Chapter 15
It smashed into the wall with a crash, exploding with a small puff and loud noise. Theresa's heartbeat had quickened and she suddenly felt short of breath when she realized what she had just done. When she pulled the trigger back, the force pushing through the metal jerked Theresa's hand back and now she held the gun shakily, even more so than before. Ethan and Matt stared in shock at Theresa, hoping that they had really seen that bullet shoot into the wall rather than into Gwen.
Gwen had shut her eyes closed in terror when she actually believed that Theresa had pulled the trigger for a reason. As she opened her eyes again to look around her, she had concluded wrong. The gun was still in her face and the smell of gunpowder filled her nostrils. The gun had been fired, yes, but just not at her.
"The next one will be in your head if you don't shut up!" Theresa yelled.
Gwen smirked at her with a strange assurance. "You couldn't do it anyway."
Rage flowed through her veins as never before and she took Gwen's comment as an invitation. With steady hands, Theresa removed one hand from the gun and pulled back the tail at the end before returning her grasp back. "Try me." Her teeth were clenched as she spoke and the look in her eye was one that Gwen had never seen; it was solid and prepared, burning and vengeful.
Ethan followed everything with his eyes, his stare tracing over both women whenever they spoke. Matt, when he heard the sound of gun fire in close proximity, pulled himself to a wall and covered his head with his arms as if he were under attack from the Commies.
The two women held the long stare without blinking, fear suddenly creeping into Gwen's eyes. For several minutes all Ethan could think about was the gun in Theresa's hands and soon he noticed a thin trail of red veining down her arm. Her adrenaline may have kept her in the fiery moment but Theresa's strength was waning as she stood with her arms outstretched. It completed Ethan's worst fear as he realized that the shot he'd heard earlier had indeed penetrated Theresa, bleeding from her body.
"Do it, Theresa." Gwen finally spoke. "I dare you. Come on, do it."
Ethan's eyes immediately shifted from Theresa's arm, to her gun-filled hands, to her face. "Theresa… no! Don't do it… It's--it's not worth it." She said nothing and kept her hateful eyes on her adversary. "Don't… if you do, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Don't let her ruin your life, Theresa… Don't give her that satisfaction… Please…"
Theresa had heard what her husband said and turned to him shakily. "I have to-- I have to!" she uttered quickly.
"No-- no, you don't. Just… C'mon, Theresa, give me the gun…" He took a few small steps toward her with his palm outstretched. "C'mon… Theresa…," he begged her, "give it to me… you don't want to do this…" Ethan's palm was right next to her and she took quick glances from his hand to Gwen's mocking face. Theresa exhaled and she pressed her thumbs down on the hammer. After she let a million milliseconds fly by, she pushed the trigger to safety and slowly handed the firearm into Ethan's hand.
She stared at it in wonder, not believing that she'd let go and she turned her crying-faced look to her husband that she hadn't seen in days. It was then that she broke down and fell into his comforting arms. As he wrapped his arms around her, the actuality of the moment made him lose focus and the gun in his hand dropped to the floor with a clang.
He was relieved to hold her again and the world around him seemed to stand still-- just as it always had when she was near. Theresa's weak body was against his and she hugged him, the blood that had spilled from her shoulder to her hand staining his back. He held his wife tightly and pulled her body close to his, grateful to feel her once again.
Fury raced in Gwen's veins as she watched Ethan and Theresa before her. Her stomach tightened with bile and she felt sickened. It shouldn't be that way. Theresa couldn't win again! No! She wouldn't let her win again. Her knee caps began to feel the heaviness of gravity pulling at her weight and she then noticed that the gun that Theresa once held was on the floor… directly in front of her.
Gwen stared at Ethan and Theresa again; they were holding each other and Theresa's loud cries were muffled into Ethan's shoulder. He stroked her hair, almost savoring her feel forever and he closed his eyes and thanked god for bringing her back to him. Gwen smirked and glared at the beckoning pistol left alone on the floor. It called to her and made her eyes large with sparkling plot. Taking another glance at the couple, Gwen turned to the gun and quickly reached for it. Matt watched her from the other side of the room and he watched in horror as she grabbed for the gun and without hesitation, without thinking, Matt reached for the gun that he had tucked behind his back.
