kalopsia: (n.) the delusion of things being more beautiful than they really are.
After dinner, Elizabeth excused herself to go upstairs. She insisted she was fine and made Henry stay downstairs with the kids.
As soon as she reached the bedroom, she walked straight through to the bathroom. She hated that she couldn't hold in her food and rushed to the toilet. She emptied her stomach and got up. While brushing her teeth, she realized how badly her ribs hurt and just how dizzy she felt. Figuring she shouldjust lie down for a bit, she started walking to the bed.
"How is she really doing, dad?" Stevie asked after her mom had gone upstairs.
"She's getting better." Henry promised. Though she was still very much hurt, it was less each day.
"So what is-" Jason started but stopped when they heard a loud thump from upstairs. Like something heavy dropping to the floor.
Not wasting any time, Henry ran up the stairs two steps at a time, followed by his kids. He stopped dead in his tracks when he found his wife unconscious on the floor in their bedroom and quickly rushed to her side.
"Babe? Wake up. Elizabeth." He gently tapped her cheek but it didn't seem to work.
"Dad?" A terrified voice came from the doorway and his eyes snapped to his two kids.
"Call 911." He ordered but they were both in shock and didn't move. "Now!"
Stevie grabbed her cellphone and started dialing while Henry was still trying to wake Elizabeth up.
"Jason can you get me a wet cloth from the bathroom?" Jason followed his dad's orders and returned soon after with a cloth. He watched as his dad dapped his mom's forehead with it. Although nothing seemed to work in waking her up.
"They're on their way." Stevie told her dad and he nodded.
The few minutes it took for the ambulance to get there felt like hours. Henry couldn't believe she had fought to get back to them and he wasn't about to lose her now.
He couldn't go through grieving again. It had taken everything from him last time. He didn't think he would be able to do it again.
Stevie had waited downstairs for the ambulance to arrive and guided them upstairs to where her mom was.
Henry stepped aside so the paramedics could do their job and wrapped his kids close.
"I'm going to ride with mom. Will you two be okay getting there on your own?" Both kids nodded and he watched as the paramedics carried the stretcher with his wife downstairs. He climbed after them into the ambulance and off they went.
When she opened her eyes, the first things she did was close them again. The light was too bright and she let out an involuntary groan.
She heard someone call out for her but she felt herself slipping back into unconsciousness. She allowed the darkness to take over, trusting herself she would fight her way back the next time she got the opportunity to.
Elizabeth stopped screaming when the pain radiated all over her body. She was numb, and the adrenaline had run through her veins for hours. Or maybe it was only minutes?
She couldn't see anything. A bag covered her face and judging by the hard, thorny floor, she was inside. With her hands tied behind her back, she lay on her side and tried to calm her breathing and regain her senses.
Do not panic. She took a deep breath. Do not panic
He had challenged her to fight again.
There was the sound of the metal door opening and Elizabeth froze.
Breathe.
Inhale and exhale.
The sound of her breath echoed in her ears as noises approached her. A heavy boot connected with her ribs. She growled. She was aware that she already had bruises there.
The person knelt and she was lifted into a seating position. A pain radiated from behind her skull. She couldn't control her breathing anymore and groaned again.
"Slowly." The voice she recognized as one of the guards.
She struggled instinctively, but unbearable pain radiated into her ribs, leaving her momentarily immobilized.
"No." She growled, jabbing him with her right leg. She had hit him because the man screamed and fell backwards.
"Asong babae!" She couldn't understand what he was saying but she figured it was something along the lines of swearing. Calling her a bitch, perhaps.
She screamed when she received another blow in the stomach. She curled up instinctively, mentally preparing to receive a second, but the blow never came.
The man took off her handcuffs and the bag from her head. The only thing holding her in place now was the chain around her ankle. The metal door closed, and only Elizabeth's panting breath echoed.
The memory faded and in return she started hearing weird beeping noises. Like a heart monitor in a hospital. She slowly opened her eyes and it took her a while to get adjusted to her surroundings.
On her left she found Henry talking to her but she couldn't hear what he was saying. She focused on his lips and slowly her hearing returned.
"-you hear me?"
