After roaming the hospital halls despairingly for almost an hour, Brian found himself in front of Lila’s room. The hospital staff had been adamant earlier that there were absolutely no visitors allowed.

Glancing around, Brian observed the busy bustle of people scattered about the hallway. There were nurses, orderlies and doctors alike, but all too busy to take notice of him. With one last furtive glance about, he stepped towards the door and quickly entered Lila’s room unnoticed. He closed the heavy door behind him gently.

He stood for a moment, unable to move, desperately fighting the rising lump in his throat. As he saw Lila’s still deathly pale body lying there, his own body began to shake slightly.

Around her, machines beeped and whirred indicating her vital signs. Her arm was bandaged in a cast and unsightly cuts and bruises blemished her face. A large gash running down the side of her face had been unsuccessfully bandaged with gauze, which was now slightly matted with blood. To Brian, she appeared pale and powerless lying there.

Gingerly Brian sat down on the corner of her bed. He sat as far away from her as possible for the time being. He was scared to touch her. He sat there, staring at her pale face. It all made sense to him now. Her estranged behavior, her quick kisses, her disinterest – everything.

Why didn’t you tell me? he asked her silently. I would have taken care of you. We could have gone through everything together.

Slowly, he moved closer to her. Reaching down, he felt for her hand. He found it and laced his fingers through hers. For a second, he thought he felt Lila’s fingers curl around his.

Surprised, he glance quickly up at her face. He caught a sudden fluttering of her eyelashes, which ceased quickly. Brian sat with her for another hour trying to understand. He couldn’t though as much as he wanted to.

Holding Lila’s hand, he couldn’t fight the feelings that overcame his body. Everything was different now. Nothing would ever be the same again. He knew it was wrong to feel this way while Lila was in such frail condition, but he couldn’t help it. He felt betrayed. It was a horrible feeling knowing that despite how much Lila claimed to love him, she hadn’t loved him enough to share her pregnancy with him.

He felt his fingers relax, and slowly he slipped his hand out from hers. “You should have told me,” he whispered solemnly.

He stood carefully and placed a soft, sweet kiss upon her forehead before leaving. There was no ‘I love you’ this time and as Brian exited her room his heart was heavy.

Lila was pregnant and Brian didn’t know, Jessica mused to herself for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Nick set a steaming cup of coffee down in front of her. She grabbed the cup gratefully and tiredly took a sip allowing the coffee to scorch her dry throat.

What she could have done without out Nick there was unimaginable. He’d been her rock for the past few hours. He was the only thing that forced her to keep her sanity. Not just for her sake, but also for his. Lila was an important person in his life as well.

As Nick sat down next to her, Jessica leaned her head against his shoulders. As she sat next to him quietly contemplating her life and all the goings on in the past few days, she sighed wistfully. Whoever came up with the proverb about bad news coming in twos was certainly right.

Elizabeth sat alone on the lounge couch across from Nick and Jessica feeling empty inside. Watching Jessica and Nick made her think about her relationship, or lack there of, with AJ.

Love was such a crazy thing. At times, it had the ability to empower you to do things you never imagined possible. Sometimes it was so intense that it made you do or think of things you never would have even contemplated in the first place.

Elizabeth fiddled anxiously with a lock her shoulder-length brown hair. Despite herself, she gazed over at AJ who was sitting a few feet away. It was at times like these when she desperately needed a friend, that she wished dearly that she and AJ had been able to maintain their friendship. Whenever she had a problem or was going through a rough time in her life, he always seemed to know what to say to make things seem a little less bleak. She missed having someone to talk to. Lila and Jessica were her best friends, but they never seemed to quite understand her the way AJ did.

It pained her to think that she had been the one to drive AJ away. She had pulled the last straw by interfering with Mya. They had seemed like innocent innuendoes and insinuations at the time, but Elizabeth realized now that they were so much more. They had cost Elizabeth her friendship with AJ for good this time and presumably AJ his relationship with Mya.

If she could, Elizabeth would take back her words in a heartbeat. That was easier said than done though. You couldn’t change the past. The only thing one could do was try their best to make amends.

Looking at AJ again, Elizabeth saw the troubled look on his face. She knew it was a result of her own actions towards Mya as much as a result of Lila’s accident. If AJ was feeling any bit as sad and lonely as she was right now, then her heart went out to him. She knew he needed a friend just as much as she did. If only she could be that friend for him, maybe she wouldn’t feel so terrible about herself.

Elizabeth knew she deserved every bit of the heart-aching loneliness she was experiencing. What goes around comes around.

She had left AJ and now it was his turn to leave her. Fair was fair and now Elizabeth was left all by her lonesome to deal with the consequences for her actions.

AJ watched his friends silently from the corner of his eye. Brian was no where to be seen. Presumably, he was off wandering the halls aimlessly, engrossed in his own thoughts. Nick and Jessica were comfortably entwined on the sofa together. AJ watched slightly envious as Jessica leaned her head against Nick’s shoulder. Nick proceeded to gently stroke her hair, lulling her to sleep.

His gaze unwillingly fell upon Elizabeth next. He watched as she idly flipped through a year-old magazine, obviously distressed. She looked tired and sad and for a second his heart went out to her. He knew how important Lila was to her. AJ knew it was probably utter torture for her to go through this alone.

A part of him felt sorry for her, but another part felt she deserved to be miserable. He turned away from her, disgusted. All feelings of compassion for her seemed to vanish completely whenever he though about what she’d done to him and to Mya.

Mya. The thought of her alone was enough to send shivers up his spine. He needed her so badly right now and yet she wasn’t there. She was the only one he felt he could turn to. The one person who would understand him and be able to make him feel better.

He was so scared for Lila, but would never admit it to the others. He wasn’t usually one to be free with his emotions and such. Mya would understand his fears for Lila though and he was more than certain she would help calm them.

Suddenly AJ couldn’t take it anymore. Sitting there waiting anxiously wasn’t doing any good. It was just making him more nervous and worried. Rising to his feet, he ran a hand through his hair tiredly.

Three pairs of eyes were upon him suddenly as he began walking towards the doors. “I need some air,” he muttered gruffly.

Once past the automatic doors he picked up his pace, marching purposefully towards the parking lot.

He scanned the lot quickly, spotting his car within seconds. He walked towards it opening the door with a flourish. He jumped in hurriedly and within minutes he was speeding down a side street.

His mind was a blur as he drove. He had no idea what he’d say or do upon seeing her. All he knew was that he need to be with her. He needed to hear her comforting voice, even if it was just for a second. He drove compelled, as if he were being guided by some inexplicable force.

He slowed the car as he turned onto her driveway. Without a moment’s hesitation he was on her doorstep ringing the doorbell. AJ waited impatiently. The wait seemed like forever to him. Finally, Mya opened the door hesitantly. As he came face to face with her, he noticed the redness in her watery eyes. Her usually silky, perfectly coifed hair was tied messily in a ponytail. His heart stopped momentarily, seeing the state she was in.

Mya stared back at him coldly, surprised to see him. “I don’t want to talk to you right now,” she told him bitterly. She reached for the doorknob, ready to close the door in his face.

“Lila was in an accident. She’s in the hospital right now,” AJ whispered in a rush, his throat tightening on him.

Miraculously, the door stayed open. Something sparked in Mya’s eyes suddenly as she stood speechlessly staring at AJ.

[Next Chapter].[Table of Contents].