ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Cross Pov

I knocked on the doctor’s office and she told me to come in, the doctor was a petite pretty woman who would be around her late forties, I greeted her and she told me to sit down

“You are the guy that brought Anna in?”

“Yes, Doc,”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I said sitting down and looking around the office, it looked like the typical doctor’s office, it looked very clean too.

“Well, I spoke to the other guy who was with you already, thankful, the impact of the accident wasn’t that strong, but she needs extra care, because the baby is still at a stage where it can easily be miscarried, and Anna really doesn’t want to give the kid up, because that’s the first thing she asked when she woke up,”

“So, what do you advise that I do?”

“Are you the one responsible for her? I thought her parents are coming?”

“Don’t think so, she is kind of like my responsibility now,”

I said I didn’t know why I felt the need to help Anna put, I didn’t even know her but she looked so lonely and weak during our drive to the hospital and hearing that her parents didn’t want her anymore because she got pregnant, made me want to help her more, she looked so fragile, she reminds me of someone I used to know, someone whose memory I buried somewhere in my heart.

“Well, I advise that she is not left on her own, she may want her baby to live but the urge to end it all is even more strong, the accident might not even be an accident, she might have jumped in front of the car, so keep her close always, and also make sure she eats well, she looks malnourished and that’s not good for the baby,”

“Okay, thanks Doc, can I go see her?”

“Yes sure, but she doesn’t want to speak with anyone, just try maybe she will talk to you,”

She said and I stood up, thanked her and left her office, and headed back towards the room Anna was.

When I entered her room she was awake and looking around but as soon as she saw me, she closed her eyes.

“Hey, Anna,” I called but she didn’t respond to me. “I know you are not sleeping, Anna,”

“Go away,”

“For real? I saved you, you are not even gonna tell me thank you?”

I asked softly and sat by her bed, she turned towards the other side.

“I never asked you to help me,”

“That’s not how I remember it though, I remember you begging to live,”

“You should have left me there, I would have been resting in peace now, no, but you had to be nosy, even though I cried for help, you should have left me there,”

She said bitterly, I could feel her crying.

“Hey, Anna, I am sorry, I am sorry I helped you when you wanted to die, but I just couldn’t watch someone, most especially a child doe,”

“Ism not a child!!!”

She yelled and stood up from the bed, he jumped up and held her back down.

“I am not a fucking child, if you don’t know I am having a baby too,”

“I know, Anna, I know, I am sorry if I offended you, please calm down,”

I said, holding her down, her whole body shook with pent-up anger, I couldn’t believe I was being so soft for her, wow only my mom could do this, my mom and that other person.

“I hate my life,”

“No Anna, shots happen but it doesn’t mean you have to hate yourself, you are a strong woman, a brave one, you need to keep your strength for yourself and your baby,”

I said, gradually letting her lay back on the bed, she started crying again.

“I am sorry, I am sorry,”

She kept repeating through her tears.

“It’s okay, you will be fine,”

I said giving her my handkerchief, she took it from me and wiped her face clean, before facing me again, she looked so scared and young, this felt like Deja Vu, ‘cut it out, this is not about you,’ I mentally scolded myself.

“Anna, whatever happened, I am not going to question you but when you feel it okay then you can tell me, but just know that you are no longer alone, you have me now, and the other guy Dean too, you just have to be okay for yourself and your baby, okay?”

I said. I expected her not to answer but she nodded in agreement and whispered something that sounded like thank you before closing her eyes, even with her eyes closed, she looked so tired, she was too young to be going through this, too young to look so tired and done with life, she made me forget my own issues, I stood up touched her forehead to make sure she was okay before leaving her room, I met Dean on the way.

“Hey, you spoke with the doctor?”

“Yes, and with Anna too,”

“Wow, she talked to you?”

“Yes, she did, she is sleeping now,”

“Aha, good, so what are we going to do about her?”

“What do you mean, I am gonna stay with her tonight and take her home to my parents tomorrow, she will stay with them until I can have her move to New York with me,”

I said when I came to those conclusions I didn’t know but one thing I know for sure was I am not gonna let Anna end up like her, no way.

“Wow, I never knew you could be this soft-heartened, wow,”

“Cut it out dude, I am tired,”

I said and headed towards the exit.

“Stay close to her, I need to make a call,”

I said.

“Who are you calling?”

“My mom, I am going to tell her that I am bringing someone to her house,”

“Yeah, she should be aware,”

“Please stay close to her, until I get back,”

“Okay, boss,”

He replied in a mocking voice, I wasn’t in the mood for his jokes so I just let it pass.

“Good, I said and turned to leave, my mind made up that Anna and her baby are now my responsibility.