Only fractions of milliseconds passed when Gwen began to take her aim at Theresa. Matt's heart stopped and it all happened so fast that he barely had the time to say anything. As Gwen put her finger to the trigger, Matt pointed and fired, hoping against all hope that he aimed correctly and shot in time.
Theresa jumped in Ethan's arms as the loud bang filled his ears. Panic filled his body and something inside of him knew something was wrong. Slowly, he opened his eyes, terrified of what he would find. Theresa's terrified eyes looked up at him and his breathing suddenly stopped.
This couldn't be happening. He couldn't lose her.
It took no more than a brief moment before Gwen fell to the floor, the gun falling along with her. Matt still held the gun in the firing position and Gwen's mouth was beginning to spill red. The bullet was shot into her chest, breaking through her sternum, shattering two ribs, and then finally puncturing her lung and bleeding into her tissue-- irreparable damage. She was motionless on the floor, the shock of the impact sending her body into slight twitches and the pain not allowing her to move voluntarily.
Gwen's body fell at a weird angle: her feet supported her fall from her kneeling position, twisting her hips and knees to the side and her back fell to the floor with one arm beneath. The bright red blood beginning to drip from her mouth was a surreal contrast to the pale tone her skin had become with her anger and the lack of sunlight over the past few days with her captives. Ethan and Theresa stared down at her and noticed that her mouth was moving, uttering something. Theresa was terrified as she and Ethan inched closer to listen. They heard her last words and suddenly wished they hadn't. "I did this… did this… for… for you… Ethan…. I… did this for you…." And with a last breath, her life was gone. A frigid figure lay there, open eyes and a haunting stare leaving her soulless face.
Gwen's last statement replayed in Ethan's mind like a never ending track of haunting voice and recorded words. Everything she'd done, everyone she'd hurt, had all been in the name of Ethan. The very thought made Ethan sick to his stomach. All of the pain that Gwen had caused had been in his name and it hurt him beyond words. It felt the same when he thought of the people that caused terror in the name of god and only destroyed lives in the process. None of it made any sense and he only blamed himself for everything that his loved ones had gone through at her hands.
Guilt washed over Theresa with a powerful force and the tears that she'd cried began to pour out with twice as much vigor. Ethan pulled Theresa to his body, holding her close to him. "It's over… It's over now…" Her tear-racked body sobbed into him and he cursed himself for what he felt responsible for.
Glad to have his wife holding him rather than laying in front of him dead, Ethan looked down at Gwen, not taking his eyes from the face that he'd once looked upon with hope, with happiness, with love. There was an ironic calm about him as he stared up on the woman lying dead before him. Theresa was safe in his arms and it was all finally over. Matt cowered in the corner, amazed at what he'd just done and with a quick glance from Ethan, his guilt rapidly passed. Theresa was alive and as he looked on the couple, a sense of the miraculous filled his heart. Maybe it was all supposed to happen as it did; as Theresa always claimed: Fate.
Theresa didn't realize how tightly she was holding her husband until he pulled back. His hand took her face and he stared into the eyes he thought he'd never see again. She was still crying fiercely and his thumbs quickly wiped the silky tears away.
"It's okay…" his voice was consumed with concern. "She's gone."
Theresa's heart was still pounding in her chest and something inside of her didn't want to believe that Ethan was in front of her-- where she'd imagined him being only hours before. His stare was always the same and even now it held all of the familiar elements that could calm the inadequate quakes of her soul. Emotion poured from his gaze and captivated her with worry, love, and every aspect of his soul. Everything around her seemed to blur and she only allowed herself to be pulled into his gaze. Ethan's heart broke as he noticed so much pain wavering through his wife.
She kept his look and his thumb traced over her cheek, it finally hit as hail hits stone. Her mind spun and her eyes closed as she tried to focus herself. An unsteady pose sent her on a dizzy fall forward.
"Woh, Theresa…" Ethan caught her in his arms. "What's--what's wrong?" Panic crept into his voice. She took in a breath and steadied herself upright carefully. Ethan's arms circled her in concern. "What's the matter?"
