Chapter 22
The knocking on the door makes May groan. All she wants to do is be alone. Since coming back from the wedding, May has isolated herself in her room. She hasn't even opened it when Tyler tried to bring her dinner. For all she knows, that dinner is cold outside her door now. While May understands that the children come first, she needs today to guard her heart again. Tomorrow, she will act like he never existed. It's how everything is supposed to be anyway.
"May, it's Solidad!" Betty's voice comes through the door. May has been ignoring Solidad's and Dawn's calls since leaving the wedding. The brunette turned off her phone because she isn't in the right mind to interact with anyone. Plus, she's done with that world. She knew she shouldn't have left earlier. May Maple belongs at the orphanage, and it should always stay this way. The children need her.
"May, she keeps calling."
Sighing, May knows she can't release her frustrations and pain on the girl. The brunette has been crying for hours now, so she's sure her eyes look terrible. "Tell her to stop."
"I can't." Betty hesitantly replies. Because Tyler couldn't get May to open her door earlier, Betty is trying now.
"Yes, you can, Betty. Just block her number. You know how." May's voice is raspy from the crying, but at least it's not shaky anymore.
"Too bad."
That voice makes May flinch in anger. "I told you to never come back here." May shouts towards the closed door.
"I'll handle this, Betty." Solidad gives the girl a reassuring smile, which makes Betty frown.
The only reason Betty and Tyler allowed Solidad to come inside was because the woman claims to never come back after this. Tyler and Betty want May's pain to end, so they're going to let Solidad meet May one last time. "You have 5 minutes." Betty warns the woman before walking off down the hall.
Taking in a shaky breath, Solidad speaks to the door again. "May, please-"
"I told you to leave us alone already!" yells the furious woman as more tears slip out. Solidad just reminds May of everything that happened today, especially about him!
"He's in the hospital!" Solidad closes her eyes while a few tears slip out. She had just gotten called from someone at Hayden Corporation about Drew's car accident. Solidad only got called because she's the public relations expert, so she's supposed to develop a statement before the news catches wind of this story. She has no idea how Drew is, but she heard he was in surgery almost an hour ago. Solidad doesn't know what caused Drew to steal a car and drive drunk from his own wedding when he chose this fate, though she knows she needs to go support her friend, and he needs all the support he can get.
Eventually, the door slowly opens to reveal the disheveled brunette who worriedly gazes into Solidad's eyes. "What?" SHe whispers.
Wiping her own tears, Solidad replies, "He got into a bad accident and he's in surgery right now." She takes a deep breath. "They say it's not looking good."
May gazes down at her sweaty hands. She just spent the past couple hours cutting him out of her life. Vowing to herself that she won't think about him anymore. That she will pretend like he never happened. However, her love for him is still strong. "He made his choice. I don't need to be there." May finds the courage to keep her resolve.
"Please, May." insists the older woman. "Don't regret anything."
"I regret falling in love with him." May's fierce blue eyes meet Solidad's pained brown ones. "Leave and never come back. He gets whatever happens to him." It hurts May to say these terrible things, but she's still so angry. Plus, she needs Solidad to leave already so she can go back and cry in her room. Gosh. He broke her, and she still loves him so much. She still cares about him and she's scared for him. However, she won't go to him. She's done doing that because he doesn't want her.
While hurt by May's words, Solidad isn't in the mood or mindset to convince May to come with her. The older woman dropped by as a courtesy, but Solidad needs to go see her friend. Also, Tyler and Betty are back because her time is up. "He'll be at LaRousse Central." She then walks briskly away as more fearful tears fall down her face.
The children have no idea what Solidad was talking about, so they worriedly look at May who then shuts her door again. "What do you think that was about?" Betty asks Tyler.
The boy shrugs and walks away. "Let's give May space."
However, for the second time that day, May sprints past them without them fully understanding what's going on. Betty and Tyler watch the retreating figure of the brunette in her pajamas leave down the hall, and they soon hear the front doors of the orphanage shut.
"She's going back to him." Betty defeatedly says. As much as she liked Drew, Betty doesn't like seeing him break May's heart over and over again. The girl thought May was stronger than to come to a man's beck and call. Betty admired May for her strength, but here May is chasing after Drew every time someone tells her to.
Shaking his head, Tyler angrily walks back to the lobby. Even though it is very late right now, he doubts May ran off with her keys. Being one of the oldest, he needs to stay up and wait to let her in. Betty follows because she isn't going to leave him with her job. Plus, Betty likes spending time with Tyler. She finds comfort in his presence with everything going on right now.
