Shinigami Strikes Again
By Lolo Winner
Disclaimer: I don't own Duo, or Hilde, or any other character, if you want them, you will have to ask Sunrise. I do own Gwenny, Elisia, and Jacqueline. Oh and don't forget Taylor, I own him too, SO HANDS OFF! (All song references were written and preformed by Jim and Tom of the emo band Jimmy Eat World)
// Hear You Me
There's no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.
What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
And if you were with me tonight,
I'd sing to you just one more time.
A song for a heart so big,
God wouldn't let it live.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.//
The digital clock read 3:53 AM. Just because the luminous numbers said it was late; that didn't mean that I was tiered. I wasn't tiered when the neon red numbers read 12:24 or 2:15; 3:53 was no different.
I continued to gaze lovingly at my wife, who was sleeping peacefully at my side. I laid there, wide eyed. Although I'd been watching her sleep for hours; to me, it felt like only a few minutes had passed.
Cornfield blue light from the moon, low in the sky, lit her delicate face. The translucent light casted shadows on her body, accenting her features. I'd been watching the shadow slowly slither across her all night long, almost as if I knew it would be the last time I would see her.
Suddenly I got a new idea. Silently, I crept out of bed, and snuck out of the bedroom. I walked down the hall, bathed in the light of the full moon. I walked though the shafts of blue light; coming in from the windows, and towards another door at the end of the hall.
Slipping in though the slightly open door, I dragged the Pretty Princes Boutique's pink chair over to the side of the bed, and took a seat. I must have looked awkward in the tiny chair, covered in hearts and stars. Not that I cared though. Resting my head in my hands, I gazed over the second angel in my life.
Like her mother, Gwenny slept silently. Her mouth was open just a crack, and her breathing slow and steady. I carefully examined every fiber of her being: she had her mother's little nose and ears, with my big eyes and mouth. The combination, although sounding awkward, proved perfect. The balance gave her a dainty appearance, and eyes with boundless wells of expression. Her hair was worthy of a poem. The silky brunette tresses flowed in soft waves all the way down her back.
Hilde often complained, in a joking manor, that God was unfair to bless Gwenny and me with such gorgeous hair, when she felt like she was scrimped in the hair department of heaven. I didn't see anything wrong with her soft black hair. It flowed evenly between my fingertips, and smelt sweet to my nose. To me, that was all that mattered.
The soft blue glow of predawn broke though to the warm yellow light of morning. Finally, I put the chair in its spot with the vanity table, and kissed my daughter on the cheek. Reluctantly, I left her room, and walked back to my own. It had been an eventful night of, "star gazing," as I called it, and time to get some sleep. If I was lucky, I could secure a solid hour before I had to get up for work.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I trudged down stairs forty-five minutes later. /So much for that solid hour./ I said to myself. I wasn't complaining though, how could I after the wonderful night I had? I let a yawn escape as I scuffed my way into the kitchen. Making a beeline for the coffee pot, I poured the hot, fragrant liquid into a mug, and yawned again, as I sat at the table.
Hilde looked up from the paper, "Star gazing again?" She asked.
"Yeah, you should have been there. You two were beautiful."
She sighed, "Duo, you promised me that you would get some sleep last night."
"How do you expect me to sleep when there are two angels in the house?"
She smiled, "You are too cute. Cute in a scary-weirdo-stalker way, but still cute."
"I try to please." I said as I poured a bowl of fruit loops.
"Still feeling sick?" I asked.
"Just a little. Flu's starting to go around you know."
"Want me to drive Gwenny to school?"
She shook her head, "I will." Her eyes opened wide with remembrance, "Oh, make sure you're home on time tonight Du'. I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise eh?"
"Um-hum."
"Can't you tell me now?"
She moved her index finger in mock scolding, "Nope, you'll have to wait like a good boy."
Hearing a soft sound I turned to the doorway. Gwenny entered the kitchen. She was rubbing the sleep from her eyes and shuffling her slippered feet across the linoleum.
My eyes lit up. Leaving my breakfast, I scooped her up into my arms. "How's my little girl?" I asked, spinning her around in the air.
