"Richard!" I screamed as I watched his frame fall on the floor, blood dripping from the side of his head. The fear of loss gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go.
Sam stood over him with a heavy plank in his hand; his face carried a satisfied, smug smile. He swung again, this time at Martin, but Martin’s reflexes were quicker. The gun Martin hoped to use as a defense clattered to the other side of the room as it collided with the plank.
Martin got to his feet instantly and shielded me with his body. I couldn’t think of anything else. My eyes were glued to Richard bleeding out on the ground. My heart felt like a knife was being twisted inside it.
Sam swung once more, but Martin blocked the swing with an arm. I swear I heard something crack. Sweat poured from my entire body, my body shaking and my eyes swollen. I struggled with my half-done bindings so I could save my husband.
"Hey Sam!" Victor showed up at the entrance. What was he doing here? Sam shifted to the side so he could keep an eye on both men’s movements.
"What are you doing here?" Sam shouted hysterically, his eyes darting side to side along with his arms holding the plank.
"Well, I was supposed to be helping, but I sort of got lost in this place. Question: What do you think is going to happen after this?"
"Let’s assume you kill me, Martin, Richard, Nita, and her baby. You still don’t have the company. What’s the point of all these?" Victor asked like he was having a friendly conversation with a friend.
"I don’t care anymore! Why didn’t they recognize me? It doesn’t matter what I do. I will never be a Numero."
While they spoke, my gaze darted to Richard again. I saw him twitch; the tiniest movement filled my heart with hope. He was alive. Oh, thank God. Hang in there, baby, please.
But then I watched as Richard’s fingers inched towards Damon’s fallen gun. His movements were shaky; it took a lot of effort and willpower to reach the gun. He gritted his teeth, lifted the gun, and aimed at Sam.
Following the deafening bang of the shot, Sam dropped to his knees screaming in pain, blood instantly seeping through his pant leg. Martin quickly got to work incapacitating him.
The gun dropped from Richard’s hands, his body going lifeless.
"Save him, please!" I shouted.
Victor hurried towards us and checked on Richard. "Call 911!" he shouted to Martin. He got up to help me with my bindings, but I refused.
"Just save him. I’m fine. Save him, Victor, please!" I cried.
"The police are almost here." Martin reached for my bindings, loosening them. I fell to the ground beside Richard, not knowing exactly what to do. Tears blurred my vision, and I counted the seconds for help to come.
"I’m here, my love. I’m here."
The sound of the sirens approaching was music to my ears. Before I knew it, I was being pulled away from him, and paramedics got to work on him.
The police cuffed Sam, who was in agony as one other paramedic attended to him. I prayed; I prayed to God to keep my husband alive.
Every sound around me sounded distant. The hospital waiting room wasn’t a place I would want my worst enemies to be, well, except Sam. He was the reason I was here. I sat there waiting, my hands clasped between my laps. I had ridden in the ambulance with Richard and held his hand all the way. Every once in a while, I felt a twitch like an answer to my prayers.
My mom and dad arrived, followed by Richard’s dad. Everyone hugged me with tears on their faces. Mr. Numero hugged me longer; I could feel his body shaking.
"Where’s Mum?" I asked for my mother-in-law.
"This has taken a toll on her. We let her rest. Gwen is with her. Have the doctors checked on you?"
"I’m fine. I just want my husband."
"Sweetie. You need to think about the baby too. Richard is already in capable hands; there is nothing more you can do." My dad urged.
"I will get checked when I hear he is okay." I stood my ground. I wasn’t going to move an inch.
Time dragged on; doctors moved in and out of the ER with no news. No update. Every time the doors opened, I would jump up expecting a crumb of hope.
After what felt like ages, a doctor walked over to us. I jumped once more to my feet.
"Mrs. Numero?" he asked.
"That’s, that’s me. Mrs. Numero Junior." I don’t know why that detail was important, but I was nervous and wasn’t thinking.
Our family flanked me, also expecting some good news.
"We have run a series of tests and X-rays on your husband. He suffered a significant head injury. We were able to stabilize him and address the immediate issues, but we have put him in an induced coma to enable him to heal faster."
"An induced coma?" I repeated. "How long will he be in the coma?"
"Just a few days. But he is stable and should make a full recovery."
I nodded, grateful for the news. "Can I see him?"
"Of course, but just you until he is in a more stable condition."
I turned to my family, hugged them once more because I knew once I stepped into that room, I wasn’t coming back out without my husband.
I followed the doctor into the room he was in and found him lying there so still. So beautiful, even with tubes and wires connecting him to machines.
I sat by his side, holding his hand. "It’s over, love. It’s finally over. Just come back to me, and we can have some peace and take that vacation we planned to take."
All I could do now was hold his hand, hope, and pray that he would pull through. He would be crazy to leave me anyway. I would haunt him until the rest of time if he ever left me alone in this world.