Betting Against the Odds

by Morgan, Sabrina

  The guard glanced at me, “Is that true miss?” I shook my head yes, “I socked her because she threatened me,” Isabella gave a scream, “She’s a liar ask anyone.”

  A women stepped up to me talking to the guard pointing at Isabella, “This woman started everything officer we all saw it,” the crowd all shook their heads in agreement as the officer put handcuffs on a screaming Isabella leading her down the corridor.

  Her friend slid next to me whispering in my ear, “Do me a favor and tell Anna my cousin I will be seeing her soon,” she laughed sliding into the crowd disappearing as I stared at her was that Christy? With Isabella?

  A hand went to my shoulder gaining my attention I looked at the women who stuck up for me smiling, “Thank you for that,” she waved her hand dismissing me, “That girl deserved it now honey you go home to your man and don’t listen to a thing that skinny twig said.”

  I laughed grabbing my stuff waving at the crowd as I went home to wait for my husband.

  It was 10 o’ clock he was an hour late. I knew he had a lot of work but I really needed to tell him about what happened today. I grabbed my phone dialing Matt’s number it going to voicemail. Hmm.

  “Matt this is your wife. You are not home yet. Actually you are an hour late if you don’t come home soon you are going to regret it do you hear me Matthew Collins. I don’t know what you are doing but we have things to talk about. Okay fine don’t answer keep the secrets I am going to bed now Husband. Love you”

  I hung up the phone feeling lonely and tired I went up my stairs into our bed falling into a fast sleep hoping Matt would be home what I didn’t know was I wouldn’t see him again not tonight.

  Ch. 20: Surgery (Matt’s POV)

  I was tired I had to take care of things at work with Seamus and we had to plan how to handle Isabella’s threat which none of us were taking lightly especially now that we found out Gio was related to the man Luke killed Anna’s uncle Mike. Things were turning out to be more complicated then what we thought. To top all of that of I made Penelope mad because I wanted her to go with someone to the store. I wasn’t trying to be a dick I was just trying to protect her especially since this morning when I left she didn’t look to good.

  I must have fell asleep because next thing I knew I was being jostled awake by Seamus who was holding up my phone with a missed voicemail from Penelope. I looked at the clock noting that I was an hour late for dinner our first dinner in our new house. Fuck. I grabbed my phone pushing the button to listen to the voicemail as I cleared my mess getting ready to leave.

  I heard her sigh before she started talking:

  “Matt this is your wife. You are not home yet. Actually you are an hour late if you don’t come home soon you are going to regret it do you hear me Matthew Collins. I don’t know what you are doing but we have things to talk about. Okay fine don’t answer keep the secrets I am going to bed now Husband. Love you”

  Fuck I hung up the phone grabbing my keys yelling goodbye to everyone as I jumped on my motorcycle rushing home to my wife. I screwed up. She didn’t sound mad though she sounded tired and resigned. I hope she is still awake I am going to have to make this up to her in a great way. I know I will stay home tomorrow and we can spend all day together making our house more of a home. Yea that’s what I will do.

  I ran to the door unlocking it as I slammed the door shut calling out to her. No answer. Man she must be pissed I am in the dog house. I chuckled as I ran upstairs two steps at a time, “Love, I am so sorry I was late but I am only 15 minutes late so I shouldn’t be to in trouble right?” I made my way into the room noticing that the blankets were kicked of the bed puke on the floor. Oh shit. I ran to the bathroom door pushing it open but it didn’t want to budge.

  “Penelope open the door are you okay?” no answer I slammed into the door pushing it open screaming as I took in the pills laying on the floor and Penelope laying on the floor blood dripping form her mouth her face a pale white. I ran to her putting her head in my lap listening for her heartbeat. I could feel it. But it was light. Oh God please no.

  “Hold on baby I am calling the ambulance hold on I am here,” she stirred in my lap as she coughed up blood. I held her head up so she didn’t choke on the blood as I dialed the phone.

  “911 what’s your emergency?” the operator said.

