Dave paced up and down the entrance of the Operating Room. When her pulse came back, it was weak, more of her little determination to live. Her eyes weren't opened,but she gave a shallow breath. Series of tests were ran on her and it was discovered that she injured her head due to the fall. Also, her left arm is broken because she first landed her head on her arm as she fell before she hit the head on the tarred road. She was rushed into the OR while Dave prompted to sign the necessary documents. The nurse in charge insisted on a family to do the signing. He spent minutes trying to convince her that he was the patient's fiance.
Also, Dave just couldn't imagine how he'd narrate the story to Nancy's mother. He remembered her discussion with him the day he was introduced to her. He could feel his anxiety rushing into his vein, his hands tremble violently, same as his sight and body. He felt like his time during his childhood, the déjà vu rush through his body. He tried relaxing himself. The only person that helped him calm down was in the OR, getting operated on. If she dies...he shook the thought away from his mind. She mustn't die. She must live.
When he was done signing, he approached Dorcas who was seated at the lobby. She had stopped crying but still scared. He squatted before her,
"Dorcas, listen to me with every attention you can give. They just spent eternity reviving Nancy's pulse which is now weak. They've detected another severe issues which has landed her in the OR. Now, the only thing that can save you from death is praying fervently that she doesn't die. Then, after the operation, you'll narrate to me what happened. Do you get me?!"
Dorcas nodded in fear. Dave spoke with a cold voice and a straight face. She had never seen him that cold before. She regretted her actions. Dave rose on his feet, he attempted to turn around but halted. "Irrespective of whoever calls you, if you leave this spot, you'll leave the surface of earth today. Try me."
Dorcas felt the fear in her spine. "I'm a dead meat." She whispered to herself as she buried her head in her palms.
Dave sat on the chair in front of the OR a bit before resuming to his pacing. The other residents, nurses and doctors who weren't operating on his fiance approached him, patted his back and assured him everything would be fine. After an hour, he heard a running footstep behind him. He turned and saw Tina. She ran towards him and hugged him.
"Big bro, what happened?"
As if he had been expecting a shoulder, he let the tears off the hook. The tears he had been keeping off his eyes. "I'm scared, Tina. I don't want to lose her. I can't afford to lose her."
Tina patted his back, "she'll not die, by God's grace." She let her brother wail on her shoulder till he was done. They both sat on the chair.
"How did you know what happened?"
"Dorcas called me."
"That witch!"
"She explained everything to me. I know you'd be in a devastating mood, and I was scared as well. I had to abandon all I was doing and I raced down here."
"She'd give me her own explanation later. But until Nancy is out of trouble, she mustn't move an inch from where she is. Else, I'll commit murder."
"Big bro, you can't do that! For Nancy's sake, don't cause any trouble yet. Be safe for her sake." She paused a bit.
"Have you called her mother?"
"Who? Nancy's?"
"Yes."
"Are you crazy? I can't! How do I tell her that her daughter whom she totally entrusted to me had accident with my ex which I've yet to know why it happened."
"According to what Dorcas told me, there was a fight."
Dave turned to look at her face. "A fight? Nancy wasn't the type that cause trouble. Dorcas is a trouble maker by birth."
"Her explanation wasn't explicit enough for me to comprehend. She kept shouting she didn't know there was a truck. I just ditched her and raced down here." She placed her hand on his shoulder, "don't worry. Nancy will be fine."
After another hour, those in the OR came out and approached them. "Don't worry, she's out of danger zone now. However, she needs to rest. Mr. Dave, may I see you in my office?"
Dave exchanged glances with Tina before he replied.
"Alright, Doctor. Can we see her now?"
"Yes, but in few minutes. Shall we?" He motioned to him to follow him.
After some minutes, he came back to meet Tina and Dorcas at the reception. They rose on their feet when they saw him.
"What did he say?"
"How's Nancy now?" Dorcas's voice still trembled. Dave ignored both of them. "Let's go see her now."
***
"Big bro, you've not told me what the doctor said." Tina asked Dave at the parking lot of the hospital. She was going home now.
"Tina." He exhaled. His voice was breaking. "He said Nancy might slip into coma and it's dangerous for her if she does. She might lost her memory completely or her sight if she does. She hasn't woken up and if she doesn't till tomorrow morning, she might slip into coma. Must life treat me like this? Must universe hate me this much? She's my comforter, must universe strip me of my comforts?" He broke down in tears. Tina became frightened at everything he said. If Nancy slipped into coma, when will she wake up? Tina squatted beside her brother and hugged him.
At the lobby, he saw Dorcas, sitting like a prisoner waiting for her death. He had bade Tina goodnight, now he had time for Dorcas. He beckoned on her to come outside. They strolled a bit away from the building, they found an empty bench under a flower tree and sat under it. It was already night fall.