Gwenny laughed, "Daddy!" She cried with joy. She started to pout, "I'm not little daddy!" She crossed her arms, looking very serious.
"Oh that's right! You're a big preschooler today!" I said with a big grin, "Are you excited about school?"
Gwenny shook her head. "No?" I asked.
"I'm scared. What if the other kids don't like me or think I'm weird?"
"If the other kids give you grief just punch them." I said, playfully hitting her arm.
Hilde's eyes grew wide, "Duo!" She scolded.
I looked over, "What?"
She got out of her chair and took Gwenny out of my arms, "Don't listen to daddy, I don't want to hear that you hit any other kids today okay?"
"Okay mommy."
"You know why?" Gwenny shook her head, "Because if you hit them you are just as bad as they are. Don't worry princess, the other kids will be nice to you."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She smiled and hugged Hilde. She looked up at me, "Daddy can you braid my hair like yours today?"
"Sure doll. Run off and get me a brush and I'll happily braid it."
Hilde put Gwenny down on the floor. She automatically ran upstairs in her toddler bounce to fetch me a brush. Hilde looked crossly at me. I could take the hint, "Just as bad as the other kids. Hum, I've never thought about it that way."
"You can't go telling her to hit the other kids, violence doesn't solve anything."
I opened my mouth, about to dispute what she'd just said. Deciding it wasn't worth it, I closed my big trap and smiled, "Sorry hun, I'll try and remember that."
Gwenny ran down stairs with a brush and elastic hair tie in her little hand. I scooped her up and sat her on my lap. I started to brush though the tangled mass of hair.
A lump formed in my throat. I was reminded of how Sister Helen used to braid my own hair in the church all those years ago. I swallowed the lump, and forced the sorrowful thoughts from my mind.
"Alright all done." I said fifteen minutes later.
Gwenny jumped off my lap. She spun around and posed like a model, "How do I look?" She asked.
I smiled broadly, "Like a little angel."
Gwenny shrieked, "Daddy! I'm not little!"
"Ops, my bad. Sorry sweetie."
"Oh Gwenny we need to get you ready for school!" Hilde said. "Come on, we have to hurry. We don't want to be late." She said, guiding the toddler upstairs.
I smiled again, watching the two most important people in my life hurry upstairs. I focused in on Gwenny with her bouncing braid. Gosh, she looked like me when I was a kid. I couldn't help but laugh at the memories.
I raised such hell for everyone at the church, always running away, stealing anything I could get my grubby little hands on. I realized that I never said thank you to anyone at the Maxwell church. Never once did I thank Sister Helen for braiding my hair, or for paying me so much attention. Again, the memories turned sour, and again I had to force the lump out of my throat.
/I'm so sorry Sister Helen; please forgive me for being such a brat, and thank you. I know I never thanked you when you were still alive. If that heaven you always told me about truly does exist, then you would be up there, so I hope you can hear me. Thank you for everything. I'm so sorry that, because of me, you had to die./
My fruit loops went soggy while I was braiding Gwenny's hair. I got up and dumped the soggy o's down the sink. I looked up at the clock and brushed the bottom of my braid under my nose: debating on weather I should wash it that day. I decided that I should, and that I better get started if I wanted to make it to work on time after the tedious hour-long process of washing and blow-drying all three feet of my thick chestnut hair.
I turned back to my breakfast and scarfed down the fruit loops, and downed the coffee, so much for enjoying breakfast. I longed for a second bowl of cereal, but there wasn't time for that. I decided to just grab some fast food on the way to the salvage yard.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How could a day that started off so wonderfully turn dark so fast? I have never gotten an answer to that question. It came out of nowhere, and yet when I saw those officers in their cheep wrinkled suits walking over to the salvage heap that morning, I had a sinking feeling that I knew what they were going to tell me.
"Mr. Maxwell?" One of the men called up to me.
"What's it to you?" I asked, not looking away from my work. I knew they were officers, their poor taste in clothing made that obvious.
"Mr. Maxwell we're with the LBPD, we have to speak with you." The man said, holding his badge up to me.