She figured out the rest of his question and she nodded. She looked around and found three kids asleep in chairs in the room. Even Alison had come and she sighed. This was the last thing she had wanted for her family.
"Can I get you anything? Do you need me to get a doctor?" Henry's voice was soft and she realized he didn't want to wake the kids. She shook her head no and grabbed his hand.
"I- I'm sorry." She just couldn't hold back her tears and she was glad her children were asleep. The last thing they needed after what happened was to see their mother in the middle of a breakdown.
"Shhh. It's okay. The doctor said you passed out because you had been throwing up and not eating that much."
"I'm sorry." She repeated. Henry's words went past her in a blur and she squeezed his hand desperately.
"Babe. You're okay."
She tugged on his arm and he leaned forward. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and held on for a little while. His hands were making circular motions on her back that soothed her. "Why can't I just feel normal again?"
"You will. We'll get there." Henry pushed back so she could lay down again and she felt her eyes getting heaving.
Henry grabbed her hand and moved it to his mouth to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "Rest. I'll be here when you wake up."
The first thing she heard was voices. It scared her and reminded her of all the times she had woken up and heard his voice. As she continued listening, she realized the voices were familiar and she dared to open her eyes – notifying them she was awake.
"Mom, how are you feeling?" Stevie rushed to the side of the bed followed by her two siblings.
"I'm okay. I'm sorry I'm putting you guys through this."
"No." Alison grabbed her mother's hand. "You need time before you're back to your old self."
"Yeah we understand." Jason joined in and grabbed his mother's other hand.
"When did our kids get so smart and grown up?" Elizabeth looked at Henry who offered her a smile in return.
"Good morning, I see you're awake." A female doctor walked in and the kids stepped back so she could do her work. "My name is doctor Morgan."
"Can she go home?" Alison asked impatiently. She just wanted to be home and have her mom there with her.
"I need to speak to your mother for a moment." Doctor Morgan looked at both parents for help and Henry got up.
"Kids why don't we wait outside for a moment?" He got up to go after them but Elizabeth quickly grabbed his hand. She needed him to stay with her and so Henry sat down as the kids left the room
"You passed out last night and we would like to put you on a dieting schedule. It's very important that you gain some of your weight again. We also want to put you on vitamins, especially vitamin D. Other than that we want you to keep an eye on your weight as well. I will have a dietician come by before you leave so you can set up a plan."
"And that will keep her from feeling dizzy and nauseous?" Henry looked at the doctor hopeful. He wished this would bring them one step closer to healing.
"That's what we hope." When neither one had any more questions, the doctor left the room and told all three kids they could go back in.
"So can you go home?"
"Not yet." Elizabeth smiled. "But your dad is taking you three home."
"No we want to stay." Jason argued and his sister's agreed.
"Please." Elizabeth sighed, not in the mood for a discussion.
"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" Henry asked. She hadn't really been alone since she returned. He was always in the house or close by.
"Go take them home and then come back to pick me up. I'm sure by then I'm cleared to go." Henry squeezed her hand and walked out, followed by the kids.
Elizabeth sighed as she watched her family walk out. She felt immediate panic and had to refrain herself from calling Henry back in. She guided herself to deep breaths.
It was scary, how vulnerable she felt without Henry by her side. She couldn't bare to be without him but also flinched away nearly every time he came close to her.
That man was her rock. He was everything to her. He was always supportive, always caring and most importantly, not afraid to be the man next to the woman.
That wasn't something a lot of men would have had the courage to do. But Henry was different. He was her biggest supporter, her pillar when things got hard and by her side no matter what. He wasn't afraid to stand in her shadow. He wasn't threatened when she became a woman in power.
He was everything she had been looking for and now things had changed. She wanted it to go back to how they used to be. Madly in love and annoying their kids with the amount of affection they showed for each other.
When Henry returned to the hospital after dropping the kids off at home, he noticed an unfamiliar woman leaving his wife's room.
"Who was that?" He took a seat next to her bed and took off his jacket.
"The dietician. She helped me with a schedule. She's printing it now and then I can go home." She reached out and Henry grabbed her hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She brushed her hand through her hair, releasing some of the knots that had formed.