A sickening dread pulsed through her quickly as she pushed the spinning feeling from her body. "Um… yeah- yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "I'm just… a little… tired." Ethan knew her tone. It was the same one she used when Little Ethan asked if she was sick: a sound of regret and feigned truth in her voice.
"Are you--" Ethan's hand suddenly felt the thick fluid on her back. His fingers traced over the crimson stain. She winced when his touch hit her overly sensitive nerves upon her fresh wound. "Oh, Theresa--"
"I'm fine. I'll be okay." He stared at her, looking for a quizzical sign and finally gave her an approving smile, hoping she was right. Theresa's stubbornness hadn't gone undiminished in her trials of life and death.
Ethan stared at his wife for a long time, not sure if he didn't want to believe she was before him or if he didn't want to believe she wasn't. Everything around him would definitely leave its mark upon their lives and Gwen's last words still haunted him. He would never be able to forget what she said and he would never be able to escape their meaning.
All because of him.
With a quick exhale, Ethan wiped away another tear and pushed his own demons from his mind. Theresa was more important now. She was dizzy and he knew how much blood someone could lose from their arm. She definitely wasn't fine and besides, a separated shoulder could be life threatening if untreated. He wasn't taking any chances, especially not after almost losing her already-- more than once. "C'mon, let's get out of here." Theresa nodded in approval and they and Matt decided to leave the horrifying chapter for later.
Matt was still shaking as he watched Ethan and Theresa head for the front door of the house. It was a deafening silence around him and something inside of him could only be relieved. He had saved a life-- two actually-- for without Theresa, Ethan would surely cease to exist. As Ethan had said, it was over now. It was time to move on and as he'd noticed, the important thing at the moment was helping Theresa.
Ethan's eyes blinked and squinted as he and Theresa opened the front door of the cabin. The natural daylight filled with essential rays hadn't touched Ethan's eyes in days. Theresa took his hand, eager to touch him after so long, and led him through the doorway and out onto the front steps. They were not outside for thirty seconds when a twist came that neither expected.
They walked out into the light from the dark shelter that would always symbolize more than a retreat. As Theresa took Ethan's hand when his eyes could barely stay open, he felt her fingers shaking. He knew better than to say anything but it was scaring him. Her face had gone pale and the red on her shirt and arm proved that she wasn't fine as she claimed. Ethan suddenly stopped, pulling Theresa back and spoke. "Theresa--"
But he wasn't able to finish his sentence….
She was crouched in the bushes, low and annoyed by the sound of the crickets around her. Small winged bugs were flying over her head and buzzing in her ears. Still, as she was angry and flustered, it would not get in the way of what she was supposed to do. The long rifle in her hand would be her link to her daughter's goal.
The door crept open slowly and she had a clear vision. First a man came through and then… there she was. A wicked smile pulled at her lips when she realized the woman's fate rested in her very hands. Without another thought, she took aim.
Ethan opened his mouth to address his wife and as soon as he said her name, a loud noise resonated though the open air and before he could think of what it could possibly be, she fell into his arms, defeated.
Rebecca aimed the long rifle and pulled the trigger with only too much excitement. The strong bullet propelled into her with a shattering power. Theresa fell into her husband's arms, falling to the ground in weakness. Ethan suddenly froze as he looked at her. A large, deep red circle was carved into her upper abdomen, the sight freezing Ethan in panic. He swallowed hard as he looked down upon her. He didn't know what to think, he didn't know what to believe. He heard the shot and he saw the blood but he couldn't connect the two.
Theresa had been shot.
"Oh, GOD!" Ethan yelled. He crouched close to Theresa and traced her face, not knowing what to do. "Theresa!" She didn't answer and her eyes looked up at him. He feared the worse and couldn't think straight. "MATT!" Ethan screamed. Matt immediately appeared at the door. "Call 911! HURRY!" Stiffened in disbelief, Matt ran to do what he was told. Ethan stayed by Theresa, telling her that she would be fine. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay. You just-- just… you'll be fine."
"Ethan…" her voice no higher than a whisper.
