An hour later!
I'm here at the hospital with a bandaged pounding head and depleted self, struggling to control the restless and uncomfortable anxious Andy. His wound on his right upper arm is badly bleeding, his white t-shirt has deviated to colour red. He has vetoed being touched by any doctor, and all he has been doing for the last one hour since we arrived in this hospital is pacing back and forth outside of the room where Angel is being attended to by a team of doctors.
He does not care about his well-being at all, but that of his daughter. His life is not important, but his precious daughter's. He is squirming uncontrollably with impatience and fear. He can't stand still even for a minute, and mellowing him down has been one of the most impossible things I have ever experienced.
"Andy, please! Angel will be fine. Try to calm down." I mumble for the thousandth time.
"Calm down, Ania? My daughter was barely breathing when I handed her to the doctors. It's been an hour now and no one has come out to say anything to me. I need to know what is happening. I need to know how exactly she is doing. I..." Tears drop freely from his eyes, and I doubt he can even feel them.
"Andy, she will be fine. Nothing will happen Angel."
"Nothing should. I will not forgive myself if anything..." He breathes in a deep sigh, closing his eyes.
I cup his face, shushing him, and drying his tears.
"It would have been worse if you didn't show up, Andy." I say, because I know what he thinking right now - that if only he arrived earlier.
"I should have arrived a bit earlier. Better still, I shouldn't have let you leave with those monsters. They even killed Mark, Ania! In my house."
Mark?
Oh, my, God! I didn't know that. Poor guy! Why did they have to involve the poor soul?
"You didn't know this was going to happen, hun. Nobody would have anticipated this. Stop beating yourself over it. I'm glad you found us. We probably would be gone if..."
He presses a finger on my lips, his eyes opening in a flicker, preventing me from further speaking.
"Please don't say that. That thought alone scares me to death. I can't lose either of you. You and my daughter are my sanities."
His daughter. At this point, I think it would be better for him to never find out about his daughter's real identity. I'm terrified of the state that will leave him. But is that even possible, to keep it a secret from him for eternity? I know we are still not safe as Damian is still on the loose. I called Paul on our way here and narrated the whole scenario and they launched a search for Daman but we haven't received news on any developments yet.
If he really cares about his daughter the way he seemed, I'm afraid if he still is roaming around he will try to get her under whatever means. I'm also certain he wouldn't think twice about rubbing it to Andy's face that he is the biological father of Angel if they meet. He can't find it out that way. It will be a much more tearing blow to him. Much better, they better never meet, because only God knows who will end up dead.
"Forgive my selfishness, hun. I focused on my daughter and almost forgot all about you. How are you? Does your head hurt?" His voice startles me as his hands caress the bandage on my head.
He cares about us, but what about him? How can he stand this pain in his arm?
"I'm okay. But I would feel better if we can sit down and wait for the doctors to finish tending to our daughter. She will pull through this, Andy, for you - for us." I assure him.
He nods his head, and guides me to the bench right behind us.
"You don't look too well, baby. Are you sure you are okay? Do you need some painkillers for your head?" He implores after we settle down.
How can I be okay? Being pregnant under all this stress is draining me of all the energy. I know I look pale and weak, but this is still not the right moment to tell him.
"I'm okay, hun. It's you who..."
I am interrupted by two female doctors standing in front of us.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we have to treat your wound before it gets infected." One of them says, trying to inspect his wound but he raises his hand to stop her.
She steps back, exchanging a quick glance with her partner.
"Sir, we really need to treat that wound if you don't..."
"I said I am fine. It's just a grease anyway. If you want to help, just let me be until I know my daughter is alright. You can leave." He says, and the doctors have nothing else to say.
He can't continue this way. The wound needs at least to be bandaged and he needs to clean up a bit. He's bleeding too much.
"Aah, doc." I call before they can turn to leave.
"Yes?" They ask in unison.
"If possible, can I ask for a room where one can have a bath and change, please?" I ask.
"Sure. I will organise one for you." One of them says.
"Okay. Thanks. Please let me know when it's done. Also, please lend me the first aid kit. I will disinfect his wound for now then you can check on it later." I mumble, and she hands me the kit.
They leave, while I crouch beside him.
"I said I am okay, Ania." He says, holding my arm.
"Think of your daughter, Andy. Do you want her to see you looking this way? Do you think she would be happy to see you with an open wound and all soaked up in blood?" I plead, and just like anything about his daughter melts him down, he lets go of my hand, allowing me to tend to his wound.
The doctor returns with the news that the room I requested is ready, just the exact time I am finishing up wrapping a bandage on his wound. I don't think I did it so well, but at least it's not open and it's disinfected. I will make sure he gets checked before today.
"Done. I want you to go take a bath. Your daughter needs to see a clean and sparkling daddy when she wakes up. I'll find you something to change into." I mumble.
"Come on, Ania. I can't just leave..."
"Your face will be the first thing that your daughter will want to see when she wakes up, Andy. You can't appear to her like this. Hurry up and don't take long." I say, and he sighs.
He stands up.
"Thank you doc." I say as I hand her back the kit. She smiles, and leads Andy to where he will have his bath.
When they are out of my sight I fish out my phone and dial Ambrose's number. We haven't spoken in months since the return of Maria, even Rita, and I hope he picks up.
"Tania! Hey!" He picks on the second ring. That was fast.
"Ambrose! I really need your help. Where are you?" I ask.
"We are about five minutes from the hospital. Detective Paul called us earlier about what happened. How are you? Are you all safe?"
"Aah, we are fine! The doctors haven't reported about Angel though and we are freaking out. Andy is not taking it too well."
"I'm sorry. Anyway, just hang on. We are nearby. Do you guys need anything?"
"Yeah. I need you to grab a tee and some shorts for Andy." I say.
"Oh. Okay. Anything else?"
"No, Ambrose. Just, please hurry up."
"Okay. We will be there in five."
I drop the call, and now it's my time to pace back and forth. I might not have any nails from today due to how I am biting them to curb the nervousness. I think I was strong earlier because Andy was with me. Now I am a nervous desperate wreck, and I even wish I didn't send him to have that bath. What if the doctors come out of Angel's room right now?