"So, tell me. What happened?"
Dorcas swallowed hard, hesitated a bit before she started. Dave listened with undiversified attention, he tried to keep his cool as he didn't want to hit her. When she finished the narration, she went on her two knees and pleaded for forgiveness.
"I swear, I didn't know there was an incoming truck. I didn't know it'd end up like this. Please, forgive me."
Dave went silent for some minutes before he roared, "damn you, Dorcas!" She flinched on her knees. Dave stood up in fury. He was fuming, breathing hard. "You were stalking us. You stalked her as well. After I've warned you to stay far away. I warned you!" He paced up and down. "I warned you! I warned you!" He was resisting the urge to tighten his palms around her neck and strangle life out of her. "Now, what have you gotten from the stalking and fighting?"
"I'm sorry, Dave..."
"Don't you dare call my name. Don't say my name."
"...I just wanted to teach her a lesson."
"If I strike you, you'll think it's thunder."
"I'm sorry, please."
"Don't beg me. Beg who you worship to grant her quick recovery because if she dies, you'll rot in jail. Pinky promise."
He disdainfully looked at her as she weeped. He wanted to keep her mouth shut forever, he wanted to squeeze the life out of her. But he could hear Nancy's voice in his head calming him down. He burst into tears. He missed her already. "Leave my sight. But till Nancy recovers, you must be here all the time. If you leave, I'll hunt you down." He walked away, leaving her on the bench, wailing profusely.
As he walked away, he thought of how he'd tell her mother what happened. Or maybe Wumi. Someone from her side must know, else they'd be worried. He planned to tell Wumi first. But he had to be optimistic that she'd wake up before or in the morning. Nothing must happen to her.
At dawn, the first person he saw was Wumi. He had called her the previous night. He slept in one of the offices. He looked at the window and didn't see Dorcas. He shook his head in anger.
"What did you say happened to Nancy?" Wumi dropped her bag on the chair, arms akimbo. Curiosity, worrisome, and anger were etched on her face. Dave stood up slowly, as if to surrender.
"She had an accident yesterday."
"Yes, I heard that part. The part I didn't understand was the cause of the accident."
"I'll explain that later." He regretted telling her on phone last night the she had an argument with his ex. Quite foolish of him. "Let's go see her now." He prayed within himself that Nancy should have regained consciousness.
At the entrance of the ward, he saw nurses rushing into the ward. Without thinking, he raced behind them. Wumi also ran after him. He opened the door only to see the nurses and the doctor who operated on her examining her. He rushed to their side and saw Nancy sleeping peacefully. Her head was in white bandage, as well as her left arm. Her face was still as beautiful as ever but peaceful as she slept.
"Good morning, Doctor."
The doctor turned sharply to him. He almost freaked out at his sight. "Wow! Did you sleep here? Go home already."
"I will. How is she now?"
"Well..." The doctor shrugged, "she's out of danger zone. But she's not waking up."
Behind them, Wumi was stunned at the sight of her best friend. The tears found their way out of her eyes without hitch. She covered her mouth in awe at the sight.
"Has she slipped into coma?"
"Coma?" Wumi whispered.
"Well, as it is now, no, she hasn't. But she's not waking up. Let's give her more time to rest." He turned and saw Wumi.
"Who's she?"
"Her..."
"Family." She cut in Dave's sentence.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine soon. Let's thank God she has left danger zone. All now depends on her if she wants to wake up now or not. Your assistance is needed here too. Don't fight around her, share good things around her, she might want to wake up."
Still sobbing, Wumi nodded. She watched all of them leave except Dave. He knelt beside her bed, held her hand gently.
"Darling, please wake up. I love you. I'm so sorry you had to pass through everything. I'm sorry."
Wumi, still shocked to move, found her voice. "Dave, go home. Go freshen up and come back to work. I heard you're doing your residency here. I'll stay with her. You'll come back whenever you're less busy."
Dave shook his head. "I'm not leaving her side. Don't bother to talk me out of it."
"Hey!" Wumi found herself scolding him. "Do you think she'd want you to slack off at work because of her? Get your butts up now and go freshen up, then come back to work!" She exhaled. Dave, slightly terrified, stood up gently. He kissed Nancy's hand and left the ward.
"Tell Dorcas to go home too. But she must be back as soon as possible."
When Dave left, she dragged her feet towards Nancy on the bed. She stared speechlessly for a while before she broke down in tears. She gripped the side-rail of the bed and wept profusely.
"Nancy, please wake up. Your mother will be devastated if she learnt about this."
Nancy laid there, motionless. She seemed like someone who's not interested in coming back, like someone having a pleasant dream and didn't want to wake up.