Chapter 22
As Lara stepped out, the door clicked shut behind her.
Jenna let out a sharp breath and moved back into the ward and closer to the bed. Her eyes went to the machines, her fingers brushed against Ethan's hand like she needed to feel something just anything.
"I don't know if you can hear me," she whispered. "But everyone's going crazy out there. Your wife....." she paused and scoffed
She was in tears already, our mother's acting like a mad woman, and dad and i ain't even okay" she paused "Lara just left, she looked like she wasn't breathing properly either. She loves you so much Ethan, Even if she's hurt by you, she still cares Ethan. I wished you never left her for that so called....Maya"
The room was quiet except for the low hum of machines, then suddenly the machines were beeping.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The heart monitor picked up speed sharp and fast. Jenna's eyes widened and she stumbled back.
"Ethan?" her voice cracked and his fingers twitched.
Then his chest rose higher than before. He let out a soft groan, barely audible.
Jenna fumbled for the call button. "Nurse he's...he's awake, I think he's...he's waking up!"
Ethan's head turned slightly, his eyes fluttered. He was blinking slowly, like trying then finally, his eyes opened, there were bloodshot, unfocused.
"Where…?" His voice was dry, and cracked. "Where is she?"
"Who?" Jenna asked, leaning in.
Ethan didn't answer right away, His eyes drifted toward the door. Like he already knew she was gone.
"Lara…"
"Lara…" he said again, voice barely a breath.
Jenna's heart stopped for a second. "You're awake?" she whispered, her eyes were already filled with tears.
Suddenly the door swung open.
Two nurses rushed in, followed by a doctor in a white coat.
"He's awake," Jenna said quickly, stepping back to give them space.
"Mr. Vale, can you hear me?" the doctor asked, flashing a light into Ethan's eyes.
Ethan winced at the brightness. "Yeah…"
"Good. That's very good. Can you tell me your name?"
He blinked slowly. "Ethan."
The nurse adjusted his IV drip while the doctor checked his vitals. "You've been unconscious for a day now," the doctor said. "You're in the hospital. You were involved in an accident, Do you remember"?
Ethan's brows furrowed, he looked around the room, confused. "Where's… Lara?"
Jenna's eyes met the doctor's, she stepped forward again. "Can he talk to family?"
The doctor nodded. "in a few minutes we'll step out. But call us immediately if there's any change."
As soon as they left, Ethan turned to her. His voice was still weak. "Where is she?"
"Lara?" Jenna asked, trying to stay calm.
He nodded slowly. "She was here, wasn't she?"
Jenna looked at him for a moment, unsure if she should lie but she sighed and pulled her phone out.
"Yeah. She came to see you but she left a few minutes ago," she said, scrolling through her phone.
"Please," Ethan said, gripping her hand weakly. "Call her. Tell her… I need to see her."
Jenna stared at him. The last thing she expected when he woke up was for him to ask for her.
"I'll call her," she said quietly, stepping out of the room.
She stood in the hallway, her heart was pounding, she hit dial and it rang twice then Lara picked up.
"Jenna?" Lara's voice came through.
"He's awake," Jenna said quickly. "Lara… Ethan woke up. And the first person he asked for was you."
There was silence at both ends for some sec.
"I know this is messy," Jenna added. "But if you're still nearby… please come back."
Lara stood outside by her car, her phone still in her hand, she was just staring into nothing.
Her heart beat louder than she wanted it to,
She looked at the hospital doors, then at the road like she was torn between running and staying.
She shouldn't go back, not after everything.
Her mind was racing with thoughts but her feet wouldn't move.
"Lara… Ethan woke up. And the first person he asked for was you."
Jenna's voice kept replaying in her head, as she inhaled. She was shaky and confused.
This wasn't supposed to feel like this,It wasn't supposed to hurt like this.
She gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles went white. She let go, then gripped again.
She cursed under her breath. "Damn it."
She came down and walked back in.
Inside the room, Ethan was still breathing weakly, his eyes were half open and he kept glancing at the door like he was waiting.Jenna heard the footsteps first so she turned and saw her.
She didn't say a word, she just walked in slowly, She looked calm on the outside but her chest was a war zone.
Ethan's eyes widened. "Lara…"
She stopped at the edge of the bed without saying anything.
Jenna looked between them and quietly stepped out, closing the door behind her. Now it was just the two of them, Ethan reached out slightly, barely lifting his hand off the sheets.
"You came back," he whispered.
Lara nodded once, she couldn't trust herself to speak yet.
"I thought I dreamed you," he said, his voice raw.
She moved closer, standing at the side of his bed. Her fingers grazed his, but she didn't hold them.
"I didn't know if I should...." she finally said.
"I'm glad you did."
There was a pause, the room was quiet except for the beeping of the machine.
"You scared me," she said softly, her voice breaking just a little.
He looked at her, his eyes were teary. "I'm sorry."
"I thought I hated you," Lara whispered.
Ethan closed his eyes. "Maybe you still do."
She shook her head. "I don't even know what I feel anymore."
He turned his head slowly toward her. "You came, and that means the world to me."
Lara was quiet, she didn't even realize her hand was still resting lightly near his.
Then Ethan turned slightly towards her, his voice was lower now more like tired.
"What you said... earlier..." he started.
She blinked sort of confused.
"What... what do you mean?"
He just looked at her, with a steady eyes .
"When I was unconscious, you sat right here and talked."
Her chest tightened.
Ethan swallowed. "I wasn't fully gone, I heard things. Well... just enough."
Lara's heart dropped. "You… you remember?"
"I remember enough," he said. "The part where you said you loved me."
That awful kind of silence that makes everything louder, her lips parted but no sound came out.
"You meant it?"
She opened her mouth again, then shut it. Her hands curled into fists and he waited.
Lara looked away, her throat burning.
"I wasn't supposed to say all that out loud," she said finally.
"But you did," Ethan said, eyes still on her. "And I need to know if you meant it."
She met his gaze and in that moment, there was no need hiding anything.
"Yes," she whispered. "I meant every damn word."
Ethan exhaled slowly, then he closed his eyes, almost like he was in pain but not the kind that hurts the kind that heals.
"Good," he said because he needed to hear it.
Lara stood there, her heart hammering like it didn't belong in her chest anymore.
Ethan kept his eyes closed for a moment, like he was soaking in her answer then slowly, he opened them again.
"You don't know what that did to me," he said, voice barely above a breath. "Hearing you say that."
"I thought you'd never want to see me again," she said. "After everything."
"I didn't want to see anyone," he said. "Until I woke up and realized the first name I called was yours."
Her eyes dropped to his hand and he reached out slowly, until their fingers touched.
"I thought I lost you, Lara," Ethan whispered. "And I deserved it."
She shook her head.
"You hurt me," she said. "But I kept coming back."
He pulled her hand gently to his chest, resting it there like something sacred.
"I want to fix it," he said. "Even if you hate me tomorrow… tonight, I just want to feel you near me."
"I don't hate you."
"Then stay."
She hesitated… then leaned in, brushing a soft kiss to his forehead.
He closed his eyes again, this time at peace.
Then, almost instinctively, she sat beside him, carefully leaning close until her head rested lightly against his shoulder.
He shifted slightly, letting their hands tangle together under the thin blanket.