Where the Streets Have No Name
Chapter 76
**Warning! This chapter contains description of suicide/attempted suicide. If this is a trigger for you, skip over to the next chapter!**
"Carmen?"
Edward entered the room cautiously. Now that he knew Ella was alive and relatively well - now that he was no longer in the grip of abject terror - his actions were less frantic and anxious.
The bed was empty as was the room.
Where was she?
Had she run off?
Did she really steal a bottle of sleeping pills from Kate?
A quick glance at the open closet told him that nearly all of Carmen's belongings were still in their place. If she had left, she was traveling light.
He noticed that light was on in the bathroom, though he couldn't hear any movements from inside.
With unwilling feet, he walked toward the bathroom. The door was closed but it wasn't locked.
Edward didn't want to open the door. He didn't want to know what lay on the other side.
A bitter lump of fear constricted his airways, but he swallowed it down.
He ignored the slight tremor in his hands and pushed open the door.
God, no...
Carmen was in the bathtub, fully submerged in water. She wasn't moving. An empty pill bottle was sitting next to the tub.
He rushed to her at a frantic speed and pulled her out of the bathtub. The water was still warm and that gave him hope that maybe she hadn't been in there for too long.
She wasn't breathing.
This can't be happening. Oh God, please don't let this be true. She can't be dead.
He had driven his emotionally fragile wife to take her own life.
How was he ever going to live with himself?
How would he look Ella in the eye knowing that he had taken away her mother?
He had to save Carmen. She had to live.
With steely resolve, he deafened his ears to Ella's wails and wiped away all emotions from his mind, allowing the physician in him to take over. Free of guilt or attachments with only one task at hand - reviving Carmen.
In between administering CPR, he placed a 911 call.
Thank you Lulabelle98, HeidiJoVT, and Dinx.
Thank you for making this journey with me. I realize it's not easy. I'm truly grateful.