the pendulum clock marked the passage of an hour, the hands moving in a languid dance, I remained ensconced in the sterile stillness of the clinic's lounge. The clock's steady rhythm echoed the disquiet within me, each tick and tock amplifying the weight of the minutes slipping away. It was 3:00 pm in the afternoon, and the uncertainty in the air hung heavily.

Suddenly, a commotion disrupted the eerie calmness. A surge of activity emanated from the vicinity of the operation theatre, drawing my attention like a magnet. The nursing staff, their faces etched with professional concern, were carefully maneuvering a bed through the corridor. Upon that bed lay the fragile form of Emily, her unconscious body vulnerable and exposed.

The woman I had encountered earlier, the bearer of unexpected revelations, walked alongside the procession, a silent guardian to Emily's ordeal. The atmosphere crackled with an unspoken intensity as they approached the doors of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The urgency in their movements and the silent acknowledgment between the medical personnel hinted at the gravity of Emily's condition.

With each step, my heart pounded in tandem with the echoes of the clock. The sight of Emily, now under the vigilant watch of the nursing staff, ignited a surge of emotions within me. I found myself standing, compelled by an unspoken need to be closer to her, to understand the depth of the ordeal she had just undergone.

As the doors of the ICU swallowed them, a heavy silence settled in the corridor. The only remnants of the recent activity were the lingering echoes and the persistent ticking of the clock. I stood there, caught in the liminal space between waiting and knowing, the weight of concern etched across my features. The journey that had begun with an urgent message was now poised at a critical juncture, and the unfolding minutes held the promise of revelations that would shape the chapters yet to come.

The woman I had encountered earlier rushed towards me, her face etched with concern and her eyes reflecting a gleam of worry. My tension reached its zenith as I asked, "Hey, what happened to her?"

Her response cut through the air like a knife. "Her condition is critical. In addition to internal bleeding, the surgical team encountered unforeseen complications. There's a risk of infection due to complications in the procedure, and her body is struggling to stabilize. The medical team is doing everything they can, but it's a delicate situation," she added, her words landing like a heavy blow on my already anxious heart. I stood there, a silent spectator, peering through the small glass window on the door. Inside, Emily lay unconscious on the bed, surrounded by a flurry of nurses attending to her with a sense of urgency.

Suddenly, the woman called out to me once more, her voice breaking through my reverie. "Hey, please keep it to yourself. She told me to give it to you. She said if anything happens to her, you have to read this diary to know everything," she urged, her eyes revealing the gravity of the situation. "No, nothing can happen to her," I reassured myself, though the fear had already taken root.

At that moment, it felt as if the ground beneath me had shifted, and the possibility of losing her loomed ominously. I accepted the diary she handed to me, the weight of its contents a mystery. Clutching it tightly, I gazed back through the glass, my eyes fixed on the scene inside.

As reality settled in, I reached for my phone, only to discover a cascade of missed calls from Jessica and Olivia. The world beyond the glass seemed to blur as the gravity of the situation bore down on me, and the impending revelations within the diary added an additional layer of complexity to the ordeal at hand.

Thirty agonizing minutes later, the door to the ICU swung open, and the doctor emerged, her eyes locking onto mine. "She is okay, she is out of danger now. However, some complications may arise during her second pregnancy," she informed me, her words carrying both relief and an undertone of caution.

The doctor's assurance breathed life back into my cold, anxious heart. The specter of losing Emily had lifted, replaced by the tentative hope of her recovery. Moments later, the medical staff shifted her to a regular cabin, preparing for the next phase of her healing journey.

As I stepped into the room, she lay there, fragile and serene in her slumber. Dried tears marked the path through her upper cheeks, and the rhythmic hum of the saline solution coursing through her veins painted a silent backdrop to her recovery. I took a seat beside her, feeling a mixture of relief and helplessness as I gazed upon her peaceful form.

The room, once sterile and clinical, now seemed to exhale a sigh of relief, resonating with the shared sense of victory against the odds. I sat there, a silent guardian in the quiet space, pondering the intricate tapestry of emotions that had woven its way through this turbulent chapter. As Emily slept, I could only hope that her rest would be restorative, ushering in a new dawn after the tempest had passed.

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𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀(𝗔/𝗡): We've crossed paths with destiny in this chapter. How did you interpret the twists? I'm curious to hear your theories. Let's unravel the story together!

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