"No, shh… save your strength, okay? We just-- we have to wait for the paramedics to get here."
Theresa could feel the numbing sensation wash over her body and tears were in her eyes when she realized exactly what was happening. She knew Ethan could tell as well and he was simply trying to convince himself otherwise. The only thing was that neither of them had a say anything. It was all in the hands of another and it seemed to be pulling Theresa's life away.
She mustered all the strength she could and passed him the only smile she could summon. "I love you, Ethan…."
Terror overcame him and the tears building up were falling freely. "No, don't you dare, Theresa! No, don't say your goodbyes! You hear me! Theresa!" She was trying to stay conscious and her body was beginning to shut down. "Come on, Theresa. Please!"
It hurt her to hear the emotion in his voice and the tears in her eyes fell silently as she suppressed her own guilt and feelings of failure. "I'm sorry…"
"Shh… you're gonna be fine! You hear me!" He was crying harder. "Hang on… just hang on…" Ethan's sobs were louder and he tried to push away his tears to stay strong for her sake.
Theresa tried to believe him but her heart was telling her differently. She could feel what was happening and it scared her beyond belief. She couldn't possibly leave yet. She had so much to do, so many people that she loved. "Take… take care of Little Ethan for me…." she muttered.
"No… Theresa… Theresa…?" Her eyes were fluttering open and closed and she tried her best to keep her focus on Ethan. Hard steps sounded as they were approaching and Luis, Mark, and Pilar came running.
"We heard a shot. What happened!" Luis cried.
Pilar was the first of the group to see Theresa in Ethan's arms and to notice the blood that covered her body. "THERESA!" Luis was quick to fall to his sister and everything that they'd all gone through now seemed insignificant. Mark came running with a vehicle riding behind him. It was a large white and red ambulance that he had taken the liberty to call as soon as he'd gotten back to the helicopter with Pilar.
Ethan looked from the truck to Theresa and tried to smile at her. "You're gonna be all right." She swallowed, trying not to tell him what she was certain he knew by now. It was too late. Tears approached again and Ethan gently kissed her lips, savoring the way they felt-- it would perhaps be the last one they'd ever share…
The paramedics no sooner stopped the truck when they jumped out and immediately picked up Theresa and carried her into the van. Pilar ran into it with them and as they quickly hooked her up to machines. He vaguely heard numbers and blood pressure, the words, "a lot of blood", "doesn't look good", and "poor girl" as they closed the back doors.
The loud siren began and Ethan watched the ambulance drive away with the person he loved most in the world. He wasn't sure if he'd ever see her again and the thought ate at him like a parasite. He stood from his crouch and pinched his eyes, trying in vain to control the tears that kept flowing. Luis patted his shoulder and he surveyed the area with teary eyes. That's when he saw her: Rebecca Hotchkiss.
Rebecca made eye contact with the cop she'd always tried to land. At first, she wasn't sure what to think of his stare but as he started running for her, she dropped the rifle and began running away from him, a thought she'd never imagined possible. Luis chased her around the house and she broke a heel as she managed to get in through the back door. As she cursed her lost Gucci shoe, she glanced back and saw a charging Luis coming towards her. It was a sight she'd always wanted, but the look on his face was different of that which she'd pictured.
The pounding of Luis' feet made Rebecca run faster and she thanked the gorgeous trainer she saw three times a week for her momentum. She found the back door and with a faulty stop, she pulled the door open and thrust herself into the confines of walls and brick. Luis watched her go in and wanted to much to shoot his gun. As he lifted to aim, the door closed behind the redhead and he ran faster. The two dashed through the house, knocking down a few expensive items on their chase. Rebecca ran into a door and tried to open it only to find it locked and unwilling to let her in. Trying her luck again, she pressed on another door and she ran inside. With no time to lock the door, Rebecca ran around the room, looking for a couch to hide behind, a bed to go under, a chest to sit next to… nothing. There was nothing in the room but a large black sculpture and she made her way inside, closing the gate behind her. She looked around and slightly found herself amused when she realized that she was inside of a cage- a love prison. It excited her and made her smile. Now if only Luis could come in with her.
