Chapter 22
Part 1 – Cheryl
When we got to the hospital they immediately rushed Nadine away. They wouldn’t tell me what was wrong with her, but they assured me she was alive and that they were doing everything they could to keep it that way, but couldn’t make any promises.
I stood in shock in the waiting area as they rushed her away. Surely Jason couldn’t have done that much damage, there must be an underlying problem. I just hoped whatever it was could be fixed. Plus she told me she loved me, there was so much we needed to talk about.
Just as I was losing myself in thoughts and worry about Nadine I felt tap on my shoulder and turned round to see Derek holding his arms out for a hug. I immediately fell into it and started crying uncontrollably.
“Cheryl, babe, what happened?” He said, obviously unaware of the severity of Nadine.
“Where’s Jason?” I asked, I wanted to hurt him for what he’d done to her and for attacking Derek like that. He may have been a rubbish boyfriend but he was turning out to be one of the best friends I’d ever had.
“The police took him away to question him. Where was Nadine?” Derek asked, trying to calm me down.
“She was in the hotel room. He hit her, Derek, she was unconscious,” I explained.
“What an arsehole, are you okay?” He said, sitting me down on some nearby chairs.
“I’m fine, but she isn’t. There’s something else wrong with her, she told me she loved me then they took her away,” I said, as he looked baffled.
“Wait, that makes no sense, that sounds like they took her away because of she said,” he said, laughing slightly.
“She thought she was dying, I think that’s why it was blurted out like that, I’m so scared Derek, I kept telling her she was going to be fine, but I really don’t know,” I sobbed.
“I’m sorry, Cheryl, I don’t want to promise anything, but we can’t give up hope,” he said sympathetically.
“sh!t, Derek, how are you? Are you okay,” I said, suddenly remembering that he too was attacked just hours ago.
“I’m okay, he chipped a tooth, but that can be fixed. It’s just cuts and bruises,” he said, brushing it off.
“I’m so sorry Derek, it’s all my fault. I wish I’d never dragged you into this, we shouldn’t have chased her then she wouldn’t be in this state either,” I said, with my head in my hands.
“Don’t you dare blame yourself. That man is a brute, he would have snapped, something bad would have happened to her sooner or later and she might not have had you there to rescue her,” he said, wiping the tears from my eyes and shaking his head.
“But what about you Derek? You don’t deserve this,” I said, pointing out the bruising.
“Oh, I’m a cocky sh!t sometimes. Something would have happened to me too,” he joked and I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit. Just as the mood was being lightened the doctor appeared.
“Excuse me, did you come in with Nadine Coyle?” He asked us.
“Yes, is she okay?” Derek spoke for me, I was too scared.
“Are you relatives or does she have any we could contact? A boyfriend, husband?” He asked.
“No we’re not relatives, but she’s known Nadine for almost ten years, they’re very close. Her family are all in California and the UK and her husband, the man that put her here, is with the cops,” Derek explained for me.
