12 - The Rescue
"Oh my God! Maria!" Eric cried over her lifeless body. He felt like someone was ripping him into shreds. Immediately he began CPR.
Within a minute, he had managed to revive her. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Eric," she muttered.
"Shh, Maria," he said. "Don't say a word just rest." He began to carry her out of there. He turned towards the hallway to his horror he was met with flames.
"Damn why didn't I bring my radio from the car!" he said. Eric began to cough. "I've gotta get you out of here, Maria,' he said. He coughed some more. "This is more than just a fire.
Eric managed to fight his way downstairs, coughing all the way. He was losing his strength. There were two things to do. He could try to run with Maria and possibly save them both, or he could absolutely save Maria. The choice was simple.
He took the roll away table he spotted and placed Maria on it. He tied her down with his belt. When his last ounce of strength he pushed her towards the exit. He saw her roll out the door and he collapsed.
Outside the security guards were bewildered as the table rolled out, they caught it. "Someone call 911 she's barely conscious!" the second one yelled.
"There's smoke coming out of that building!" yelled Annie. "Spencer is inside!"
Within minutes Eric was rescued and both were rushed to the hospital.
At the hospital, Carmen, Antonio, Ricardo, Annie, and Gabi were in the waiting room. Ricardo turned to Antonio and Gabi.
"I have something to tell both of you," said Ricardo to Antonio and Gabi.
They turned to him. Carmen, who sensed she should leave, walked off.
"Well you both now I've made a lot of progress in the past five weeks. In more ways than one."
They look at him. "What do you want to say, Ricardo?"
"I forgive you, both of you," said Ricardo.
Tears well up in Antonio and Gabi's eyes. "Ricardo, thank you so much," Gabi.
"We both know how hard this must have been for you. All of us have had to struggle," siad Antonio.
Ricardo smiled at them.
"Let's get some coffee," said Gabi.
After they had left Annie turned to Ricardo.
"I'm glad you could finally forgive them," she said.
"It was hard, but I finally healed enough to do so," he said.
"There's something I need to tell you, Ricardo," said Annie.
"Me first, please Annie," he said.
"Go ahead," she said grinning.
"I know, the difference, between you and the other women Annie. It's that I still feel how I do about you -even though I know about everything you did to the Richards family."
"You found out!" said Anne aghast.
"Calm down, Annie, word gets around." said Ricardo. "Gabi and Paula both hurt me, too, but my feelings changed for them. They haven't for you. That doesn't mean I condone what you did, but I still like you."
"I feel the same way about you, Ricardo. And I was there the day you stood up to Jude for me."
Suddenly the door opened and Maria, weaning oxygen gear, was wheeled out by Nurse Stacey.
"Maria!" exclaimed Ricardo and Annie.
" I have to see Eric!" she cried.
"Oh my God! Maria!" Eric cried over her lifeless body. He felt like someone was ripping him into shreds. Immediately he began CPR.
Within a minute, he had managed to revive her. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Eric," she muttered.
"Shh, Maria," he said. "Don't say a word just rest." He began to carry her out of there. He turned towards the hallway to his horror he was met with flames.
"Damn why didn't I bring my radio from the car!" he said. Eric began to cough. "I've gotta get you out of here, Maria,' he said. He coughed some more. "This is more than just a fire.
Eric managed to fight his way downstairs, coughing all the way. He was losing his strength. There were two things to do. He could try to run with Maria and possibly save them both, or he could absolutely save Maria. The choice was simple.
He took the roll away table he spotted and placed Maria on it. He tied her down with his belt. When his last ounce of strength he pushed her towards the exit. He saw her roll out the door and he collapsed.
Outside the security guards were bewildered as the table rolled out, they caught it. "Someone call 911 she's barely conscious!" the second one yelled.
"There's smoke coming out of that building!" yelled Annie. "Spencer is inside!"
Within minutes Eric was rescued and both were rushed to the hospital.
At the hospital, Carmen, Antonio, Ricardo, Annie, and Gabi were in the waiting room. Ricardo turned to Antonio and Gabi.
"I have something to tell both of you," said Ricardo to Antonio and Gabi.
They turned to him. Carmen, who sensed she should leave, walked off.
"Well you both now I've made a lot of progress in the past five weeks. In more ways than one."
They look at him. "What do you want to say, Ricardo?"
"I forgive you, both of you," said Ricardo.
Tears well up in Antonio and Gabi's eyes. "Ricardo, thank you so much," Gabi.
"We both know how hard this must have been for you. All of us have had to struggle," siad Antonio.
Ricardo smiled at them.
"Let's get some coffee," said Gabi.
After they had left Annie turned to Ricardo.
"I'm glad you could finally forgive them," she said.
"It was hard, but I finally healed enough to do so," he said.
"There's something I need to tell you, Ricardo," said Annie.
"Me first, please Annie," he said.
"Go ahead," she said grinning.
"I know, the difference, between you and the other women Annie. It's that I still feel how I do about you -even though I know about everything you did to the Richards family."
"You found out!" said Anne aghast.
"Calm down, Annie, word gets around." said Ricardo. "Gabi and Paula both hurt me, too, but my feelings changed for them. They haven't for you. That doesn't mean I condone what you did, but I still like you."
"I feel the same way about you, Ricardo. And I was there the day you stood up to Jude for me."
Suddenly the door opened and Maria, weaning oxygen gear, was wheeled out by Nurse Stacey.
"Maria!" exclaimed Ricardo and Annie.
" I have to see Eric!" she cried.