Dancing Away with My Heart: (Part 2 in Dancing with Artem Chigvintsev trilogy)

20

I opened up my eyes to find myself laying in a hospital bed.

I quickly glanced all around me and noticed a sleeping Artem in an uncomfortable looking position on the chair by the wall and a nurse checking a chart.

"What happened?" I asked her

"You are very lucky to be alive, miss." She said "I'll go and get Dr. Matthews."

With that she walked out the door. Could she have at least told me what had happened instead of leaving me in suspense? All I remember is collapsing in the middle of the airport after being abandoned. How embarrassing.

Then I looked at Artem sleeping so soundly, why was he so tired? What time is it? Where are our boys?

Artem had no idea I was back home, let alone that I wanted to be with him, yett  here he is still with me. He is by my side as if I hadn't hurt him by choosing Maks.

"Artem." I cried

His eyes opened up slowly as he looked in my direction and then he jumped up.

"Oh Emma." He said "my beautiful Emma."  He kissed the top of my head.

"Artem, I don't know what happened or why I am here but I love you, I don't know what I was thinking. I hurt you, I was angry at you! But Artem, I have never stopped loving you. Oh please, please forgive me. I didn't..." I was sobbing, "..want to hurt you." I sniffled.

"Do not apologize." He said "as long as you are happy, I am happy. If that means you want to still have me after the mistake that I made, I will be the happiest man alive. I do not want you to apologize for being with Maks, you needed that. You may feel guilty but I don't want you to. It helped you realize that I am the love of your life. I am going to spend the rest of your life making it up to you, I promise."

Artem said the last sentence with a sense of pain in his eyes. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. Choosing each word very delicately.

I looked him in the eyes.

"What is wrong with me, Artem?" I said afraid of his response.

"I should get the doctor."

"I don't want to hear it from the doctor I want to hear it from you. The father of my children, the love of my life."

A tear shed down his face and then he got strong for me. He wiped the tear away and put his hand on my face.

"You have Leukemia." He knelt down beside my bed. I immediately became scared. What if I couldn't fight this. What if my children end up losing their mother. They are so young.

I began to sob. Artem sat in my bed next to me and held me tightly.

"You have a few visitors waiting for you out in the waiting room." He said "they were waiting until you woke up.."

"All I want to see are the boys. Vlad is probably so excited for his recital coming up and I have to be there... and Alek, oh my baby, he's going to be so upset. I know he's been waiting for me to come home."

"They are at home, sleeping. I thought it was best not to scare them seeing you in here. Tony is there with them. They are safe, but someone you might appreciate seeing is here."

Artem left the room and came back with a familiar face.

"Peta." I smiled and shed a happy tear.

"Emma, girl,  how are you holding up?"

"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked "how did you get all the way here from LA?"

"Funny story, actually. I have been here in New York since yesterday. I came back because I was worried about Artem and the boys. I actually almost flew to Paris to drag you back here."

"I'm so embarrassed by the way I acted. I shouldn't have let my emotions take over. I shouldn't have left with Maks." I cried "what if I collapsed out there, what if something happened to me. I am so happy to be home where I have you guys." I couldn't stop crying but I knew I had to be strong.

"I know that you were blinded by how much you care about Maks. But I also knew the real you. I know the girl that has been in love with her Russian dance partner since she was a young girl. I know the girl that tries to save everyone around her from their troubles, but never stops to take time to stop and fix herself. You are a strong woman, I'm happy to be here with you and to call you my bestfriend."

I grabbed her hand and smiled, "thank you Peta. For believing in me and for still being my best friend even after all you have been through over the years, because of me."

"Don't worry about it. All that matters is your health, you have to take care of yourself so you can be there for your boys."

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure emerge. I figured it was the doctor since he still had not come to speak with me. I looked up at the door and my heart stopped. I was not ready for this.

It was Maks.