Eddie sighed, turning away from the double doors.
He strolled back into the now empty hospital room, sitting on one of the chairs, head in his hands.
How had this happened?
Why hadn't he done something before?
There had been countless times over the last few months where Rachel had come home in tears, tipping over the edge into a panic attack. They had spent hours lying on the sofa in each other's arms, Rachel telling him about Max's appalling behaviour towards her. She had cried to him over the breakdown of her friendship with Kim, something Max had caused. So many occasions she had come home, unhappy, angry, frustrated, drained of energy with no enthusiasm left for her job. And he'd done nothing. Because he thought Max Tyler was just another idiot that Rachel could, and would eventually stand up to. He never thought he'd hurt her. And he'd been wrong, Max had done just that, and it made his blood boil.
He blamed himself for what had happened today between Rachel and Max, he couldn't help it. If he'd have stayed at Waterloo Road and not gone for the Headship at Forest Mount, Max Tyler would never have arrived at Waterloo Road, he wouldn't have spent the last few months bullying and sucking the life out of Rachel, and he wouldn't have lashed out at her and caused her to go into early labour.
He'd sacrificed everything for what he thought was the opportunity of a lifetime, and he'd regretted it instantly. It wasn't everything he'd thought it would be. He missed Rachel, even though he saw her all the time at home. He missed working with her. He'd had the perfect job, the perfect colleagues, he was working with the woman he loved. Everything he needed was right in front of him, and he'd thrown it away. That was going to change. He wouldn't let Max Tyler hurt Rachel again.
His mind wandered to their little girl, alone in an incubator in the NICU. Watching her being born, hearing her cry for the first time, was an experience he would never forget. The happiest day of his life.
But the outcome could have been so much worse. They could have lost their daughter today. She could have been seriously harmed because of Max. He could have lost Rachel too. Their little girl was strong, just like her Mother, and he was grateful. But he should have been there to protect them, to stop this. He should have come back to Waterloo Road a long time ago.