"Yeah, yeah. Hold on a sec." I dropped what I was doing and slid down the heap. I tried to keep the feeling I had down. /I'm just being paranoid, everything is alright./
"What can I do you?" I asked the men when I got to the bottom of the heap.
"I'm detective Csere and this is detective Papior. Maybe we should go inside, we have something important to discuses with you."
They were obviously doing that for comfort and not privacy. I was the only one at the yard that early in the morning. I held up my hands, "Anything you guys have to say, you can say right here."
"Mr. Maxwell-"
"Call me Duo Csere." I said, I hated such formalities as this.
"Alright. Duo, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but there has been an accident."
"An accident?"
"Yes, your wife and daughter were involved."
"Wha. are they alright? Where are they!?"
"I'm sorry, but your daughter didn't survive."
I could never of been prepared for that blow. The news hit me like a freight train. "Wha.what?"
"Your wife is in critical condition. Come on, we'll give you a ride to the hospital."
I shook my head, "No, your wrong. Gwenny can't be dead. My Gwenny isn't dead. She can't be. How could God let a three-year-old die? You're joking right? Who sent you? It was Garrett right? He sent you, well tell him that it's not funny to joke about things like this."
"Mr.- I mean Duo, I'm sorry but Garrett didn't send us. Come on now, if you want to see your wife while she is still alive you will come with us."
"No.no this isn't happening."
"I know this must be difficult-"
"Hell you know!" I yelled as the tears attempted to break loose and run down my cheeks, "Where is she? I want to see Hilde. She's okay right?" I looked up at the officers with a hopeful look in my eyes, hoping that she was, hoping that they would lie to me and tell me that she was.
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As the unmarked police car drove down Maple Street all the buildings went by in slow motion. I stared out at them absentmindedly.
//"Come on we have to leave if you want to get to school on time. Hilde's voice echoed in my head as the scenes of the last time I saw them alive, and they were alive, played over in my head.
"I want to say bye to daddy first."
"Alright, hurry up though okay?"//
The car turned onto Alamito Blvd.
//Gwenny came running up stairs and into our bathroom. I was hanging over, drying the bottom of my hair. I saw her coming out of the corner of my eye. I turned off the hair dryer and I flipped my head back, my still wet hair slapped heavily against my back. "Ready to go already?" I asked.
"Yep."//
We're coming up onto the hospital.
//"Be a good girl alright?"
"Alright."
"Gunna give daddy a hug?"
"Yeah." I bent down and wrapped my arms around her.//
The car pulled into the hospital parking lot, the same hospital where Gwenny was born only three years and five months earlier.
//"I love you daddy."
"Love you to babe."
"Gwenny we have to go." Hilde yelled up from downstairs.
"Okay mommy."
"Bye Duo!"
"Bye hun, I love ya."
"Love to." She yelled back up as Gwenny ran out of the room, her braid bouncing behind her.//
The officers and I rode the elevator up to the trauma floor. The elevator seemed to take forever. My heartbeat pounded in my head as I watched the numbered lights above the door slowly climb. Love to.. love to.. love to.. the last words I ever heard Hilde say kept repeating in my mind,
//The little sedan stopped at a red light. Hilde leaned over into the backseat, trying to fix Gwenny's dress. "Mommy it's green." Hilde turned around and started to go at the green light.
Out of nowhere a pickup truck came barreling from the right, from where the light was now red.//
The elevator opened. We walked down the hall, heading for the sitting area close to her room.
//The pickup plowed into the little car, crushing the right side. The car spun around, thrown into oncoming traffic.//
I sat in the waiting area in the hall and stared at the floor. The detectives were on either side, I don't know, maybe they had some questions to ask me, and were just waiting until I saw her, or maybe they just didn't feel like it would be right to leave me here.
//Three more cars hit theirs as it spun though the traffic. The car finally came to a stop with an eerie silence. The whole right side was caved in. Gwenny always sat in the back on the right side, so that when Hilde was driving she could see her better. There was no way she could of survived.//
"Mr. Maxwell?" I looked up at the doctor, and stood.
"Yeah?"
"You can see her now."