"I mean this was the first time you were alone since.." Henry's voice trailed off. He couldn't finish that sentence but he knew she would understand what he meant.
"It was," Elizabeth thought about how to correctly express herself for a moment. "It was scary. But it also showed me that I wanted you back by my side as soon as possible. That's something I'm taking as a step in the right direction."
"It is but babe, I don't ever want you to force your recovery. Next time if you want me here, please tell me."
"I have to be able to be by myself some time."
"No you don't. I told you, I'm never leaving you again." Henry rubbed the back of her hand and she grinned.
"So, you're my new bodyguard now, are you?"
"To protect and serve." He smiled and the dietician walked back in.
"You're free to go." The words caused a chill to go down her spine, but Elizabeth smiled grateful. They managed to get into the car and drive off without being seen.
Elizabeth was lost in her thought and didn't notice they had already reached the house until Henry gently touched her arm.
"Ready?"
She nodded and he guided her inside. She was met by her three kids who helped her to the couch and she sighed. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought. She knew they meant well but they were overwhelming.
"Kids, why don't you make your mom some tea." Henry watched the kids walk out and sat down next to her.
Elizabeth turned to face him and Henry's hand settled on her cheek but she slapped it away with her own.
"Sorry. I should've asked." Henry apologized as he pulled his hand back. He knew she had told him not to place his hand there. It reminded her of him.
"You don't have to ask." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm so tired. I'm so tired of feeling like this."
Henry figured now was as good a time as any to suggest therapy. "Maybe you should talk to someone."
"No." She fiercely protested. "I'll talk to you, Henry."
"Babe, I'm not equipped for this."
She moved closer to him and grabbed his hand in hers before pressing it against her own cheeks. She pushed down the hurt and tears appeared in her eyes. "Please."
"Okay. You don't have to push yourself." Henry moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her head. "I've got a few things to do for work. Will you be alright? I'll stay in the house."
"Go. I've got three kids at my disposal." Elizabeth grinned and watched Henry walk out. Stevie returned soon after with tea while the two youngest kids were making food.
"Mom, is there anything I can do for you or dad?"
"No baby. Thank you, though."
"Would you two like the house to yourself this weekend? I could take Jase and Ali somewhere."
"No, why?"
"It's just that- I know things have changed, but you and dad used to show an almost annoyingly amount of affection for each other, yet now we haven't seen you two kiss at least once."
"Stevie.."
"Mom, you don't have to tell me anything, but I'm not stupid."
"Your dad and I might not be as 'touchy' as we used to be, but we're getting there." She explained to her eldest daughter. "He spent more than a year thinking I was gone. We can't just go back to how it was before."
"But you two aren't breaking up?"
"No!" Elizabeth spoke forcefully. "Do your siblings think that too?"
Stevie nodded and Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly. The last thing she wanted her kids to worry about was their parents splitting up.
"Get your dad, Ali and Jase, please."
Stevie hesitantly got up and gathered everyone before walking to her mom again.
"Is everything okay?" Alison asked worried as she took place next to her mother on the couch.
"Yes. I'm fine. However, there's something we need to talk about." She glanced at Henry who was just as confused as their two youngest children. "Stevie told me you guys are worried your dad and I might be splitting up."
"What?" Henry frowned as he sat down on the armrest of the couch, placing a supportive hand on his wife's shoulder.
"If you guys are. Just tell us." Jason sighed.
"We're not!" Henry promised.
"We might not show as much affection as before but I still love your father very much." Elizabeth grabbed his hand from her shoulder and squeezed it.
"And I still love your mom."
Alison tilted her head a little as she shifted her gaze from her mom to her dad. "But you two used to be inseparable. It's not like before."
"Nothing is like before." Elizabeth sighed. "But you and your dad are stuck with me."
"Just how I like it." Henry kissed the top of her head and she leaned backwards against his form.
"Promise?" Alison asked and both parents nodded.
"Promise."
"Now get your mom some food while I finish up a few things and we'll eat together." Henry handed Stevie the dieting plan and the two girls jumped up to make some food while Henry left too.
TBC