Outside, May chases down the car driving away. Fortunately, Solidad sees her, so she stops the car. After Solidad had walked away, May laid in bed for a bit. All she could think about was him. He's all she's been thinking about no matter how much she tries to drown him out. However, when she saw that scared look in Solidad's eyes and heard how he might not make it out of this, May knew she had to see him. She can't live with the thought of not being there for the man she loves, even if she can't have him.
Hopping inside the car, May says a quiet, "Thanks."
Nodding, Solidad continues driving. "Thank you." The older woman hopes May's presence will help her friend recover from this. Any support for Drew will help. Plus, Solidad doesn't want to see Drew alone.
The whole car ride is silent as May's thoughts run wild in her head. Is Drew okay? Will he be okay? Why is her heart aching worse than when she left the wedding? She clenches her fists as her eyes shut in frustration. Why is Drew in the hospital? Despite breaking her heart hours ago, he doesn't deserve this. She still loves him and cares about him, so he needs to be okay. She'll stay at the hospital long enough to know he's okay, and then she'll disappear forever, like she had already vowed to herself.
"He stole a car and drove drunk."
Solidad's voice makes the brunette open her eyes. May has heard about the Hayden heir's recklessness that eventually landed him at the orphanage working community service. However, Drew had changed afterwards, so why did he do that? "Why?" May whispers.
Solidad grips her steering wheel tighter. "I don't know." Although, the older woman has an idea that it has to do with him being unhappy and heartbroken. She lets out a deep sigh while focusing on the road. Her tears can cloud her vision later but not while she's driving. There's already been enough car accidents tonight.
LaRousse Central Hospital
Mrs. Hayden and Brianna have been crying nonstop since hearing about Drew's accident. The Haydens and Wakanas rushed from the wedding to the hospital, although Mr. Wakana was too intoxicated, so he went home. Drew is currently in surgery, and the Haydens and Wakana women are in a private waiting room because of their elite status. When Mr. Hayden received the phone call about Drew, the wedding was immediately over as the parents and Wakana women rushed to the hospital.
Once they arrived, the nurses informed them that Drew is in critical condition and he's lost a lot of blood. He has many broken bones as well as head trauma. He had been speeding, so he hit the tree directly with a hard impact. He's lucky to even still be alive right now, and if it wasn't for the car he almost hit calling the police, the ambulance might not have made it to him on time.
"Why?" Mrs. Hayden cries again into her handkerchief. She has been asking this a lot since hearing about Drew. However, the older woman seems to have an idea that her son has turned rebellious again due to his heartache. She had allowed May to see Drew one last time, but did May not make it? Did she get caught during that short amount of time Mrs. Hayden managed to take the guards away?
Well, regardless of what happened to May, Mrs. Hayden hasn't seen Solidad since prior to the wedding starting. It's a strong indication of Solidad and May being found and kicked out from the wedding. Nevertheless, if May did make it to Drew, he seems to have made his choice with Brianna. Plus, Dawn Berlitz even objected claiming that Drew isn't in love with Brianna, but Drew still chose to follow through with the marriage. Does Drew care about the orphanage that much that he'll sacrifice his happiness for it? His life?
The woman sobs some more because she knows she's a main factor for her son fighting for his life right now. If only she had convinced Nicholas to hold off on the wedding? Or to let Drew choose someone instead? No. Mrs. Hayden knows this is the way of their world. She just never expected her son to do something this rash, even when he was rebellious prior to the orphanage.
Nicholas, although concerned about his son, has been on his phone trying to figure out how Hayden Corporation will address this with the media. Where is Solidad when they need her? She also disappeared from the wedding. While Nathan knows Solidad and Drew are great friends, she works for Hayden Corporation, which Drew has no stakes in yet. Nathan is irate that his son did something stupid again to tarnish their reputation, and now Drew may not live to deal with Nathan's wrath. Although Nathan is angry with Drew, he still hopes his son makes it out alive. Hayden Corporation has big plans now that they've joined together with Wakana Enterprises.
Brianna has been crying into her mother's arms. This is supposed to be the happiest day of her life because she's married to the man she's loved for years now, even if he didn't know of her existence until recently. She's upset at herself for ever letting him out of her sight. She has already fired all of the guards who let him leave the wedding, but if Drew doesn't make it, Brianna has no idea what she will do.
When the doors to the private waiting room open, everyone looks towards it with anticipation of what the nurses and doctors could tell them now. However, all of their reactions are different at the sight of the two women entering.