  “My wife she- she’s dying I need help she has a brain tumor I found her on the bathroom floor she is coughing up blood please hurry it don’t look good,” the operator spoke briskly, “Okay sir I sent the ambulance out they will be their soon I need you to stay on the phone with me until they get here,” I shook my head crying, “Okay”

  She stayed on the phone until I heard the siren and my door being thrown open. The paramedics moved me out of the way as they checked her hooking her up to an oxygen mask, ‘Where are you taking her?” the paramedic yelled, “To St. Marks hospital if she has a doctor call to let him know so he will be there.”

  I shook my head okay as I dialed her doctor, “Son what is going on how is Penelope,” I shouted to him, “She is bad she is on her way to St. Marks meet me there fast please Doc,” I hung up as I dialed Cole.

  “Hey bro what’s up? You in the dog house you need to sleep on my couch,” I made a strangled noise making him shut up, “Cole call everyone Penelope she isn’t good she was passed out on the floor they took her to St. Mark’s hospital I have to go.”

  I heard him yell to someone, “We will be there Matt just be careful stay calm we are coming,” he hung up as I raced to the hospital.

  I ran straight to the nurses desk, “My wife Penelope Collins she came by ambulance where the hell is she?”

  The nurse gave me a look, “Sir I need you to calm down and I also need you to sign these papers,” what the fuck papers? Was she serious?’

  “I don’t want to sign no papers I want to see my fucking wife where is she!” I yelled as I heard my name being called Elaina, Cole, Luke, Anna, and Seamus walking towards me Cole held me as Seamus walked up to the nurses station talking quietly to her.

  “Come on Matt we have a private waiting room the nurse said Penelope’s doctor is with her but she needs us to fill out paper work like does Penelope have a living will stating what she wants to happen to her if she cannot say it herself,” I gave him a shake of my head as they sat me down on a chair.

  We sat there for thirty minutes as Mrs. Rose, my parents, Nate, and Janet walked in all of them looking terrible I didn’t even have the strength to acknowledge them as they sat down with us. A few minutes later I heard my name being called I looked up as Doc came through the door. I ran to him, “Is she okay?”

  He gave me a sad nod, “No her brain has slight bleeding son and you have a choice to make you see Penelope didn’t make a decision in paper so as her husband it is up to you to make that choice.”

  I took a deep breath in, “what are my options?”

  “Well son if her brain continues to bleed she will die soon but we can go ahead with the surgery but the odds just lowered Matt she has only a 3% survival rate now if she makes it out we do not know what problems she may have or she may not survive the operation at all,” Doc said quietly his eyes tearing up.

  “We just got married,” I whispered my mom holding me as I cried out, “We just fucking got married and your telling me that I have a 3% chance of going home with my wife after this is all over but it isn’t guaranteed if she will be fine if she makes it. Am I correct?”

  Doc shook his head with a firm yes, “Matt I know this is hard but the longer you take the lower her chances I need an answer. Now!”

  “No” a woman’s voice answered behind me I turned to see Penelope’s mother and father standing there looking like they were just discussing dinner choices and not their daughter’s life.

  “Excuse me,” I growled out Cole and Luke coming to stand by me.

  “I said no my daughter will have no surgery,” I laughed at her humorlessly striding up to her, “And who the fuck do you think you are
to make that decision?”

  She smiled at me, “Well I am her mother and I choose not to let my daughter suffer no more,” I wanted to slap the shit out of her so bad but Cole held my hands as she continued to speak, “I mean let’s be honest she will be better off dead she is so sick and she doesn’t fit in just let her die move on,” that’s it I was going to bitch slap her.

  I made my move when I heard a resounding slap my eyes blinking as I saw Mrs. Davis holding her very now red cheek and a pissed of Mrs. Rose standing over her. Mrs. Davis yelled in shock, “You are so fired you her me!”

