The long drive out of town and away from the chaos in his life felt like a breath of fresh air in Blaze's lungs. He was no longer looking like a deranged monster with no sense of purpose. His expression was calm even though it was filled with a lot of uncertainties.
After receiving a call from Eugene, followed by another surprising call from Henry, - telling him that he was no longer mad and pleading with him to come back to hospital for the sake of his wife, - Blaze decided to return to the city.
The long drive back to the hospital was filled with a lot of insightful thoughts especially after Blaze got a call from Echo - informing him that they had a lead on a possible suspect responsible for the email saga.
No name had been given to Blaze yet but he trusted in the efficiency of Echo and his team of trackers.
It was already sundown and darkness had blanketed the sky when Blaze pulled into the hospital parking lot.
Turning off the car engine, Blaze leaned back his head on the car seat headrest and closed his eyes as the thought of facing Amelia and confessing what he did to her father, felt like a thousand acupuncture needles jabbing slowly at his heart.
A knock on the side window of the driver's door forced Blaze to snap his eyes open. He turned his head sideways only to see Henry's bruised face staring back at him with a creepy smile curling up his bruised lips.
Taking the car keys out of the ignition and opening the driver's door, Blaze slowly stepped out of his car as Henry straightened up, still smiling creepily.
The bright light from the overhead street lamp around the parking lot cast a warm glow on Henry's bruised face. It illuminated the dark purplish bruises on his cut lips, the neat slanted cut above his right cheek, the bandage above his swollen black left eye and the white bandage holding his broken nose in place.
Blaze also observed the hand luggage on the floor beside Henry, proof that he had spent his entire day in the hospital since he left the airport.
"Are you planning to mug me?" Blaze asked, his attempt at humour failing miserably as the guilt of his actions weighed down heavily on his chest.
"Maybe I should after what you did to my face." Henry's smile broadened. He could see the guilt clearly written on Blaze's forehead and he could feel the anguish in his eyes.
"You look like shit, bro." Henry tried to make light of the awkwardness between them.
"I look like shit." Blaze laughed between clenched jaw, tears falling from his slightly reddened eyes. "You should see your face."
"Yeah! The nurses couldn't stop drooling over me." Henry was moved by his best friend's tears. The only time he has seen Blaze shed tears was when he lost his father.
Seeing him do the same now told him that he was a broken man within, trying to act tough.
"I'm sorry," Blaze said between gritted teeth pushing back his tears. "I messed up big time."
"Yes, you did." Henry's gaze turned serious. He placed a hand on Blaze's shoulder. "Beyond friends, we are like brothers from different mothers. What affects you also affects me. And I will be the last person on Earth to ever betray you in such a manner."
Blaze nodded, massaging his forehead. "I know. I was just too angry and stupid to see clearly."
"And if I may add, brainless," Henry said, his smile returning.
"That too." Blaze removed his hand from his face, his shimmering gaze subtle. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"Come here..." Henry said embracing Blaze briefly and patting him on the back. "We are brothers. We fight and we make up. This only strengthens our bond. I bear no grudges but I will still punch you in the face when this is all over."
They both chuckled, patting each other's back.
Henry pulled away from Blaze and stared into his eyes. "I know you're scared about Mom. But I want to reassure you that Mom is going to survive this. She's going nowhere. We just have to be strong for her."
Blaze nodded, "Thanks, man."
"Also, I need you to make things right with your wife. Don't lose her over some flimsy scheme, otherwise you might live to regret it. I can boldly vouch for her that she will never cheat on you."
"Yeah!" Blaze released a sigh, his gaze shifting to the hospital building. "Have you seen her yet?"
"Looking ," Henry pointed to his bruised face. "Nah! She'll freak out."
Blaze smiled bitterly.
"What about her father? Does she know anything about his condition?"
Henry shook his head. "Not yet. She hasn't been told anything about Mom's condition either. Even her aunt who has been updated about the state of things, has been very helpful in distracting her. They are all waiting for you. Is better you tell her by yourself. Go now, let me not keep you waiting. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Okay. You can take my car and stay at the villa." Blaze shoved his car keys into Henry's hand.
"Are you sure about it?"
"Positive." Blaze smiled genuinely.
"Alright then, see you tomorrow." Henry waited until Blaze had entered the hospital building before leaving.
Inside the hospital, Amelia had just finished eating the tasty spicy chicken soup she had earlier requested her aunt to get her. She was slowly sipping from a bottle of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice while listening to her aunt's interesting story of an old friend she encountered recently when a knock on the door made her flinch slightly.
"Blaze!" Amelia whispered, her eyes staring expectantly at the door while her heart was pounding erratically.
"I'll go get it." Eugene, who was also enjoying Judith's company, stood up to get the door when it was slowly pushed open.
"Blaze..." Amelia hurriedly climbed down from her bed, grateful that nothing was strapped to her body. She she dropped her juice bottle and sprinted across the room like a woman seeing her husband, who had just returned from the battlefield for the first time.
Judith gave Eugene a nonverbal signal and they both stood up and left the room quietly as Amelia jumped into her husband's open arms.
"Oh, Blaze! I'm so sorry." Amelia cried in his arms, her body trembling vigorously as she held unto him tightly.
"It's okay." Blaze pressed his lips on the centre of her head, overwhelmed by his own crippling emotions.
"No, it's not okay." Amelia pulled away to look into his face. "I haven't been honest with you. I kept a big secret away from you and you had to find out in the most humiliating way. I know you're very mad at me."
Blaze nodded. "I was. I was really mad."
"Oh baby, I'm so, sorry." Amelia tried to go on her knees but Blaze quickly stopped her. He pulled her back into his arms and held her so close as she poured out her heart to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I didn't know when and how it happened. I took my drugs and we were very careful. I was confused when the doctor told me. And I was scared of disappointing you, knowing the conditions of our marriage. But I swear I've never cheated on you with any man. You are my first and you will be my last. I could never share my body or my heart with another."
Blaze felt his chest tighten at Amelia's last two statements. It dawned on him that he was the same jerk who took her innocence without her permission. How could he have thought that she would cheat on him with another man, talk less of his best friend? How could he have been so blind?
Pulling Amelia away from himself, he crashed his lips hungrily on hers and kissed her so passionately knowing that he might not get this chance again after confessing what he did mistakingly to her father.