Light (The Shadows Series)

by Amber Lacie

  Someone asks if I’m related to her. I open my mouth to speak, but the detective speaks up for me. “This is her husband. He’s to go where she goes.” He winks at me, as he nods his head and shakes my hand before walking away. I couldn’t be more grateful for his little white lie and for his help. I watch, as the medevac lifts from the roof of the hospital, taking my life with it. Evan is waiting for me outside the emergency room. This man is my savior. He has everything I have asked for. We slide into the car, driving into the darkness, headed towards Chicago.

  I don’t go to church. I am not a religious man. I don’t know if God exists or not, but I pray anyways. I pray to anyone who will listen during the long drive. I pray they bring her back to me and pray for the life we created together. I offer my body up to take their place. I would offer my life for hers, but I can’t. I am just an empty shell because my life is soaring in the clouds above us, fighting for hers.

  The room is full of cool and calming colors. It’s as if they know, I might break soon. They tell me that she is stable now. I am pacing back and forth, waiting for an update on her. She was so badly beaten, I will never in my life forget how she looked tied to that bed, battered and broken. Eve’s parents arrived shortly after I did. Linda is beside herself. She keeps crying, mumbling about her baby. Phillip is sitting by her side with his arms around her shoulders. She keeps asking him questions, but she is crying so hard that he can’t understand her. It doesn’t matter. Nothing he could say would give her any solace.

  Robert is leaning against the wall next to the vending machine. He hasn’t said a word. I can feel him staring at me, as his eyes bore a hole into me. I know he hates me, but it is nowhere near the hatred and contempt that I feel for myself. I can’t look at him. I try not to look at any of them. My reflection catches me off guard, as I pace in front of the windows. The man I see before me is not someone I recognize. He is a hollow shell of who I used to be. There is nothing left in me without her. There is no hope, no light. There are only dark shadows twisting and consuming inside the hollow spot where my soul once was.

  Kayla went downstairs for some coffee. This must be so hard for her, since Eve is the only real friend she has left. When Evan said Anne was involved, I had my doubts. He had to be wrong, but when I saw her there, holding that gun to my face, I knew she was never the person that Eve thought she was. Someone in a white jacket walks past and we all hold our breath. As they pass us by, we collectively exhale knowing there isn’t any news, yet.

  Fuck. Why is this taking so long? This pacing is making me feel sick. I want to vomit. Sliding into a chair, I drop my elbows to my knees, hanging my head. My face stings from wiping it so much. I know men can cry. My gram told me when my mom passed, that love and heartache will cause grown men cry. What she failed to tell me is how much I could love someone else. She didn’t mention losing the love of my life either, but then again she didn’t know. I rub my hands over my face and through my hair.

  “God damn it! What the hell is taking them so long?” Robert kicks the garbage can beside him into the wall. If he wanted attention, he now has it. He starts pacing where I left off. I look up when a pair of black boots stop in front of me. Robert is standing over me, his fists clenched at his side. I know he wants to hit me. I am not sure what is holding him back this time. I want him to hit me. I want him to pummel me until there is nothing left of me. I want to writhe in that pain, knowing I might catch a glimpse of what my Eve is going through.

  “I’m Doctor O’Connell.” My body jumps to its feet, as we all turn around to face the man in the long white coat. “If I could speak to Mrs. Davidson’s husband.”

  “I’m sorry?” Linda looks around confused. Robert catches on and starts to say something, but his dad kicks him in the leg.

  “I believe he means, Theron.” Phillip pushes me forward and I follow the doctor to the other side of the room.

  “I’m sure you are aware of her multiple injuries. She’s been through a lot of trauma and right now it doesn’t seem her body wants to wake up.”

  My ears are humming and I can barely make out what he is saying. I swallow, trying to regain my nerves. “I don’t follow. Can you be more specific?”

  He flips through papers on the clipboard in his hand. This can’t be good if he has to read them off. “There’s quite a lot. She has an isolated skull fracture with a cerebral contusion. In layman terms, it is bruising of the brain, most likely caused by a blow to the head. She has some soft tissue abdominal bruising along her sides, as well as deep tissue bruising on her back. She has three fractured ribs and renal trauma. Her kidneys are most, likely bruised from a severe blow to her back, which would also explain two of the fractured ribs. The other one is fractured on her chest. There is also more bruising along her ankles and wrists. Her shoulders will be sore from the state of the positioning she was kept. She also has a broken tibial plateau with a severe bicondylar fracture. She will have to have surgery and will most likely have screws put in place. Her knee is severely dislocated, as well as fractured. We were able to make her as comfortable as possible and she is stable. I want you to know that we have also run tests for traces of semen.”

  Shit. The ground sways under me. What the hell did that fat bastard do to her? If he wasn’t already dead, I would kill him myself. “Was she…did he…tell me she wasn’t raped.”

  “No, she wasn’t. We had some concerns when we saw the bruising on the inside of her thighs, along with her fingernails missing, it leads us to believe that was defending herself. As I said, there were no traces or any injuries to that specific part of her body. We did run some blood work, x-rays and labs. Were you aware that your wife is pregnant?”