I start to follow the doctor to the room. "I just want to warn you, that it's bad."
"Bad?"
"We can't do much for her, or the baby."
I stopped, "Baby?"
"Yes, your wife was three weeks pregnant."
"Pregnant?"
"It appears so." The doctor faced me, right outside her door, "Look, Mr. Maxwell, your wife has sustained massive internal injuries. We put her into an induced coma for her own good, so she won't be awake. She might be able to hear you though, so go ahead and talk to her. If you have anything you want to tell her, now is the time."
"So you're saying she's not going to make it."
"I'm sorry Mr. Maxwell."
"I just. I just want to see her."
The doctor opened the door. I entered the room cautiously. It was like all time had stopped. I stared at her. She looked so fragile, so innocent in that bed. Tubes were coming out of her from everywhere. The room was filled with several different beeps with different beats. They were like ice picks, picking away at the numbing silence.
I slowly walked over to her, the whole room faded into a blur from the tears that I was trying to push back. I reached her side, and tried not to see what I saw. There was no way that could be my Hilde. Her face was covered in abrasions, and her whole head bandaged in white gauze, blood was soaking though the white on the right side. I couldn't even stroke my baby's hair one last time.
I rubbed her stomach, "So this was my big surprise huh?" My voice cracked. "Oh Hilde I'm so sorry! Please don't go. Please, come back to me. You can name him or her what ever you want and I won't object, like I did for Taylor.
"Please hunny, you can't go, you can't leave me like this. I promise if you come back to me that I'll never fight with you again. I'll never get mad at you, I'll hold my tongue no matter how wrong you are.
"What can I do baby? How can I make this better? If it means moving the stars I'll do it. I'll do anything! Tell me what I can do to make you better!"
Tears were splashing down onto both of us. I buried my head into her chest, sobbing loudly, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. Oh Hilde, why did you have to get close to me? Why? Didn't you know that it would only end like this? You knew it would, so why? Why did you make me put you though this?"
The heart monitor's line went flat. A high-pitched, sustained beep filled the air, trying to mask my sobs.
By Lolo Winner
Disclaimer: I don't own Duo, or Hilde, or any other character, if you want them, you will have to ask Sunrise. I do own Gwenny, Elisia, and Jacqueline. Oh and don't forget Taylor, I own him too, SO HANDS OFF! (All song references were written and preformed by Jim and Tom of the emo band Jimmy Eat World)
// Hear You Me
There's no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.
What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
And if you were with me tonight,
I'd sing to you just one more time.
A song for a heart so big,
God wouldn't let it live.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.//
The digital clock read 3:53 AM. Just because the luminous numbers said it was late; that didn't mean that I was tiered. I wasn't tiered when the neon red numbers read 12:24 or 2:15; 3:53 was no different.
I continued to gaze lovingly at my wife, who was sleeping peacefully at my side. I laid there, wide eyed. Although I'd been watching her sleep for hours; to me, it felt like only a few minutes had passed.
Cornfield blue light from the moon, low in the sky, lit her delicate face. The translucent light casted shadows on her body, accenting her features. I'd been watching the shadow slowly slither across her all night long, almost as if I knew it would be the last time I would see her.
Suddenly I got a new idea. Silently, I crept out of bed, and snuck out of the bedroom. I walked down the hall, bathed in the light of the full moon. I walked though the shafts of blue light; coming in from the windows, and towards another door at the end of the hall.
Slipping in though the slightly open door, I dragged the Pretty Princes Boutique's pink chair over to the side of the bed, and took a seat. I must have looked awkward in the tiny chair, covered in hearts and stars. Not that I cared though. Resting my head in my hands, I gazed over the second angel in my life.
Like her mother, Gwenny slept silently. Her mouth was open just a crack, and her breathing slow and steady. I carefully examined every fiber of her being: she had her mother's little nose and ears, with my big eyes and mouth. The combination, although sounding awkward, proved perfect. The balance gave her a dainty appearance, and eyes with boundless wells of expression. Her hair was worthy of a poem. The silky brunette tresses flowed in soft waves all the way down her back.
