Emily
I was mortified as we walked passed through the emergency room
I saw the number of people who were being treated, after being injured critically. Others had an impending illness that had immobilized them, causing them to be bedridden. There was only one truth that they might not know of; not all of them were going to make it back k home alive. Flashing images of Mom at the hospital blocked my vision as the hair on my skin rose due to fear…
Sitting through the doctor's report of how she might not be coming home, disrupted every composure I had. There was this permanent grief that I had carried over the years, that was why I refrained from the clinics or hospital. I tried to stay away from all that grief that my PTSD had brought to me. I was back here because I was stupid enough to play with a man who had done everything in his power to steal a piece of me, leaving me empty and battered.
We made a turn to the doctor's office. Claude went ahead but I stopped in my tracks. In a few seconds, he stopped too, staring backwards to see if I was following. I was way backwards. He walked up to me, dragging my hands to stand at the front of the door. I felt like a child being dragged to make decisions I wasn't fit to make on my own. "Please, I am only doing a favour to Cedric. Don't make this hard for me. We have to be discreet; one wrong move and you would be in the face of the media, and you would not like the headlines. I know you are American, but the French tabloids do things a little differently. You would not like yourself after you are the centre of attention." He quietly informed me.
I loved that he respected me enough to give me the details without outrightly ordering me to go with him. Then, it was my future that we were talking about. I could die.
I had no words for him as he went ahead knocking on the door. The doctor had already had her gloves on with a stand-by nurse ready to do the procedure.
Does Cedric have the whole of France under his payroll? I asked myself as I saw how they acted, trying to do what Cedric wanted. It felt like some hefty decisions were taken behind my back without any hint or permission from me. I felt invisible as Claude gave them instructions.
They took me to a secluded room. "Do you have everything you need? Her husband wants to be sure that nothing would go wrong." He asked the doctor. I hesitated.
"There won't be any problems at all. We already have the surgical equipment for the procedure. Mr Cedric doesn't need to worry." I saw the surgical tray and all of the blades and towels lined up against each other as they gave me a creepy smile. I wasn't comfortable doing any of it.
I tightened my fist, trying to stay calm and not show any kind of emotions that might raise suspicions.
"Please, lie down on the bed." I stared at Claude who was standing by the corner.
"I am not going to be here while he stays here." He smiled, his eyes glued to the screen. I knew he heard me but I didn't think he was going to make a mockery of me. I tried to find my breath, and the air in my lungs just wasn't enough, as I stared at the surgical tray.
Everything felt pre-planned and creepy. I held on to my chest as Claude became very interested.
"I need to use the bathroom."
"No way!" Claude interjected. "She doesn't leave my sight. You have the begin the procedure so we can take her home."
The doctor saw how helpless I looked. She blinked her eyes before facing Claude. "The procedure we are about to perform is a complex one. Even with early pregnancy, we still need the patient to be utterly relaxed so we do not face any problems. I am not going to perform the procedure if we are going to force her to stay out against her will."
Claude became furious. "That wasn't the plan, doctor."
"I know but that is ethics. As a doctor, I have to uphold the ethics of ensuring patients' care and trust before any major procedure is done. If she wants to go to the bathroom to feel comfortable then, she would. Besides, you cannot stand there while I do that."
I didn't know if the doctor was on my side but I knew she felt the tension as much as I did. I knew going on still with this much panic was out going to send me to my early grave. Claude reluctantly agreed to step aside as the nurse guided me to the bathroom.
As soon I was secure in the bathroom, I locked the door. "I can't do this!" I told myself as I stared at my battered self in the mirror. I was more scrawny than I had imagined. Staring at myself in the mirror, I felt like I was seeing a ghost as a reflection. All of this was stressing me out. I couldn't remember when last something similar to this took away my sleep and peace of mind.
It is not every day you find someone who got married against her will and got pregnant to top it all off. I sighed, gathering enough strength. I saw the window in the bathrooms was left ajar. I jumped throughout as I took a run out of the premises. I was in the frizzled streets of France, hectic. It felt like another version of New York but a bit confusing but peaceful.
I tried to find my way but I was lost. I didn't know the block I was in.
I tried to ask questions but I kept being pushed further into the crowd, ignored. I slide my phone out of my jeans pocket. Searching through Google Maps, trying to find a stable location.
"Hey beautiful, it seems you are lost?" A deep voice interrupted me, coursing fear through my veins.
I turned to see the big stranger. He licked his lips as he stared at me..
Fear only increased when I found myself alone in the alley…with him.