Nicholas angrily bellows at Solidad, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be preparing a statement!"
Nicholas normally never raises his voice at Solidad because she's such a great worker, but she's unfazed due to her concern for Drew. "I'm Drew's friend first, Mr. Hayden." She narrows her eyes at the man. "And you are his father first."
Nicholas glares at her. "You will regret challenging me, Solidad."
"Drew is worth it." Solidad already expects Brianna to do something to her for sneaking May into the wedding today, so she's not bothered by Nicholas's threat.
While Nicholas and Solidad were exchanging words, Brianna had stood up to storm over to May. The salmon haired woman brings her hand back to try and slap May, but May grabs her wrist before the hand can hit her face. "You don't belong here!" Brianna shrieks hysterically, and her mother comes to her rescue.
"Unhand my daughter!" Mrs. Wakana shouts at May.
"I'm here for Drew. Not anyone else." May releases Brianna and walks past the Wakana women. She sits on a different side of the waiting room from them.
Nicholas now directs his glare at her. "You are not welcomed here."
"Drew would want me here!" May's blue eyes challenge the man's green orbs. While Nicholas has the same emerald eyes as Drew, the older man's eyes are nothing like Drew's. Drew's are a lot more compassionate and pure while Nicholas's are hungry and selfish.
"How dare you speak on my son's behalf!"
"I know more about him than you do!" May exclaims back as she fights her tears. "I know what makes him happy! I know his dreams and goals and his likes and dislikes! What do you know about him?"
Nicholas doesn't hit women, but if he did, he wants to slap May across the face right now. How dare this poor woman tell him about his son? How dare she challenge him? How dare she have such courage against he who can shut down her orphanage right now? "Get out."
Before May or Solidad can fight back, Mrs. Hayden speaks up, "Stop, Nicholas."
Nicholas turns to face his wife who had been crying this entire time. However, that intense look in her eyes makes him shut his mouth. Despite being married, the two have never loved each other. Their marriage is just for their company image. However, they are good business partners, which has allowed them to coexist. "Margaret-"
"You heard me." Margaret's eyes are unwavering as she challenges her husband. She rarely ever gives him this tone or look, so he knows he's lost.
"Fine."
"Nicholas! Margaret!" Mrs. Wakana angrily shouts.
When Margaret's eyes glare at her, though, Mrs. Wakana and Brianna flinch. "He is my son. I can decide who gets to see him." Nevertheless, Mrs. Hayden knows that there will be repercussions for her behavior, so she now turns her gaze to May. The two women's eyes meet, and Margaret says, "You will leave LaRousse City and never come back."
"Mrs. Hayden!" Solidad exclaims, but Margaret pays her no attention.
With May's determined gaze unwavering, she slightly nods. "Then the orphanage needs to be left alone."
"You have my word that the orphanage will be fine as long as you never come back here."
After a few seconds of tense silence, May musters up enough strength to confidently say, "Okay."
"You leave once we find out news about Drew." While Mrs. Hayden knows her son is in the hospital due to his broken heart, she can't allow everything she and Nicholas worked for to be destroyed like this. If Drew thinks that May abandoned him, then that will help him move on. Hopefully, he can grow to love Brianna because she at least cares a lot about him.
May nods before leaning back in her seat as the room falls into an uncomfortable silence. However, the young woman is only concerned about the man she loves who is still in surgery. She's mad at him for breaking her heart. For being reckless. For being here! But she still cares about him enough to see him. To brave his family and wife again. To embarrass herself once more. He's worth it. And he's also worth her leaving the orphanage forever as well as this city. He's worth her leaving him.
While Brianna would like to have some more choice words with May, she already sees the way Nicholas gave in to Margaret who is allowing May to be here. Angry, Brianna will let this go because May will be gone from the city in 24 hours anyway. Brianna won't have to care about May Maple coming back into Drew's life. Brianna can just tell Drew that May abandoned him, and then he will move on to her because she will be here to mend his heart.
After a few more hours, the doors open once more, and this time, it is a surgeon and a nurse. The surgeon asks, "Who are the parents?"
Margaret quickly stands up followed by Nicholas. Brianna rushes over to the surgeon. "I'm his wife!" She panics.
Giving them a thin smile, the surgeon says, "Follow me." The three disappear through the doors with the surgeon and nurse, leaving Mrs. Wakana, Soledad, and May in the private waiting room. Mrs. Wakana is busying herself on her phone while Solidad and May nervously look away. They couldn't gauge whether Drew is okay or not based on the surgeon's demeanor.
Next chapter is painful!~