Hilde often complained, in a joking manor, that God was unfair to bless Gwenny and me with such gorgeous hair, when she felt like she was scrimped in the hair department of heaven. I didn't see anything wrong with her soft black hair. It flowed evenly between my fingertips, and smelt sweet to my nose. To me, that was all that mattered.
The soft blue glow of predawn broke though to the warm yellow light of morning. Finally, I put the chair in its spot with the vanity table, and kissed my daughter on the cheek. Reluctantly, I left her room, and walked back to my own. It had been an eventful night of, "star gazing," as I called it, and time to get some sleep. If I was lucky, I could secure a solid hour before I had to get up for work.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I trudged down stairs forty-five minutes later. /So much for that solid hour./ I said to myself. I wasn't complaining though, how could I after the wonderful night I had? I let a yawn escape as I scuffed my way into the kitchen. Making a beeline for the coffee pot, I poured the hot, fragrant liquid into a mug, and yawned again, as I sat at the table.
Hilde looked up from the paper, "Star gazing again?" She asked.
"Yeah, you should have been there. You two were beautiful."
She sighed, "Duo, you promised me that you would get some sleep last night."
"How do you expect me to sleep when there are two angels in the house?"
She smiled, "You are too cute. Cute in a scary-weirdo-stalker way, but still cute."
"I try to please." I said as I poured a bowl of fruit loops.
"Still feeling sick?" I asked.
"Just a little. Flu's starting to go around you know."
"Want me to drive Gwenny to school?"
She shook her head, "I will." Her eyes opened wide with remembrance, "Oh, make sure you're home on time tonight Du'. I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise eh?"
"Um-hum."
"Can't you tell me now?"
She moved her index finger in mock scolding, "Nope, you'll have to wait like a good boy."
Hearing a soft sound I turned to the doorway. Gwenny entered the kitchen. She was rubbing the sleep from her eyes and shuffling her slippered feet across the linoleum.
My eyes lit up. Leaving my breakfast, I scooped her up into my arms. "How's my little girl?" I asked, spinning her around in the air.
Gwenny laughed, "Daddy!" She cried with joy. She started to pout, "I'm not little daddy!" She crossed her arms, looking very serious.
"Oh that's right! You're a big preschooler today!" I said with a big grin, "Are you excited about school?"
Gwenny shook her head. "No?" I asked.
"I'm scared. What if the other kids don't like me or think I'm weird?"
"If the other kids give you grief just punch them." I said, playfully hitting her arm.
Hilde's eyes grew wide, "Duo!" She scolded.
I looked over, "What?"
She got out of her chair and took Gwenny out of my arms, "Don't listen to daddy, I don't want to hear that you hit any other kids today okay?"
"Okay mommy."
"You know why?" Gwenny shook her head, "Because if you hit them you are just as bad as they are. Don't worry princess, the other kids will be nice to you."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She smiled and hugged Hilde. She looked up at me, "Daddy can you braid my hair like yours today?"
"Sure doll. Run off and get me a brush and I'll happily braid it."
Hilde put Gwenny down on the floor. She automatically ran upstairs in her toddler bounce to fetch me a brush. Hilde looked crossly at me. I could take the hint, "Just as bad as the other kids. Hum, I've never thought about it that way."
"You can't go telling her to hit the other kids, violence doesn't solve anything."
I opened my mouth, about to dispute what she'd just said. Deciding it wasn't worth it, I closed my big trap and smiled, "Sorry hun, I'll try and remember that."
Gwenny ran down stairs with a brush and elastic hair tie in her little hand. I scooped her up and sat her on my lap. I started to brush though the tangled mass of hair.
A lump formed in my throat. I was reminded of how Sister Helen used to braid my own hair in the church all those years ago. I swallowed the lump, and forced the sorrowful thoughts from my mind.
"Alright all done." I said fifteen minutes later.
Gwenny jumped off my lap. She spun around and posed like a model, "How do I look?" She asked.
I smiled broadly, "Like a little angel."
Gwenny shrieked, "Daddy! I'm not little!"
"Ops, my bad. Sorry sweetie."