  Mrs. Rose stood tall, “No you hear me you no good fame whore Penelope is better than you and that’s why you don’t like her but it doesn’t matter what you say because she is married you have no rights here so just fucking leave before I put my poor shoes up your Botox ass,” Mrs. Davies looked towards the Doc and the officers that came in I don’t know when, “Doctor I am her mother,” the good Doc threw up his hand, “He is her husband he has final say.”

  Everyone looked at me, “I guaranteed her my love no matter what and my heart is telling me she isn’t done she’s not done fighting. I want the surgery.”

  Doc nodded taking off as Mrs. Davis started to make a damn scene well the officers escorted her and her husband off the premises. Mr. Davis didn’t speak until he was almost out the door, “You will regret this decision she isn’t strong enough to survive this surgery and even if she does make it she may be even more broken, maybe she will be blind, or maybe she would nto be able to communicate anymore. Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life taking care of a girl that you just met what five months ago?” I gave him an angry glare as I waled up to him until we were face to face with each other, “When she gets better I will take her to our home and love her no matter what may happen she is mine so why don’t you just leave. She doesn’t need you she has me, she has her family, and when we do make it home if you or you fucking wife try to even attempt to speak to my wife I will have a restraining order put against you. Now get the fuck out of my face you bastard.”

  I sat done our family and friends surrounding me as we waited to see if I made the right choice or not. I crossed my finger and blessed myself knowing that this was the biggest gamble I have ever made in my whole entire life.

  Five fucking hours have passed and no word nothing. I haven’t moved even though everyone tries to help me by trying to make me sleep or talk or eat. I told them all to fuck off all I wanted was my love. I can’t believe this I should have been there and I wasn’t I failed as a husband I was with the boys planning well my wife was laying on the floor fucking fighting to stay awake long enough to take her pills and I wasn’t fucking there I didn’t even get to tell her I love her.

  I jumped from my seat as all the anger swam in my blood not knowing what to do how am I supposed to live without her?, “Fuck,” I yelled slamming my fist into the wall over and over again. Cole grabbing me from behind as he tried to calm me down but I couldn’t hear, I couldn’t see, and I sure the fuck couldn’t feel anything. Luke came out of know where knocking me to the floor as he sat down on me well Cole and Nate held my arms down.

  “I know,” Luke screamed in my face, “I know how this fucking feels I know what it feels like to not be able to save the person you love,” I calmed down looking at him closely as his eyes gathered unshed tears, “I lost my sister to cancer when she was 9. I am not saying this to make you feel like shit or make you feel like what you are feeling doesn’t matter. It fucking does it matters you have every right to be angry but right now you need to be fucking strong for her she needs you to fight for her as she fights for herself. Don’t give up Matt.”

  That’s all it took for me to start crying like a little kid as everyone watched me break down, “I didn’t tell her I love her. I was late I should have been there,” Luke shook his head sadly, “The truth is Matt even if you were there this would still be the outcome and Penelope knows you love her. That girl looks at you like you are her world as much as she is your light. Don’t let your light dim.”

  I cried holding on to my friends as I let myself feel everything I let myself go. I cried as my mama held me speaking to me softly as we waited for words from the doctor. I knew in my soul that my wife was still fighting she wasn’t dimming so I shouldn’t be grieving like she was already gone I should be hoping and praying that she will be fine. I have so much to tell her. I want to tell her that I love her so much, tell her about me buying a car for us, and I want to tell her I want at least 5 kids with her and I want to make them as soon as possible. She would make a great mom. I want to take her to make a whole new bucket list with her that we could work on all of our lives. I want more time with her. I need more time with her. God, I need my light.

  I heard the door open my head swinging towards the sound of it my eyes landing on a very ragged looking Doc. I stood up walking to him slowly my heart beating rapidly as I stopped in front of him, “Doc, how is she? Is she okay?” I whispered lowly praying that she was fine.

  “Matt,” he took a breath in and out as he stared me straight in the eyes, “The surgery is done there was a complication a vessel burst but we were able to stop the bleeding. She is alive.”

  I gave a strangled laugh as I let his words wash through my body alive she is alive, “Okay when can I see her?”

