A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (9 page)

Angela walked towards me and
hugged me.

“
Oh
David, I never told this to Cassidy because I didn't want to
influence her, but I had always wished that she had chosen you. You
were so right for her.”

I sighed. “She didn't
love me enough.” I murmured.

Angela smiled.

“
You're
wrong; she did love you and honestly I never understood her choice.
She kept loving you through all these years, she used to talk about
you a lot, and she used to be all sad when she knew you were going
out with someone, although of course, at the same time she would be
happy for you. She wanted you to forget her; she wanted you to be
happy. She never forgave herself for the pain she inflicted to you.”

“
Forget
her? How could I ever forget her? That's never going to happen. She's
my life.”

“
I
know. It's amazing the way you love her. You keep going at the
hospital when you know that if she ever wakes up, it's Tyler she's
going back to. He's her husband.”

I looked up at her. My heart
was aching. She had put into words what I had been thinking in the
past three weeks and tried to ignore. I already knew this yet I was
hoping there would be a second chance for us.

“
I
know but I don't care. All I want is for her to be happy and in
health. I want her to be safe. It has never been a problem for
me to suffer, really, and the little time I spent with her was like a
gift. And I have Kylie, the greatest gifts of all which will remind
me forever how much I will always love her. Kylie wasn't a mistake;
it was made with love. At least from my end. I have to go now. Please
take care of Kylie. I'll try to come back a little early so I'll pass
some time with her.

“
OK.
David?”

“
What?”
I asked.

“
Listen,
I was thinking to stay here, not in your house I mean here in this
place. I thought to sell my home and buy a house here. And maybe find
work,”she informed me.

I looked at her for a
moment. I had got used to her presence in our house. It certainly
helped to have someone to talk to and she was taking care of Kylie.
She was a blessing right now, I would have never coped on my own. And
since I didn't know how long I had to keep going to hospital I felt
relieved that Angela was thinking about staying.

“
You
can stay here as long as you want Angela you know that.”

“
I
know, but I prefer to have my own house. I want to stay near you, to
help you with Kylie and to be able to go and visit Cassidy, what do
you think? She asked.

“
Well
for me is fine. I don't know what I'll do if you leave,” I said
in all honesty. She smiled.

“
Good
then I'll stay, today I'll phone my employer and tell him about my
decision. I will also begin to search for work. I thought about
contacting a real estate agent, maybe they'll find me a place.”

“
That's
a good idea,” I agreed.

“
Next
week I'll have to return home but I'll promise it won't be for long.”

“
OK
Angela. I'll go and get ready,”I said impatiently as I began to
walk towards my bedroom. I couldn't wait to go to the hospital. I
needed to see her. I took a shower and got dressed, said goodbye to
Kylie and left. When I arrived at the hospital, I parked the car and
took out all the things I had taken with me. When I arrived in
Cassidy's room, the nurse  smiled at me. She got used to me now.

“
Hello
David, you're late today,” she said with a smile.

“
Yeah,
a little. How is she?” I asked hoping to have some good news.

She smiled sadly...

“
Well,
she's stable but no improvements yet!” She informed me. I
nodded; I had heard this phrase numerous times now. I put down my
things and then I pulled out a CD player.

“
What's
that?” She asked curiously.

“
Oh,
I thought some music would make her feel better. She loved romantic
songs. I prepared a CD for her with her favourite songs,”I
explained.

“
Oh,
that's really sweet. You must love her very much.”

“
Yes
I do.” I said while I plugged in the CD player.

“
I
know it's not my business.. but..” She stopped as if she was
unsure if to continue.

I looked up at her; she
looked strangely at me with her deep hazel eyes. She was a nice lady,
in her forties.

“
So?”
I said, hoping she'd continue.

“
Well,
I shouldn't say this..”

“
Please
do. What is it?” I asked anxiously.

“
Her
husband never came to visit her. Actually he came only once two days
after her accident.”She said finally.

“
What?”
I looked stunned at her.

“
Yes
that's sad, I don't know how he can do this. While you come every
day. How come she didn't marry you?”

I sighed. “Well.. it's
a long story. She loved him more I presume although we have a
daughter.”

“
I'm
sorry; I didn't mean to be nosy.” She said.

“
It's
OK. That's life. I have accepted that she will never be mine, but I
will never accept this. I still hope that she will wake up. What do
you think? Am I being stupid? Am I the only one who believes in
miracles?” I said feeling tears in my eyes again. I had to stop
it; I had cried in these past three weeks more than in 30 years of
life.

“
No,”
she said holding my hand. “David leave everything in God's hand
and keep doing what you're doing, there were people who made it and
were worse than she is, but maybe it will take time. Be prepared to
that. It could take months and sometimes years.”