"Oh Gwenny we need to get you ready for school!" Hilde said. "Come on, we have to hurry. We don't want to be late." She said, guiding the toddler upstairs.
I smiled again, watching the two most important people in my life hurry upstairs. I focused in on Gwenny with her bouncing braid. Gosh, she looked like me when I was a kid. I couldn't help but laugh at the memories.
I raised such hell for everyone at the church, always running away, stealing anything I could get my grubby little hands on. I realized that I never said thank you to anyone at the Maxwell church. Never once did I thank Sister Helen for braiding my hair, or for paying me so much attention. Again, the memories turned sour, and again I had to force the lump out of my throat.
/I'm so sorry Sister Helen; please forgive me for being such a brat, and thank you. I know I never thanked you when you were still alive. If that heaven you always told me about truly does exist, then you would be up there, so I hope you can hear me. Thank you for everything. I'm so sorry that, because of me, you had to die./
My fruit loops went soggy while I was braiding Gwenny's hair. I got up and dumped the soggy o's down the sink. I looked up at the clock and brushed the bottom of my braid under my nose: debating on weather I should wash it that day. I decided that I should, and that I better get started if I wanted to make it to work on time after the tedious hour-long process of washing and blow-drying all three feet of my thick chestnut hair.
I turned back to my breakfast and scarfed down the fruit loops, and downed the coffee, so much for enjoying breakfast. I longed for a second bowl of cereal, but there wasn't time for that. I decided to just grab some fast food on the way to the salvage yard.
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How could a day that started off so wonderfully turn dark so fast? I have never gotten an answer to that question. It came out of nowhere, and yet when I saw those officers in their cheep wrinkled suits walking over to the salvage heap that morning, I had a sinking feeling that I knew what they were going to tell me.
"Mr. Maxwell?" One of the men called up to me.
"What's it to you?" I asked, not looking away from my work. I knew they were officers, their poor taste in clothing made that obvious.
"Mr. Maxwell we're with the LBPD, we have to speak with you." The man said, holding his badge up to me.
"Yeah, yeah. Hold on a sec." I dropped what I was doing and slid down the heap. I tried to keep the feeling I had down. /I'm just being paranoid, everything is alright./
"What can I do you?" I asked the men when I got to the bottom of the heap.
"I'm detective Csere and this is detective Papior. Maybe we should go inside, we have something important to discuses with you."
They were obviously doing that for comfort and not privacy. I was the only one at the yard that early in the morning. I held up my hands, "Anything you guys have to say, you can say right here."
"Mr. Maxwell-"
"Call me Duo Csere." I said, I hated such formalities as this.
"Alright. Duo, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but there has been an accident."
"An accident?"
"Yes, your wife and daughter were involved."
"Wha. are they alright? Where are they!?"
"I'm sorry, but your daughter didn't survive."
I could never of been prepared for that blow. The news hit me like a freight train. "Wha.what?"
"Your wife is in critical condition. Come on, we'll give you a ride to the hospital."
I shook my head, "No, your wrong. Gwenny can't be dead. My Gwenny isn't dead. She can't be. How could God let a three-year-old die? You're joking right? Who sent you? It was Garrett right? He sent you, well tell him that it's not funny to joke about things like this."
"Mr.- I mean Duo, I'm sorry but Garrett didn't send us. Come on now, if you want to see your wife while she is still alive you will come with us."
"No.no this isn't happening."
"I know this must be difficult-"
"Hell you know!" I yelled as the tears attempted to break loose and run down my cheeks, "Where is she? I want to see Hilde. She's okay right?" I looked up at the officers with a hopeful look in my eyes, hoping that she was, hoping that they would lie to me and tell me that she was.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As the unmarked police car drove down Maple Street all the buildings went by in slow motion. I stared out at them absentmindedly.
//"Come on we have to leave if you want to get to school on time. Hilde's voice echoed in my head as the scenes of the last time I saw them alive, and they were alive, played over in my head.
"I want to say bye to daddy first."
"Alright, hurry up though okay?"//
The car turned onto Alamito Blvd.
