Save Me (DTRTI Sequel)

Chapter Fourteen

My heart shattered, falling to the pit of my stomach as I froze, staring at her in disbelief. "W-what?"

"You heard me." Was the near-quiet response.

"Ava, baby...you c-can't do this!" My cheeks were stained with tears and I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around her legs, resting the side of my face against her stomach. "You can't l-leave me...not f-forever!" I sobbed out, sniffling as I held her tight.

She tried to pry my hands from her legs but I wasn't letting go. "Let go, Chres."

"Ava, you c-can't go." I began to hiccup as I attempted to speak. "Y-y-you c-c-c-can't!"

She sighed. "Chresanto...please let me go."

I obliged because I could hear in her voice that she wasn't willing to fight....for us.

"Ava..." I was still on my knees, using my palms to wipe away rapidly falling tears as I sniffled some more. "Ava...y-you and Lily...you're all I live for."

I guess she didn't believe me. I guess she thought it was another lie. Because she still brought me the paperwork. She still asked me to sign.

She still wanted the divorce.

Only...I didn't sign. Even as I bled out into the beige carpet of our bedroom, the papers sat in the scarlet stain my blood had begun to leave.

Because when I told Ava that she and Lily were all that I lived for, I meant it.

So when I was losing all that I lived for...well, I had no reason to live anymore.

I watched Ava walk away again that day...and every day after that. She began to distance herself from me more and more...until the birth of my son.

That day...even if only for a moment, I felt as if I could be whole again. We would all together again...we would a family again.

It had to have been somewhere around three in the morning when Ava called.

"The baby..." She gasped out, groaning after. "He's coming."

"W-What?!"

I hopped up from my bed, rushing to the dresser to put on some pants. this was one of the nights where I could catch a couple of minutes of sleep. In fact, I dozed off literally minutes before my phone rang. "Where are you?!" I asked Ava.

She groaned again. "On my..." Another groan. "On my way to the hospital."

I was out the door quickly, car keys and shirt in hand. Putting on a shirt wasn't important as I hopped into my Chevy Impala and sped down the driveway. "I'm on my way! I'll be there soon. Where's Lily?"

"In the car." She told me. "My mom-Oh my SHIT!" She took many deep breaths and I heard a voice in the background. "Breathe." Ava told herself. "My mom is driving." She finished her sentence. "LA Medical."

I rushed through hours worth of traffic that night, risking many tickets to reach my wife in time to be there for the arrival of my son. I couldn't wait to get there, coach her through like I had the last time...even get the life squeezed out of my hand. I just wanted to be there to experience it...to see my son come into the world. My son...my son.

Just thinking about seeing him made my foot press harder on the gas.

I sped up to the hospital entrance, seeing the sun begin to rise in the distance. It takes a long time to get to LA from Oakland, usually about 5 hrs. I made it there in 3 and a half.