Her thoughts were heard as the angry cop raced into the room and pointed his gun at her. Rebecca cried for her life and immediately began begging. Luis didn't hear of it and instead kept his gun at the cocked level. His anger and hatred blurred his mind momentarily to his surroundings.
"Please! Please don't kill me!" Rebecca begged as she crouched to the floor. "I'm too good in bed to die!"
"Shut up, Rebecca!" Luis' hands were steady as he pointed his weapon at her. All his training, all his time at the station had taken him to this point and there was no way that he was going to let it go now. Rebecca would pay for what she and her daughter did to his sister. Luis had run into the room so suddenly that he didn't think to look around him. All he saw was a cowered woman huddled in the corner with her hands above her head. His eye caught the black bars around her and suddenly, he realized that he was in the room where his mother and Ethan were kept.
Perfect, he thought.
Quickly, Luis made his way to the side of the room where the generator was and he plugged it back in, exciting the electricity to life. Rebecca didn't know what he was doing and as she backed up against a bar to hide, she found out. The spark burned her with a sizzle and she cried out in pain.
"Turn it off!" she demanded. Luis didn't answer her or heed her request. Instead, he holstered the gun and stared at her.
She begged and begged and even offered him some of her special services if he let her go. He stood, disgusted, and could only think to look away for fear of her further embarrassment. "Please, Luis! You can't leave me in here! I'll do whatever you want! I swear! Anything you want! If you're into costumes, I'm your girl!"
Luis scoffed again. "Shut up!" His hand went to the gun at his side again. His motion shut her mouth and all she could do was stare at him in fear. "Where's my nephew?"
Rebecca seemed to be puzzled by his question. "What?"
"Don't pretend like you don't know, Rebecca! Where is Little Ethan!" Luis had to admit that her reaction scared him.
"I thought… isn't he with Ethan?"
"No, Rebecca! Where is he!" Luis was both terrified and furious now. He couldn't decide if Rebecca was playing coy or if she really didn't know, which would only mean one thing; no one but Gwen knew where the little boy was.
"If I tell you, will you let me out of here?" A sultry smile was on her face and he could see the practiced look of desire in her eyes as she approached closer.
"Depends… where is he?" She was trying his patience and he couldn't take being much more calm.
"Gwen said she brought him here…" Rebecca's hungry eyes were already tracing Luis' body.
Luis stared at her and realized that she really didn't know. A lust-filled Rebecca was coming closer and Luis turned away. He walked out of the room, careful to lock the door after him.
Ethan felt dead. Everything around him had to have been a dream. He couldn't believe what had just happened in his life and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that none of it could be real. It had to be fake. He was sleeping, he was sure. But… he realized that he wasn't waking up and he was indeed living the horror story he prayed he wasn't. He had been kidnapped, his son was missing, his unborn child was gone, and his wife… she was leaving him and there was nothing he could do about it but blame himself.
He stared out at the forest surroundings of the cabin and noticed Theresa's car in the driveway. It was the same car she drove always and it only hit him harder when he thought of her possibly dying… without him… because of him. Every thought he had of her sliced at his soul and he wished he could make the pain stop. He was sure he was going to fall over in his cries. Never before had so much pain overcome his body that he was almost frozen and overwhelmed by anguish.
Theresa's car, he noticed, had a white square in the dashboard and he took it upon himself to look closer. It was an envelope… addressed to him. Again tears streamed down his face and something struck him heavily when he saw the enclosed letter.
She knew…
The window was open and Ethan reached in to grab the letter. He stared at his name in her handwriting for a long time, trying to decide if he should read it or not. There was so much conflicting emotion in his mind that he wasn't sure of much anymore. He turned the envelope over and noticed the flap sticking up, calling for him to read the letter.
And so, breaking his own heart, he read…
Dear Ethan,
If you're reading this, it must mean that I was right. I was right about knowing that Gwen was pointing me here. All of her clues and riddles led me here to you. But if you're reading this, I was right when I knew that Gwen wouldn't let me go alive. So much has happened in the time that we've known each other. And for that, I apologize. We met, fell in love, and learned the meaning of it all. But in that time, I've been like a poison. Your life has been turned upside down more than once because of me and I'm sorry for everything. Just know that if you're reading this that I tried. I wanted nothing more than to get to you and hopefully I did. But maybe Gwen was too much for me. I never wanted this to happen but I did it to save you. You and Little Ethan mean the world to me and I couldn't let Gwen hurt you.