I nodded and hoped that it
wouldn't take that much although I wasn't going to leave her even if
that meant that hospital would become my second home.

CHAPTER 9

I put in the CD and pressed
the play button. The music began.

“
Oh,
this song is amazing,” nurse Mandy said. “It's so sad but
yet so beautiful. I never heard it before. Who is the composer?”
she asked.

I smiled at her and proudly
said, “Well you have him in front of you.”

She looked stunned at me.
While I walked near Cassidy's bed.

“
Are
you serious? Oh David, this is fantastic. What is it called?”

“
Give
me a second chance to love you.”

“
Oh.
So you composed it for her.”

I nodded as I caressed
Cassidy's hand.

“
Yes,
you know I entered a competition the day she had the accident. She
had came to see me but never got to know that I actually won that
competition.”

“
Oh,
well you surely deserved it.”

“
Thank
you.” I replied.

“
I'll
leave you alone with her. I know how much you love to speak to her,”
she said then as she took one last look at the monitor.

“
Thanks.”

Nurse Mandy went out, and I
grabbed my chair and put it nearer to her bed. I sat down and grabbed
her hand and kissed it like I did every time I went to see her.

“
Sweetheart
I'm here, yes again. I can't stay away from you. Cassidy, when are
you going to come back? I miss you so much. Kylie misses you a lot
too; she's always so sad. We have a little angel Cassidy, who needs a
mum. Please do it for her. Open those beautiful eyes of yours. I
would give anything to be able to look in your eyes once more, to be
able to speak to you again. Oh Cassidy. You know today something
happened to me which made think of the past, which made think of our
first moments together. A girl from my English course wrote me a sort
of love letter. It reminded me of the time we were happy together.
When you were my student, and I was your teacher. How exciting it was
to look at each other in class. With just one look, we could
communicate. We shared a secret, the secret of our love. The love
that we showed to each other in my apartment. How many times we had
made love in my bedroom. We had cuddled, and I had sworn I would
never love anyone like that. I kept my promise Cassidy; I still love
you as much as I did at that time, if not more.”

I caressed her pale face;
she was so beautiful, even though the bruises hadn't disappeared yet.

“
Come
back to me, please. Come back to me Cassidy,” I begged her. I
squeezed her hand gently to make her feel I was there. I stayed there
around three hours, in which I kept talking to her. In the mean time,
I finished some markings while the CD kept playing. I was hoping that
this in some way could help her to wake up. When I got back home, I
went straight to Kylie, who was in her room. I opened the door and
found her on the bed crying.

“
Kylie.”

“
Hello
Dad,” she said looking at me with the saddest of the looks.

“
What's
wrong sweetheart, why are you crying?” I asked as I walked
towards her bed.

“
I
had told her that I hated her,” she told me between sobs.

“
Told
that to who?” I asked not sure if she was referring to Cassidy.

“
To
mum, the day she had the accident I had told her that I hated her
because of what she was doing to you and now I feel awful. I can
never tell her how much I love her.”

I sat down on the edge of
her bed, and she threw her little arms around my neck.

“
She
knows you love her, but tomorrow I'll take you to see her so you can
tell her OK?” I said hoping this will make her feel better.

Her face brightened.

“
Really
Dad? I can see her now?” She asked happily.

“
Yes
but I don't want you to be afraid of what you'll see. She has many
wires around her, and her face is still a little bruised. Kylie...”

“
Daddy
I'm a big girl now OK. I'll be OK.”

I looked at her and smiled.
She was so brave, my little princess.

“
OK
sweetheart. Tomorrow after school we shall go to mum.”

“
OK,
I can't wait.” She said placing a kiss on my face.

“
Think
about the things you want to tell her, she will hear you although
she's asleep.”

“
OK
Dad, I'll think I'll make a list so that I don't forget anything.” 

And saying this she got up
and went to get some papers. I left her alone and went down in the
kitchen were there was Angela drinking some tea.

“
How
is she?” She asked as soon as I got in.

“
Well,
no improvements,” I said sitting down near her. Angela got up
and made me a cup of tea.

“
I'm
taking Kylie to hospital with me tomorrow,”I informed her.

She looked at me startled,
probably she thought I was getting mad..

“
Are
you sure this is a good idea?” She asked.

“
Yes,
she needs to see her.” I knew that Angela was not going to
agree. I thought she was going to try and persuade me not to take
her, but she didn't say anything else. 

“
Angela,
have you called Tyler in these past three weeks?” I asked her
then as I recalled what Nurse Mandy had told me.

“
Yes
I did, many times but he never answered. I even tried to call him at
work, and the secretary told me he was out.” She informed me.