  “What?” Robert yells from across the room. “Are you fucking kidding me? She is pregnant and you let this happen to her. I’ll fucking kill you!” Leaping onto a chair, he knocks it over, as he jumps towards me. I don’t move, I’m frozen in place. Kayla and Paul come back just in time for Paul to help hold Robert back. Paul and Phillip are holding onto Robert’s arms. He is yelling, spit flying from his mouth. He looks like a deranged, rabid animal.

  “Do I need to call security?” The doctor is looking at us, as if we have all gone insane.

  “No, I’m sorry. As you can see we all love her very much, and we are deeply worried. You said, ‘is pregnant.’ Is the baby okay?”

  “We did an ultrasound and everything seems to be okay. We will keep a close eye on her and monitor any changes while she is here. The orthopedic surgeon and anesthesiologist are with her now. Once she is out of surgery, and we make sure everything is as comfortable as possible for her, we will take her to her room. I was informed that you already have her room number.”

  “I do. I wrote it down before they took her in the helicopter.”

  “Good. You may wait here, until she is settled. Anyone wishing to visit her, must be signed in. No one may stay overnight, with the exception of you, since you are her husband. As I said earlier, her body has been through a lot of trauma and she doesn’t seem to want to wake up right now. She is breathing on her own, which is a good sign. Sometimes the body puts itself into a coma. It is her own way of healing. I can’t guarantee you when she will wake up, but I do know it will be on her own terms.”

  “What do I do now?”

  “You wait. That is all any of you can do. Once she’s in her room, I will send a nurse to collect you.” He shakes my hand and gives a nod of his head to everyone else. I watch, as he walks out of the room and down the hallway, disappearing from my view. I turn around to face everyone, now staring at me. I am sure they heard most of what he said, but I feel the urge to explain a little.

  “Eve’s knee is pretty fucked up. They are taking her back to surgery now. She has some broken ribs, a skull fracture, and lots of bruising.” All I see are eyes staring back at me, waiting for me to tell them some kind of a miracle, but I can’t. I am praying for one as well. “The baby is fine, but Eve is in a coma. The doctor told me that it’s her w
ay of healing, and she will wake up when she’s ready.”

  Linda starts to softly sob, as Phillip embraces her in his arms. Kayla falls into a chair, burying her face in her hands. She is not sobbing, but I know that she’s crying. Paul sits beside her, rubbing her back. I look back over at Robert. He looks as if he has seen death himself. He walks past me, as if I’m not even there. I slide down the wall next to me, bending my knees up to my chest, I sit on the floor. Now we wait.

  Time slowly creeps by. No one has left the waiting room, besides to use the bathroom. I have no idea how long I have been sitting on the floor, but my legs are stretched out in front of me, completely numb. A nurse in pink scrubs walks into the room. My legs wobble, as I clumsily try to stand. “Mr. Davidson, if you’d like to follow me, I can take you to her now.”

  “Wait just a moment, please.” I walk over to Linda, placing my hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to go see her now. Will you come with me? I can’t do this alone.” Her head lifts up with confusion and her eyes search me for something. I have nothing to offer her, but my fear of what I will find waiting for me in that room. She takes my hand and kisses her husband and son on the cheek, before stopping to pat Kayla’s back. We head down the bright hallways, following the nurse.

  We get to her room, and I push open the door. There are two nurses in blue scrubs moving machines, and propping Eve’s knee up on pillows. Despite her outer appearance, she looks peaceful as she sleeps. Her face is different hues of purples and blues; some are mixed together, creating new colors. Her leg is in a cast type brace that is almost the entire length of her leg. A hand squeezes mine, and I turn my head to see Linda with tears sliding down her cheeks.

  “What did they do to my baby? Why Theron? Why would anyone ever hurt her? She is so sweet and gentle. She’d never hurt a soul.” Another sob escapes her and she places her hand over her mouth, trying to catch it as she walks over to Eve’s bed. The nurse brings Linda a chair, and I help her into it. Brushing Eve’s hair out of her face, she turns to look at me. “I know this isn’t your fault. I don’t care how you are connected to it. It is not your fault. I see the way you look at her, you love her. She needs you now, even more so with the baby on the way. She’s going to be broken and sore, not just physically either. It’s your job to put her back together, give her whatever she needs to survive this. Don’t forget to love her. This is going to be hard, but you will have to be the one who holds everything together. Can I count on you to do that?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have loved her since I was fourteen. I have never stopped loving her, and I always will.”

  “Good. Let me sit with her just a few minutes longer, and then I’ll leave you two be. I will let everyone else know that they can come back in the morning. Do you need anything?”

  “No. I’ll let Evan know to bring my things up.”

  Linda gently places a kiss on Eve’s hand, just above her bandages. “How is Evan?”

  “He’s doing as well as expected.”

  “Give him my condolences, please. I know this must be a hard time for him.”

  “You knew?”