I leave you for heaven or hell if that is where I'm meant to go. You have my heart and give yourself no blame. Nothing will ever be the same. Gwen has taken so much. Ethan, you once said that you wanted nothing more than to be with our family. Gwen took that too. My struggle with her the other day was deadly. I was pregnant… Pregnant with your child. A woman knows when she's pregnant and I could tell weeks ago. She was a girl. I know it and I can feel it in my heart. She would have been our little girl, our princess. But Gwen took her away from us. I'm sorry, Ethan. Please take care of Little Ethan and tell him what his mother was like and please let him know that I loved him more than my own life. Tell him to always wish upon stars and teach him to believe in Fate.
I will always love you, Ethan. None but you. Just know that our love will bring us together again… one day.
Love Forever,
Theresa
Ethan looked up from the letter and could no longer fight the tears that had been welling since the first word. His head fell and agony racked his soul and released all grief. She was really gone…. He had never felt so alone as he did now and he couldn't help but blame himself. Wiping his eyes, Ethan looked up from the letter again and caught the sky in sight. Again, the tears returned. The sky was beautiful. There was something not normal about the sky when he saw it. It was almost as if… as if she had said goodbye with the elaborate display of colors as an artist would convey wind in death.
He had known the feeling once before. It was a few months ago when Gwen and Theresa had their encounter in LA. The day in chapel, when he was begging for Theresa to return to him, he had felt the same emptiness, the same hollow fear, the same pain and disbelief that now haunted him. He could feel her soul and his heart had the familiar sinking feeling inside… He knew.
Luis emerged from inside the cabin to find a hysterical Ethan ready to crumble to the ground in agony. He clutched the letter in his hand and squeezed it tight, pressing it to his chest. Luis had never before seen such a broken man and yet, he knew just how much Ethan loved his sister. Images of Theresa flashed through his mind and he forced the police front back up, not allowing himself to feel too involved.
"Where's Little Ethan?" Luis asked.
Ethan continued crying, sniffing lightly, sucking up his tears and hiding his pain. "I don't know…"
Luis suddenly became worried. Gwen was gone and she was probably the only other person besides Little Ethan who knew where he was. It scared him and a new worry filled Ethan's mind. "You didn't see him at all?" Ethan didn't answer, only worrying Luis even more. "Okay, I'm gonna go check the cabin. I'll be right back." Ethan nodded and tried to compose himself again.
Luis entered the cabin again with high caution, careful to notice if Gwen had any other planted accomplices. His kept the gun at the ready and carefully perused the hallways with prudence. He passed the door where a screaming Rebecca resided. He could hear her touch a bar and yowl at the burn. Nothing but hatred filled his heart when he thought of her and her dead daughter. They had been nothing but pain in his sister's life and there was a part of him that was thankful that she would never have to deal with them again, whether she lived or not, she would be safe.
Anger raged in his heart as he cursed himself for the appealing thought of her death. He knew she'd be safe and happy without them in her life, but he needed her. Theresa was more like a daughter to him than a sister. He raised her from childhood and looked after her when their father ran out on them. Theresa was his little girl and Gwen had destroyed that.
Forcing his thoughts back to the present, Luis noticed a door with a sliver of light at the bottom. He wondered if Gwen had anyone else under her clutches. He approached and lightly put his ear to the door to listen for any noise.
There was nothing.
He waited on the side of the doorway for a second, eager to hear a voice or movement form within. Nothing happened and his gun was ready for anything. With a police-skilled spin, Luis kicked the door open and stared at the lighted room. There was a bed in the center and a closet on the side. The door seemed out of place to him, but yet, seemed to fit. There was something odd about it all.
