Chapter 7 - The Hospital Vigil
The aftermath of the attack was a blur of police sirens and hospital corridors.
While Nathan’s injuries were minor,
the shock had taken a toll on the family.
Margaret sat in the waiting room,
her face pale,
her hands clutching her rosary.
Leah sat beside her,
feeling a deep sense of guilt.
"This is my fault,"
Leah whispered,
staring at the sterile white walls.
"If I hadn't come into your lives,"
"none of this would have happened."
Margaret looked at her,
her eyes fierce.
"Don't you dare say that,"
"Vanessa was a ticking time bomb of her own making."
"You didn't bring the darkness,
Leah,"
"You just brought the light that forced it to hide."
A doctor approached,
nodding at them.
"He’s resting now,"
"The chemical burns are superficial,"
"but he’ll need a few days of recovery."
Leah went into the room,
the sound of the heart monitor a steady,
reassuring rhythm.
Nathan looked small in the hospital bed,
his arm bandaged.
He opened his eyes as she approached,
a weak smile touching his lips.
"Is the dress okay?"
he joked,
his voice raspy.
Leah laughed through her tears,
sitting on the edge of the bed.
"You're an idiot,"
she said,
taking his hand.
"You could have been blinded."
"I would rather be blind than live in a world where I couldn't see you,"
he replied,
his gaze intense.
Leah leaned down,
kissing him softly,
a promise of a future they both deserved.
Outside,
the news was breaking.
Vanessa Brooks had been charged with attempted assault and would spend years in a psychiatric facility.
The public’s sympathy for the Sinclairs reached an all-time high.
But inside the room,
none of that mattered.
There was only the two of them,
two people from different worlds,
May you like
bound together by a single act of courage.
***