  “Your gram came by the house with him. She wanted my permission to contact Evelyn, so she could explain some things. I watched them together. I could tell something was there, you could see it in the way he looked at her.” I watch, as Linda checks over Eve with one hand, gently touching her bruises and arms. She wipes away her tears, while still holding Eve’s hand, never letting it go. “I believe that I’m exhausted. I think I’ll head home now. Call me immediately if anything changes, good or bad. I want to be the first to know.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She stands and briefly kisses me on the cheek. Then she leaves me alone with my sleeping beauty. I send Evan a text, letting him know that I need our luggage brought up. Making myself comfortable in the chair, I take her hand in mine and watch her as she sleeps.

  It is not long before Evan comes into the room with the bags that I asked for. He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t need to. Nothing he could say could make this any better, so he just stands beside me. After a few minutes, he squeezes my shoulder and then leaves me alone with Eve. I should never have left her alone. I wish I would have gotten to her sooner. I also wish that Anne hadn’t shot Ben. I wanted to be the one to pull the trigger. A nurse comes into the room and records some stuff onto Eve’s chart. I suddenly feel exhausted. I excuse myself into the bathroom and change my clothes. When I come out, the nurse is gone. She laid out a blanket and a pillow for me on the blue couch by the window. It takes me a couple of seconds before I figure out how to pull it out into a bed. It’s not very big. In fact, I am too long for it. I try to make myself as comfortable as possible. Turning onto my side to face Eve, I lay quietly just listening to the beeps of the machine and her breathing. I don’t know how long I lay there waiting for sleep to claim me, but eventually it does.

  Nurses came in and out all throughout the night. Sleep seems pointless. Even without the constant stirring of people, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Worry and the feeling of helplessness is eating away at me. I give up around five in the morning, and get dressed. I have just finished brushing my teeth, when I hear a knock on the door. I step out of the bathroom, as a young doctor walks in.

  “How is our patient this morning?”

  “Asleep. She looks like hell, and she’s still asleep.” I don’t mean to come off as an asshole, but it happens. I don’t care how I’m perceived or about anything else around me, except for my girl.

  “I know how frustrating this can be. She’s healing and the rest is exactly what her body needs right now. I’m going to check the sutures on her leg. The swelling in her face has gone down immensely, which is a great improvement.”

  Anger seeps through me, as I watch him check her vitals and inspect her injuries. If I could get my hands on Anne…I would burn her alive. I would light the match and take joy in watching her body burn to ashes. I want to hear her scream, knowing that I am the cause of her pain. She deserves every second of torture at the mercy of my hands. I am pulled from my inhumane thoughts, when I see the doctor standing in front of me again. He looks like he is waiting for something.

  “I’m sorry. I’m lost in my thoughts. Did you say something?”

  “It’s quite alright. Letting her rest and taking care of yourself in the meantime is exactly what she needs. The nurses will be back in for their rounds in a little while. Do you need anything or have any questions right now?”

  “No.”

  The doctor leaves and once again, I am alone with Eve. I would give anything for her to wake up and just tell me that everything is okay. It seems as though I will just have to wait. I fix the sofa I was laying on, folding up the blanket and placing it in one of the drawers across from her bed. Pulling a chair next to her, I carefully take one of her hands in mine, and watch the clock at the seconds tick away.

  For four days, I watch as the seconds, minutes, and hours inch by. Her family comes and goes. Kayla and Evan keep checking on me. I refuse to leave. I don’t want her to wake up and be alone. Her mom stays with her a few times, while I shower or grab something to eat, but I always rush right back. She is laying so peacefully. Closing my eyes, I rest my head on her bed and pray for her to wake up. I am afraid of what I might do if she doesn’t wake soon.

  There is a tap on the door and I jerk my head up. I must have dozed off again. It is just after ten. Evan walks in and hands me a coffee. I take a drink and shudder at the bitter taste. Eve would hate this coffee. She would have to drown it in creamer and sugar before she drank this crap. I haven’t slept and all I have to rely on for caffeine is this horrible tasting sludge in my cup.

  “I know. It’s shit, but it is all they have on the floor. I figure I can get you something better later. I wanted to get here, so I can give you a heads up. Detectives Hallows and Markz called me. They wanted to approach me first, so I could get a read on you.”

  “What happened, Evan? I don
’t have any patience for bullshit or games.” He leans against the counter across from me with his legs crossed and stretched out in front of him. His face isn’t giving anything away.

  “From what I understand, Anne had quite a lot to say the night they took her in. They want to make sure that you’re stable before they come up here. They need to ask you some questions, and Hallows was insistent on it being today.”

  “Fucking cops. I get that they have a job to do, but shouldn’t I get some kind of time to process all of this. Fuck, Evan. Look at her. They fucking broke her!” Running my hands through my hair, I stand and start pacing back and forth. Why does it have to be today? I look over at Eve. Anne needs to pay for what she has done.

  “Whoa. You alright?”

  I stop dead in my tracks and glare at Evan. “What?”

  “What are you doing in your head, Theron? Your face twisted, you look dark. A dark man does dangerous things. I don’t know what you are thinking or planning, but stop. She needs you right now. If you’re behind bars, it won’t do her any good.”

  “Set up a meeting with the detectives for later today. Linda and Phillip will be here after lunch. Try to set it up so that Eve is never alone.”

  “Will do.” Evan turns to walk out, but I grab his arm.