//Gwenny came running up stairs and into our bathroom. I was hanging over, drying the bottom of my hair. I saw her coming out of the corner of my eye. I turned off the hair dryer and I flipped my head back, my still wet hair slapped heavily against my back. "Ready to go already?" I asked.
"Yep."//
We're coming up onto the hospital.
//"Be a good girl alright?"
"Alright."
"Gunna give daddy a hug?"
"Yeah." I bent down and wrapped my arms around her.//
The car pulled into the hospital parking lot, the same hospital where Gwenny was born only three years and five months earlier.
//"I love you daddy."
"Love you to babe."
"Gwenny we have to go." Hilde yelled up from downstairs.
"Okay mommy."
"Bye Duo!"
"Bye hun, I love ya."
"Love to." She yelled back up as Gwenny ran out of the room, her braid bouncing behind her.//
The officers and I rode the elevator up to the trauma floor. The elevator seemed to take forever. My heartbeat pounded in my head as I watched the numbered lights above the door slowly climb. Love to.. love to.. love to.. the last words I ever heard Hilde say kept repeating in my mind,
//The little sedan stopped at a red light. Hilde leaned over into the backseat, trying to fix Gwenny's dress. "Mommy it's green." Hilde turned around and started to go at the green light.
Out of nowhere a pickup truck came barreling from the right, from where the light was now red.//
The elevator opened. We walked down the hall, heading for the sitting area close to her room.
//The pickup plowed into the little car, crushing the right side. The car spun around, thrown into oncoming traffic.//
I sat in the waiting area in the hall and stared at the floor. The detectives were on either side, I don't know, maybe they had some questions to ask me, and were just waiting until I saw her, or maybe they just didn't feel like it would be right to leave me here.
//Three more cars hit theirs as it spun though the traffic. The car finally came to a stop with an eerie silence. The whole right side was caved in. Gwenny always sat in the back on the right side, so that when Hilde was driving she could see her better. There was no way she could of survived.//
"Mr. Maxwell?" I looked up at the doctor, and stood.
"Yeah?"
"You can see her now."
I start to follow the doctor to the room. "I just want to warn you, that it's bad."
"Bad?"
"We can't do much for her, or the baby."
I stopped, "Baby?"
"Yes, your wife was three weeks pregnant."
"Pregnant?"
"It appears so." The doctor faced me, right outside her door, "Look, Mr. Maxwell, your wife has sustained massive internal injuries. We put her into an induced coma for her own good, so she won't be awake. She might be able to hear you though, so go ahead and talk to her. If you have anything you want to tell her, now is the time."
"So you're saying she's not going to make it."
"I'm sorry Mr. Maxwell."
"I just. I just want to see her."
The doctor opened the door. I entered the room cautiously. It was like all time had stopped. I stared at her. She looked so fragile, so innocent in that bed. Tubes were coming out of her from everywhere. The room was filled with several different beeps with different beats. They were like ice picks, picking away at the numbing silence.
I slowly walked over to her, the whole room faded into a blur from the tears that I was trying to push back. I reached her side, and tried not to see what I saw. There was no way that could be my Hilde. Her face was covered in abrasions, and her whole head bandaged in white gauze, blood was soaking though the white on the right side. I couldn't even stroke my baby's hair one last time.
I rubbed her stomach, "So this was my big surprise huh?" My voice cracked. "Oh Hilde I'm so sorry! Please don't go. Please, come back to me. You can name him or her what ever you want and I won't object, like I did for Taylor.
"Please hunny, you can't go, you can't leave me like this. I promise if you come back to me that I'll never fight with you again. I'll never get mad at you, I'll hold my tongue no matter how wrong you are.
"What can I do baby? How can I make this better? If it means moving the stars I'll do it. I'll do anything! Tell me what I can do to make you better!"
Tears were splashing down onto both of us. I buried my head into her chest, sobbing loudly, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. Oh Hilde, why did you have to get close to me? Why? Didn't you know that it would only end like this? You knew it would, so why? Why did you make me put you though this?"
The heart monitor's line went flat. A high-pitched, sustained beep filled the air, trying to mask my sobs.