Chapter 3. Is There a Bright Side?

Dominic’s story

I was absolutely terrified for her like I had feared nothing before in my life. Unfortunately, I had not been given the opportunity to discover what her name was. I had absolutely no information about her identity or anything else that may have been related to her. I just knew that I had to do whatever I could to save her and that she had to survive.

Every day I made sure to come to check on her. I can't seem to stop thinking about her and worrying about her every single day. Initially, they had transferred her to the ICU, and it had been over a month since then. I have kept up communication with Declan and I had another appointment with him today. I was hoping to hear something that would bring me a pleasant surprise.

I would often find myself sitting in the chair located in the front of the ward for most of my time. After much consideration, I have abandoned my acting life and have temporarily paused all my projects. Despite this, I was still continuously rehearsing and perfecting my lines at home. Imitating another character's mannerisms and behavior helped me to cope with everything I was going through, and I felt it was the only way I could manage the situation.

There were moments when I was losing faith that she would ever open her eyes. She endured multiple tests, yet she kept her eyes tightly shut.

With my head bowed in prayer, I wished that somehow God could hear me. As I was sitting there, I felt a tap on my shoulder, which made me turn my head to look at the chair beside me. I noticed a woman who appeared to be middle-aged with a look of sadness in her eyes gazing in my direction.

“Are you feeling alright, son?” I could still hear the woman’s voice ringing in my thoughts, yet it had an almost gentle and calming effect on my soul. Even though she tried to put on a brave face, I could see a certain sadness in her eyes.

Although perhaps she was here for the same reason as me, she was still concerned about my well-being.

“I’m only a little troubled...” The words got stuck in my throat. I could barely speak them out.

“You brought her on time, don’t you worry!”

“I hope so... wait, how would you know that? I’ve been coming here for over a month...”

“Son, even if it was a month, the whole hospital knows that the actor Dominic Stone brought in an injured young woman”

I was observing her with great interest, as I had not previously paid close attention to that detail. I was so captivated by this overwhelming feeling of pain that I felt as if nothing else in the world mattered.

She smiled kindly at me.

“Well, I only hope it was not too late...” I said with regret in my voice.

“Have faith, my son, that God will let nothing bad happen to her”

I was filled with guilt that this woman had been taking care of me and it never even occurred to me to ask her name or check in on how she was feeling.

“And yourself, ma’am...”

“Adams. Eve Adams is my name. My sister Pauline is here. She had a stroke a few days ago, but the doctors say it would not be much now. Not a hope there. She’s almost gone... I just came to say goodbye to her...”

Tears were streaming down the poor woman's face, and she could not stop them. The sensation of physical pain was a feeling I had not experienced in a long time and had forgotten what it meant. After he turned me, I didn’t experience it anymore.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Adams...” That was all I could say to her. What else could I have said? How to comfort the heart of this woman whose loved one was dying?

“That’s fine. I’ve already made my peace with God. I am not upset” I still wish I had known what to say to her. One thing was certain.

“People were not supposed to suffer this way!” And I was really speaking from the heart.

“It’s okay to be angry, but once we accept God’s will, what He has in store for us, life becomes easier to live... without our loved ones. But it will not be your case.” Then she turned her sad eyes away and buried them in her palms. I then heard soft sobs.

“Sometimes it’s just too hard to understand...” I continued, thinking about the woman I had saved who was probably in excruciating pain.

“It is, my dear, but there must be some happiness for us mourners beyond the grief. At least a closure... I must go now. It’s time!”

“Mrs. Adams...” I felt the need to tell her I would be there for her if she needed something.

“Yes, son...”

“Please, take good care of yourself and thank you for your kind words. Here’s my business card... if you need anything, please call me!”

“I am the one I should thank, young man. You’ve made my suffering easier. God bless both you and the young lady you came with!”

With those last few words, that brave woman went to bid her farewells to her beloved sister. I felt my heart tighten with dread at having that thought. How could you possibly bring yourself to say goodbye to someone who means so much to you? Is the person you are referring to related to you through your own family line?

I was so tired, but I could not move away from my chair until she had recovered from her tough night. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the good news was delivered sometime after midnight. It was a relief when she finally started breathing on her own. However, Declan kept her in the ICU for one more week until the danger had completely gone away.

After all the time I had been worrying, it finally filled me with optimism that she had a chance of making a full recovery. Nevertheless, not completely. Declan had the unfortunate task of delivering some terrible news to me.