Second Chances? – Chapter 37
By MyNameIsCAL
-Fang's POV-
As promised, Max brought Alex the next morning. I knew Max was only using Alex as a distraction for me so I wouldn't worry too much and get caught up in my thoughts. I wanted to get angry about that. I wanted to be angry about everything, but as Alex clung onto my arm, reading her book to me, I found it hard to even think about anything else. Before I knew it, Max had slipped out of the room.
"Are you going to come home soon?" Alex asked after she finished reading.
"It depends what the doctor tells me," I told her.
She frowned. "The last time you were at the hospital it took a long time for you to come home."
I realized that Alex had never known about my other short hospital visits. All she was remembering was my year of absence.
"It won't be that long," I said. "I promise."
She hugged me. "I miss you, Daddy."
"I'll be home soon." I felt like I was repeating myself. "Keep Mommy from thinking too much."
"Thinking about what?" she questioned.
I shrugged. "I guess from worrying."
"About you?"
I nodded.
The door opened and Max came in. By the look on her face, I could already tell something was wrong. Alex hopped off the bed and went to her.
"It's time to go home now, Alex." Her voice wavered as she took Alex's hand. "Say goodbye to Daddy. I'll bring you back after school tomorrow."
Alex came back, kissing me lightly. "Bye, Daddy. I'll miss you!"
"I'll miss you too, Alex."
She skipped out the door ahead of Max.
"Max, what's wrong?" I stared at her and stood still for a minute.
But she didn't answer my question. Instead, she headed after Alex. "I'll be back in a half hour."
Confused, I stared out into the hallway for a while, wondering why she hadn't told me anything. But that was all explained as Iggy walked through the door, his eyes red looking. He had bruises, some stitches, a wrist brace, but nothing looked like permanent damage. That was a relief. He took a seat next to the bed, falling into the chair heavily.
"Iggy, I…I shouldn't have been driving…I'm sorry…"
He cut me off, his hand coming around my arm. "It's not your fault, Fang. And I'm not saying it just to make you feel better, I'm telling you it's the truth."
I expected him to let go of me now, but his grip grew tighter as he sucked in a breath.
"How…how is Ella?" I could barely hear myself ask the question.
He leaned against the bed, his eyes seemed to find me, to stare into my own, like he was trying to channel his emotions to me. It was like he could see for a minute.
"Fang…" Iggy was trying to hold back tears now as he let go of my arm. "We lost…we lost the baby."
And he buried his face into the bed, sobbing. I closed my eyes, feeling tears stream down my face. This couldn't be happening. Not after everything Ella and Iggy had been through.
"There was just…too much damage to s…s…save both of them," Iggy cried. "The trauma would have been…been too much anyway."
"Iggy..." I tried to pull myself together. "Iggy, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," he choked out. "Goddamnit, Fang, why did this have to happen? Why did all this shit happen to us?"
Max curled up on the bed, her head leaning against my arm. I put my arm around her. We didn't have to say anything to know that we were both thinking about the same thing. An hour must have gone by until we finally spoke to each other.
"I wanted to go see Ella," Max said, her voice hoarse. "But Iggy said she's not even ready to talk to him."
"I don't know how Iggy could even come in here and tell me himself."
"He insisted on telling you himself." Max took my hand. "He wanted to make sure that you knew it wasn't your fault."
But I still felt it was my fault. When I didn't reply to Max, she squeezed my hand.
"It's not your fault, Fang. I know you want to blame yourself."
"I can give you fifty reasons why it's my fault."
She countered, "And I could give you fifty more reasons why it's not."
We sat in silence after that until I fell asleep.
I promise some light will come to this story soon. I am trying for a happy ending. New chapter will be up soon.