Luis stepped into the room, carefully scanning around him and crouching to look under the bed. Even with Gwen gone, no one could be certain of her maliciousness. She could have set anything up for something like this. The knob on the closet door was near and Luis reached out to it. It was cold against his palm. His gun with high in his left hand and he twisted his right wrist slowly, carefully feeling each click of the knob. His hand shook for a second as he realized that there were no more turns left. Readying himself to open the door, Luis took a step back and aimed his gun when he pushed the door open.
What he saw before him made his heart race faster…
The ambulance raced to the nearest hospital. Pilar held Theresa's hand tightly as two paramedics worked on her. They held a compression pack against the gunshot wound in her abdomen. Tears continued to spill from Theresa's eyes and she said nothing. She was too scared of fear being her last words. There was so much she wanted to say. She wanted to say thank you to her mother for everything she'd done for her over the years of her life. She wanted to see Ethan and tell him that she could never love anyone more. She wanted to hold her son and know how he would mature throughout life.
Pilar sat next to her, trying to fight her urge to hear her daughter speak. She cried silently, alternately looking at the monitor to make sure that her heart was still beating; it was. Morphine had been administered but still, Theresa was in emotional agony. She fully grasped the gravity of the situation and it only made it worse for her. She could hear the slowing pace of her heart and lungs within her mind and it scared her beyond belief.
"We're almost there, mija," Pilar said softly. "Just hold on, okay?"
Theresa stared up at her mother in response, trying to hold onto faith that was waning with every drop in heart rhythm. Tears fell down her face to her ears as she begged god to give her more time, time she knew was selfish to ask for. Ethan had saved her once and with the gift of a second chance, she put it in danger and destroyed it. It was all her fault.
One of the paramedics took Theresa's pulse from her wrist and as Theresa watched, she felt herself being dragged down a tunnel that she couldn't see.
"BP falling fast!" one of them screamed.
Pilar's worried eyes turned up from her daughter quickly. "What's going on!" she demanded. The dropping numbers on the monitor had reached their red color, signaling alarm. "Do something!"
The two paramedics rushed around and one of them opened a plastic box and removed a syringe. He filled with a clear liquid and pushed the adrenaline into her arm with a quick press. All watched the monitor in hopes of a raising number but Theresa stared at her mother.
"Mama…"
"Theresita… shh. Save your strength, okay? We're almost there." The driver of the ambulance pressed harder on the gas and all in the back could feel the pull of speed.
"I love you, Mama." More tears fell from her eyes.
"I love you, mija. C'mon, Theresa! Fight!"
Theresa swallowed hard. It hurt her to see the agony she was inflicting on other people. "Tell Luis--tell him… tell him I love him…" It was as if she were asking a question when she spoke.
Pilar looked at the expression in her daughter's eyes and realized there was no denying it now. It was happening and there was nothing anyone could do. "I will, Theresa…"
"Tell Little Ethan… tell him--" she could barely speak when she mentioned her son. "That I'll be watching him from the stars every night…" Pilar had to look away as she nodded to her daughter's second request. "Tell Eth--Ethan.. please… tell him that I love him. Please, Mama, will you tell him?"
"I will, Theresita. I promise."
With that, Theresa forced a smile and blinked out more tears. Another shot was put into her veins and she could no longer feel anything. Everything around her was blurring. Her mother's red eyes stared down at her and she tried to be brave. There was a faint sound in the back around her. She wasn't sure if it was the siren of the racing vehicle or if was the monitor by her side. All she knew was that she closed her eyes, trying to remember Ethan's touch and her son's face. She wasn't scared anymore…
Pilar panicked and saw the numbers stop. When Theresa's eyes closed, she fell to her face and screamed. It was out of her hands.
Luis looked into the room, not believing what he saw. The room was colorful and so full of light. There were stuffed animals everywhere and plastic toys scattered on the floor. In the center of the room was a short table covered in coloring books and crayons. Four small chairs were around the table and in one of them, was a little boy with blonde hair.
Luis wanted to cry as he stared at his nephew. He looked content and so far away from the reality of what happened to his parents. The little boy at the table was trying hard to keep his coloring within the lines. As he looked up to trade from red to orange, he noticed a man at the door.
"Tio!"
