“Alright. Maybe we can get you back in your chair and go in a room up the corridor where you can wait.”
I looked longing at the door where they’d taken him. They wouldn’t let me in there, so I didn’t even bother asking. “That would be great,” Dad said, picking me up and carrying me to the room. I couldn’t get up. Jeremy wheeled the chair in, too. After lowering me on one of the chairs Dad kneeled on the floor, probably worried that I would take off.
“What happened to him?” I asked, sobbing.
The nurse smiled, but her eyes didn’t. “He’s received a stab wound to his abdomen and lost a lot of blood.”
Stabbed. I coughed, crying at the same time. “W-What?”
“He’ll be alright,” Mum said, stroking my hair from the seat beside mine.
What if he wasn’t?
I cried harder. I’d lost him once, but we’d found each other. I couldn’t lose him forever. We’d been through too much for it to end like this. We deserved a chance, a proper chance.
“Mum,” I said, leaning over and crying on her shoulder. My body shook with every painful sob. “He can’t die, he can’t die,” I chanted. This was too much. I wanted to retreat back into myself and stop the pain, but Noah was a part of me now. There was no way to stop it hurting so much.
“Shh, honey, it’s okay,” Mum soothed. “I’m sure he’s going to be alright.” She was crying, too. That didn’t look good. Noah wasn’t her favourite person right now, but she was still upset over what was happening to him.
“I’ll go and check on him and let you know when we have an update,” the nurse said.
“Thank you,” Dad replied.
The update could be he’s fine, or I’m sorry, there’s nothing more we can do.
“I need him, Mum.”
“I know you do. Jonathan, Jeremy, can you follow and see if there is any immediate news you can find out rather than waiting?”
“You’ve forgiven him completely?” Mum asked when Dad and Jeremy left.
I curled up against her side. “Yes. Have you?”
She was silent for a minute. “I think so. I understand what it’s like to be completely controlled by someone or something else. Don’t get me wrong, I’m angry, you could’ve died, but I don’t blame Noah. He was merely a pawn in their game. They would sacrifice his life to get what they want if they had to. They make you feel part of the best thing on earth. I could never judge Noah for something I would’ve done when I was still under their influence.”
“Do you think Jeremy will come around?”
“Of course. It’s a little more difficult for him, he was so young and never knew the level of control people like that have over you. Noah believed he was doing what was best for everyone. You included. His love for you was able to override that and question what he was taught, just like us. Then he was able to think freely and form his own opinion.”
“Thank you,” I said, wiping my wet cheeks with my hands only for them to be damp again the next second. “It means so much that you don’t hate him. I knew you’d understand.” How could she not, though?
“Of course, honey. He’s going to need a lot of support. Living outside the commune and knowing what a fool you’d been for so long isn’t easy.”
“I’ll be there for him.”
She smiled and kissed the side of my head. “I had a feeling you might.”
“What do you think is going to happen to him now? I mean after he’s better because he will get better.” There was no way he couldn’t.
“He’ll be fine, and I guess that’s up to him. He is in charge of his life now. For the first time, he can do what he wants, go where he wants, and believe what he wants.”
“Yeah,” I replied. He deserved that, and I think he’d want to be with me. I took a deep breath and threaded my fingers together, nervously tapping the backs of my hands. Now I was sitting down and a little calmer than before I felt the consequence of standing up. My feet hurt, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of possibly losing Noah.
I still loved him so much. Probably more now than before he’d betrayed me. Now it was my turn to help him, and when he was better, I was determined to do just that.
Scarlett
IT WAS ANOTHER thirty minutes before I found out what was going on. Dad and Jeremy had come back shortly after leaving, having heard nothing new. Adele turned up and tilted her head to the side.
“You okay, Scarlett?”
“I’m fine. Have you heard any news?”
“I’ve just spoken to the doctor on his way here and Noah’s out of surgery and doing fine.”
I closed my eyes as the relief took my breath away. Mum squeezed my hand. “Thank God. Do you know when I can see him?”
“A nurse will come and get you…from your room, so let’s get you back up there. They’re just getting him settled first.”
I nodded and accepted Dad’s help into the wheelchair. I’d gone back out after learning he was being rushed into emergency theatre. “Okay, let’s go so we don’t miss her.”