3. Revival
The way to the hospital was made speed. But Detective Murdoch went into a deep sleep. He didn't notice his Superior, losing patience with men who put too much time to take care of the young man. He didn't see George's legs tremble with emotion and his eyes worried. He didn't hear the voice of Dr. Grace, who's trying to support as best that she could Constable Crabtree. He didn't feel the gravel under the wheels of sliding carriage running in the dark. He couldn't move, open his eyes, screaming in pain. There he was, lying on his back, feeling assured hands on him. He was far from all the commotion, plunged into an endless and heavy silence.
The young woman entered suddenly in the small dark room where was the lifeless body of the Detective. Julia had been called by Inspector Brakenreid who had asked her to go to the hospital as soon as possible. She knew what that meant. She had put a few seconds to recover her mind, feeling dizzy the nail on the spot a few minutes before rushing on the street and ask for a cab to get to the hospital fast. She met her former friends who had barely time to tell her in what room he was. Julia rushed without even hearing their recommendations. She walked over to the only occupied bed that was in the room.
Yet, her voice was little more than a whisper, emotion choking in her throat.
-William.
She couldn't utter a word, feeling the tears running down her cheeks. She approached him slowly, looking forward to accurately analyze his condition. He was seriously injured, very seriously. Julia sat on the bed and stroked tenderly the peaceful face of her husband. She approached him a little more before put a kiss on his lips, which, however, had no effect on the young man.
-William, I beg you. Don't leave me, not now. We need you, I need you, the young woman whispered so low that it was only a faint sigh through her lips barely.
She looked at him for a moment before putting her forehead against his and crying softly, long, interminable minutes, until she couldn't no longer fight. Then she put her head in the crook of his neck and fell asleep against him, closely against his cold body.
The days were long and laborious. The young woman didn't leave this room, it was almost every hour sitting beside the body of her husband. Julia was exhausted and barely ate. She had had to struggle not to fail on the ground of fatigue and grief. Nothing seemed to say that the state of William improved. Until one day.
The young woman had wipe his face that she had shaved carefully to not cut it. She put the towel on the table that stood beside the bed when a hand grabbed her wrist. Julia froze and looked at the young man who stood beside her.
She met his dark eyes, that look she knew so well.
-William.
-I am thirsty, whispered he.
Julia nodded and turned to take water and glass. She served and helped him sit up. The young man drank slowly, in a sigh of pain. After a few minutes in silence, Julia watched him in detail before sitting down next to him, she can't help letting slip her hand through his dark hair.
-I was so afraid of losing you, she murmured softly.
-How long am I here? William threw slowly looking all around him.
-You were injured three days ago, and you were unconscious since that time.
-I don't remember.
-The memory will return to you, Julia replied softly.
William didn't answer and nodded, closing his eyes slowly. She looked at him a few minutes in silence, before getting up. William felt it immediately, he opened his eyes and met her gaze, silently asking the question.
-I'll get Dr. Gram.
Julia went to the door, but she felt her hand being held by her husband's.
-There is a detail that I remember.
-Which one?
-You and Isaac. Julia, tell me I'm wrong, tell me that you're not have any secret to me.
She didn't answer immediately, his understood as an affirmation of her. She couldn't even hold his gaze and lowered to the ground easily. Then he dropped his hand and closed his eyes again.
The woman meanwhile, couldn't stay one second longer in the room, she left, turning once yet in the doorway.
-I love you, William, she said shyly before exiting.
The next three days were equally challenging for Dr. Ogden. She had resumed operations at the hospital, watching to make numerous visits to her husband who was recovering slowly from his injuries. However, it was noticeable how he kept his distance. She understood that he was suspecting something. She knew he would soon ask lots of questions, and she knew he was right. But Julia didn't know how to talk to him, tell him how she kept in her secret for several weeks now, he should know it and would inevitably find here shortly. She was just scared, afraid to lose him, afraid to make him sad, afraid that he no longer wants her, afraid that she never be before. Julia was terrified and she knew perfectly well that her reactions could be understands in another way by her husband, but she wasn't ready yet.
William felt his heart beating wildly in his chest when his eyes crossed, but like many years ago, he was unable to speak. It was dialogues in his head, he thought the words to say, gestures to do, but yet, when he was in front of her, when he spoke the first words he felt choked in his throat, unable to cross the barrier of his lips. And finally, he gave up talking, not that, simply remaining friendly with her, the woman he deeply loved and cared for him. The woman who had injured him, but the one that he wanted with him every second of his life.
Detective Murdoch had finally allowed to return home. Her superior was even granted days off, lots of holidays, all those that hadn't taken so long. Three weeks. Three long and endless weeks. He didn't know what he would do with all this free time. He imagined already circling in their house, counting the days down before returning to work.
Well then, finally, he began to love the fact of not getting up at dawn, to hear his wife in the next room, a glimpse through the doorway she brushed her hair carefully before putting more pins to try to discipline them.
That morning, still lying in bed, he looked carefully, barely wearing her white nightgown. He heard her singing softly, so low that he couldn't hear her words, but only the sweet melody. Then, William furrowed eyebrows, standing up in the bed to make sure it doesn't hallucinating.
But Julia hadn't noticed, she continued to sing softly, her hands caressing her belly, her belly just bounced, but in a way it had never been before. He seen the smallest details and wondered how he hadn't noticed it before, because yet it was so obvious. He didn't move, gently putting his ideas in place, including that it can be misconstrued somes signs, somes looks, somes words.
As if she felt his eyes on her, the woman turned to him. She froze a few moments before taking a step toward him and come to stand beside the bed.
-Julia, murmured William, you ...
He didn't say a word, putting his hand on the belly of his wife. He stroked tenderly before anchoring his eyes into hers.
-There's your secret, is for this reason that you saw Dr. Tash, you ... you're ...
-Pregnant, ended the young woman, smiling shyly, I'm carrying your child William.
He didn't answer, but he grinned, feeling his heart leap into his chest. He pulled her against him and kissed her, as he had rarely done in the past, too happy to hear this news, without thinking for a second that all this meant, that Julia was out of her mind and what would remind them too quickly.
To be Continued...