  He shook his head lightly his hand landing on my shoulder holding me still, “She is alive but she isn’t awake. She slipped into a coma. We don’t know if or when she will wake up. And we don’t know how she will be if or when she wakes up. As of right now we are in the dark.”

  I heard Mrs. Rose say a pray behind me as I stared at the doctor not understanding, “A coma? But what do we do now?”

  I was at a lost and so was everyone else as we waited for the doctor’s reply, “We pray son. We pray.”

  I slinked down to my knees doing just that as my family and friends held me close praying for my beautiful Penelope to wake up.

  Ch. 21: Where am I? (Penelope’s and Matt’s POV)

  Penelope’s POV:

  I felt weird, heavy pressure strangling me. I tried to open my eyes but it hurt too much. I kept blinking trying to see where I was as when my eyes opened to darkness. Where am I? I cried out for Matt not sure what was going on.

  “Matt baby can you hear me?” my voice echoed around me wrapping around me as a sat in the darkness. I didn’t know what to do. I remember going to bed and waking up vomiting having to get my pills in the bathroom. Then nothing. Nothing at all. I sat still crying as I tried to see or hear anything and that’s when I heard his voice.

  “Love, I am here? He sounded so sad I hope he is okay, “Everyone’s here for you baby our family. I am so sorry I was late. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I failed you as a husband. Baby I need you to wake up for me please do not leave me.”

  Leave him? What does he mean? Where was I? I couldn’t hear him anymore. I stood up from the floor brushing myself off as I started to stumble in the darkness trying to find a light. My hand reached for something right as my feet gave into the nothingness I was walking on. I fell long and hard until I landed in my living room of my new house.

  I stood still not sure what to do as I looked around my house. I walked up the stairs wanting to see Matt, “Matt are you home?” I yelled but there was no answer. I kept walking opening the door to see Matt on the floor crying into my clothes. I ran to him going to hold him when my arms went straight through him. I stepped back scared, “Matty what is wrong?” he didn’t even look up I yelled his name, “Matt look at me!” Nothing, he just sat there crying into my clothes as I watched my beautiful strong husband breakdown.

  “Oh love I am so sorry baby please wake up baby. I need you. I need my light. I don’t think I can survive without you,” I cried silently watching him grieve when the bedroom door opened Cole walking straight to Matt lifting him up and dragging him to the shower, “I know man. I know but you have to take care of yourself so you
can take care of Penelope. Elaina is with her right now but she has to go to work so get in the shower so I can drive you to the hospital to see her.”

  I am in the hospital? What happened? I closed my eyes trying to breathe normally as my eyes opened landing on Elaina who was crying sitting on a chair. I walked towards her glancing at the person on the bed. I grasped out loud. It was me. I looked horrible tubes sticking out of my body. Bags under my eyes and I looked skinnier. Elaina held my lifeless hand tightly as she spoke, “Penny I need you to wake up now. You are my best friend. My sister. I can’t do this without you. You are the only one that knows about my personal life. You’re the one who loved me for me no matter what. You have people here who love you Penny. Matt is bad baby. He is really bad he hasn’t been eating or sleeping. I am scared but I have faith that you will wake up so I want you to fight Penny fight for yourself, for us, and fight for that man who will die without you. Fight.”

  I realized now what was going on I was in a coma. I must have had my surgery. I survived it so why won’t I wake up? I want to wake up now. I walked to my sleeping form trying to figure out what I should do next when I heard a small voice say my name, “Hello Penelope.”

  I looked behind me a little girl wearing a pink dress with blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked like an angel, “Hello who are you and why can you see me?”

  The little girl gave me a giggle, “My name is Lacy and I can see you because I am an angel.” Lacy? An angel? Does that mean I am going to die?

  Matt’s POV:

  Penelope has been in a coma for a month already and there still wasn’t any sign of her waking up nothing at all. We all took shifts seeing her as my friends and family forced me to leave my wife every once in a while to sleep or eat. But I couldn’t. Didn’t they understand I couldn’t survive without her why would I want to?