“How are you, Melodi dear?” Catherine’s sweet, sincere voice whispers throughout the room as her sad eyes move to her son.

How am I going? That is the million dollar question. How is one meant to feel when this happens? Broken. Scared. Hopeful that he pulls through.

“I’m getting there,” is all I manage.

“Have you spoken to your mom and dad?”

I nod. “Yeah, they went away for a small holiday. They should be here by the end of the day.” I’m glad Mum is coming because right now I need her. Times like these, a girl always needs her mumma to comfort her and tell her everything will be all right.

“That’s good.”

I take my eyes off the peaceful looking Corban, who’s lying unmoving in the hospital bed, tubes hanging out of his mouth, drips in his arm. It breaks me in every way possible. I plead with whoever is out there, “Please let him wake up soon. I need him with me.”

“How are you doing?” I ask, glancing her way, to only see the same pain on her face that’s mirrored with my own.

“I’m okay. I have faith he’ll wake up soon. It’s just taking his body a little time to recover.” She takes his other hand, rubbing it gently as a mother would.

“How’s Paul taking it all?”

Pain flickers in her eyes and tears begin to slide down her face. I get up rushing over to her, wrapping her in my embrace. We stand silently, shedding those tears once again together.

“He’s finding it very hard to come to term with everything that’s happened, with Corban being here and the situation with Athena. It’s broken him. She is his baby, and even though she’s difficult, she was always his favourite. Please don’t tell Rachel that.” She releases a little giggle as do I. If Rach had heard that, she would’ve flipped her lid and not in a very nice way. Maybe a week ago she would’ve laughed about it, but not now.

“Did the police find out how they got into your place?”

Standing back, I release her, looking directly into her eyes. “Athena made a copy the day I misplaced my keys when my parents were here visiting. She had taken them and then returned my keys to my desk at work. It looked as though I had left them there.”

Catherine covers her mouth in shock at what she had just heard. She shakes her head, turns and walks away without saying another word.

I take my place once again by Corban’s side, resting my head against his hand. Watching and hoping.

“Please, babe, wake up. I need to see those blue eyes open. I need you to hug me and comfort me. I need you in my life, you’re my future, my everything,” I whisper silently while placing a light kiss on his hand. I long for his touch once again, the way it ignites every cell within me is magical. He is my soul mate.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Abby

I’m about to walk into Corban’s room, and by walk, I mean hobble with crutches. Anxiousness gnaws away at my insides along with the guilt, guilt over all that I have caused. If only I could turn back the clock and do it all over again. I would make better choices. I wouldn’t have left my family, I would have told them about Jacob, and I could have had Blake there when I needed him and when his daughter needed him. I have Blake and Katie by my side, and it hurts me seeing the pain reflected in Melodi’s eyes and in every crease upon her sad face. She always puts on a happy smile when she sees us, but I can tell that it’s not genuine. After all, I am her sister and can read her easily. She puts on a brave face so we won’t see the pain that hides behind that mask she wears so well.

As we are about to enter, I hear her whispering to him, begging him to wake up. A lump forms in my throat and immediately think I shouldn’t go in there. Blake comes up beside me and wraps me in his arms. He’s been amazing throughout this whole experience, helping me and making me rest. He knows exactly how I’m feeling, because we have each other for support, yet here is my sister crying for her man in the hopes that he wakes up. They have told us that he will, but he needs time to heal.

I’m about to proceed through the door just as his doctor arrives.

“Good morning.”

With his greeting, Melodi looks up and see us, smiling. The looks she gives is genuine with no falseness behind it. Blake and I greet the doctor as we enter. I go around to Melodi and she stands so we can embrace each other tightly. So many unspoken words are said with a simple hug. She knows I’m not going anywhere now and that I’ll be here for her no matter what. She allows me to take her seat so I can rest my leg. She’s always thinking of others.

The doctor checks Corban’s chart and then examines his current readings on the machines that are hooked up to his body. He takes a few notes before he finally speaks. “Well, he looks to be healing well by the results I see before me. He should wake up soon. There will be no permanent damage from the bullet, but he will be tender for a few more days. I’ll remove the tube now so he doesn’t struggle when he wakes up.” He asks a nurse to assist him and we watch anxiously as he removes the tube from Corban’s mouth. Once he’s finished, he walks out the door. Corban looks more like himself without that tube.

Doctors definitely aren’t ones for small talk and this doctor was no different.

“How are you doing today?” I’m sure she’s been asked this a heap of times over the last few days and is sick of hearing it and repeating herself, but I want to check.

Her eyes never leave Corban when she answers. “Yeah, I’m okay or as good as I’m going to be until he wakes up. How are you? How’s the leg?”

“It’s getting there. There was a small amount of damage to the muscle which I’ll need some physio for, but it’s all good.”

We are both sporting bruises over our bodies, especially our faces. Jacob wasn’t kind to either of us. I look at Melodi with her dark bruises on her perfect face. I can’t even bring myself to look in the mirror. I can feel my busted lip and I know how many stitches my face needed, they weren’t very pleasant at the time. I still remember the little jabs of pain even though it was numb.

We sit in silence for a short while. I’m about to speak when a very familiar face comes rushing into the room, stopping dead in her tracks. My heart stops, it’s as though my world is spinning but moving in slow motion at the same time.

Mum…

“Mum,” I whisper breathlessly. My breathing is rapid. It’s possible my chest is about to explode. The one woman who’s constantly been in my thoughts throughout the last few years, and a lot more recently, knowing that she was going to be here any day. I’ve waited anxiously for this day. Tears begin to well in my eyes.

“Wh..what! Oh m…my goodness!” she screeches and clutches at her chest. “You’re meant to be…” The word hangs in the air. “I need to sit down before I fall down.” Blake quickly assists her to a spare seat. Her eyes never leave mine. “Is this real? Am I still dreaming?” Her hand still clutching at her chest, and she sounds breathless unable to breath.

“Just breath, Mum, it’s real.” Melodi rushes to her side encouraging her to breathe by breathing along with her. She’s doing some deep breaths like one would do while they’re in labour.

My beautiful Mum is right before me and she looks fantastic. She continues to watch me, tears streaming down her face. As I’m about to go to her, Dad comes around the corner to see what the commotion is all about, and stops instantly, just staring. Before I realise what’s happening Dad has collapsed into a heap on the ground his head in his hands sobbing, loudly. It breaks me, seeing my dad so emotional, it’s not something I’ve ever seen. A lump forms in my throat making it hard to swallow.

“Hey Mum. Hey Dad,” I manage to choke out. Melodi looks between us smiling. I slowly make my way toward Dad, who’s still on the ground. He gets up and engulfs me in his sweet embrace. Mum doesn’t hesitate and collides with Dad and me. We pull Melodi in as well. My family is back together, we may be a little bruised and worse for wear right now, but all that will heal with time.