With a wide smile, Little Ethan ran from the table and into Luis' waiting arms. Luis was so full of pain and happiness as he hugged his nephew. The child's hands pressed hard onto his back and he realized how happy he was to see him. It was several minutes that passed before Luis pulled away. He was on his knees and at the same level as the little one. As he stared at his small features, it ate at his heart when he realized how much he looked like Theresa. He had the same wondrous eyes and the same spirit.
Theresa would always live within him.
Luis brushed Little Ethan's cheek, again glad to see him, and took his hand. His small fingers fit so well and slowly, Luis walked the boy out to his father.
Little Ethan was silent on the walk through the house to the front door. Luis couldn't believe that he'd found him. There was something inside of him that believed he'd never see his sister's son again. The front door was open and Luis led the little boy through to the open air. Ethan heard the crunch of gravel as they approached and turned. As soon as he saw Theresa's son, he crouched to his knees. Little Ethan ran from Luis' side and sprinted into Ethan's arms. The small body against his own melted Ethan's heart. Everything seemed so right and yet so incredibly wrong he couldn't explain.
"Daddy," Little Ethan began, "where's Mommy?"
Ethan looked up to Luis and then back to his son. He had no idea what to say to him. What could he say? The innocence radiating from Little Ethan's eyes touched him. Ethan cried and wondered how he would ever be able to explain everything to the boy. "Umm… Mommy's… she's with you… everywhere you go, she'll be with you."
No one could explain how it happened and no one really wanted to question it. Three weeks had passed and all were beginning to lose hope. Theresa made it to the hospital, but far from perfect. Her blood loss was over two and a half pints and when she lost consciousness for the last time in the ambulance, doctors feared they would never see her awake again.
Ethan went to the hospital everyday and held her hand. He begged her to respond, he begged her to let him know she was okay, and everyday, he got nothing. She was the same still being hooked up to machines and tubes. No one could be sure if she would suffer any brain damage but after three weeks, her body had begun to heal. Her wounds were closed and her shell was beginning to take it's normal form. It was her soul that had begun to worry her loved ones.
The doctors told Ethan that as her husband, he was the one that held her power of attorney, and he alone held the power to keep her on life support. The thought scared him and he didn't know how else to be. He couldn't imagine letting Theresa go, even if it meant knowing that she would never be able to hold his hand again.
With every passing day, Theresa's brain activity was dropping and Theresa's family feared that if she didn't wake soon, she never would. Little Ethan had been to visit Theresa once and it brought tears to Ethan's eyes when he told him that his mother was only sleeping. It just wasn't fair!
Another week passed and more hope was lost. Ethan again went to the hospital and held her hand. He stared at her and tried to remember what it was like to see her eyes smile when she laughed. Little Ethan ran into the room and up to his father. Pilar was soon behind him and she gave Ethan a small smile.
"Any change?" she asked.
Ethan simply shook his head and looked down to Little Ethan in his lap. "And what are you doing here?"
"He said he wanted to kiss his mommy goodnight," Pilar answered.
Little Ethan put his hand in his mother's and Pilar held back her tears. It hurt her just as much to realize that one day, Little Ethan would know the truth and he would live without the mother that they all loved so much.
"I love you, Mommy," Little Ethan whispered.
Ethan kissed his head and held him close. "We all love you, Theresa…"
Miracles happen without knowledge, and sometimes, more than once. No one can explain how magic happens or how planets align themselves just right for the spectacular to happen, but it does. Maybe it was the two hands intertwined with Theresa's that brought it about, no one will ever know. Pilar couldn't believe it and neither could Ethan, but when Little Ethan heard it, the smile on his face let all of them know that there was something divine at work above them.
Hope was given, hope was taken, life was lost, life was found, and in the end, Theresa was meant to live. Little Ethan put his hand into his mother's and Ethan closed all three of their hands together tightly in the bond that would never break.
Theresa's hand moved and locked with theirs.
"I love you, too," she said…
The End
I hope you enjoyed it! This was my first attempt at writing a suspenseful epic-like story... I've started two more; Dangerous Love and Shattered Hearts.
Thanks for reading and for great reviews! They keep me writing:)
- Sophia