Chapter One Hundred and six

It had been a week. One whole week! A week of never ending worries and more than enough prayers to call for the Almighty's attention.

I tutted and my face contorted into a sneer when Dr. Caleb came into the room for routine checkup instead of the family doctor who was supposed to be in charge.

Caleb was simply not getting the hint that I was not interested in whatever he thought he had to offer me. It was slowly beginning to grate on my nerves. He even asked me on a date the previous day. Was this man trying to create a scandal that would soil my name or something? Was he sent to set me up and ruin my marriage?

I thought you didn't want the marriage?

My inner self had a way of calling out my bluff and it left me retracing my thoughts back to my initial disposition.

Of course I didn't want the marriage but that didn't mean I would disrespect my vows for the next few months that remained.

But, what if he doesn't wake up by then?

The thought had me visibly shaken.

"Ariana?"

My eyes shot up to meet whoever called out to me. The room had gotten crowded all of a sudden and I somehow did not notice.

I stood on my feet abruptly.

"What's going on?!"

"Ma'am I think you should excuse us. Your husband is in critical condition." A nurse said, trying to usher him away.

"His heart is failing!" I heard someone shout. My legs shook and almost gave way but a sudden surge of bravery ran through me.

I pulled away from the nurse who was practically dragging me out of the room. They were using the defibrillator on him and it seemed to not be working.

They tried the first time and I saw as his body jerked up into the air but there was nothing. There was nothing but a flat line on the heart monitor.

"No, no, no! Not again." I screamed frantically.

I don't know how and when I did it but I grabbed the defibrillator from whoever was handling it and put it on him once again. Once again, his body jerked up but there was still no response.

I felt the hands of the professionals in the reaching for me but I fought them off. I slammed my hand on Damien's chest with as much strength I could muster - enough to not cause him any respiratory complications, that is.

The beeping of the ECG monitor soon steadied - an indication that his heart had returned to it's normal beating rate. I heaved a magnanimous sigh of relief when the medical personnels recovered from their shock and confirmed he was out of any form of danger.

I had my head resting on his chest as my right hand went across his torso and rested on the other side of the bed. My eyes stayed to his feet as I wept profusely, wetting the fabric of the attire that had been placed on him.

"Babe wake up! Come back to me, please." I was practically begging for him to open his eyes again.

It felt like I was reliving the experience of the process that led to my father's death over again. It was such a nightmare because it all happened only a few months before.

My anxiety had increased as the days counted and the crazy thing that just happened surely had my blood pressure going up. I needed him back in one piece but all I could do at this point was pray.

***

I felt a hand rub through my hair while I was asleep.

"Damien stop." I muttered in my sleepy haze. Damien was the only person who would do that so I was probably dreaming.

"How did you know it was me?" I heard the hoarsely tired voice and my eyes snapped open.

I jerked up from my seat with my eyes and mouth wide open.

"Damien, you're awake! You're awake!" I cried out the tears of joy that had welled up in my eyes.

I placed kisses on his forehead, nose and lips in quick succession.

I called for the doctor and they rushed in to check on him. I could not contain my excitement as I picked up my phone to inform everyone of the new development.

***

The room was filled - not just filled with people, but with joy. The smiles were infectious. The most genuine smiles we all had had in days.

It took not much time for everyone to leave whatever they were doing to rush down to the hospital and see for themselves that Damien was finally awake. The wait was over. I was relieved, grateful, ecstatic, just name it. I felt so many things at once and for good reasons this time.

"Ariana, you're trending right now." Fiona said looking at her phone screen with wide eyes. All eyes were glued to her

"What did I do?" I asked, still holding on to Damien's hand as I sat next to him. I turned to her and back to him who seemed to be as worried as I got.

"Look at this." She came over and showed the phone's screen to both of us.

It was a video of me grabbing the defibrillator to use on Damien and eventually slamming my palm on his chest before his heart picked up.

My jaw fell. Who recorded it? I'll never know.

"Everyone's saying you're a super wife ma'am. This is great publicity." Drew, Damien's assistant said showing us a few comments on the post.

"Wow, I don't know what to say." I truly was short of words.

"I just did everything without thinking. I was scared of losing him the same way I lost my father." I blinked back a tear. I should be happy, I couldn't allow melancholy ruin the special moment.

"You saved my life, babe." Damien's hoarse voice made its way to my ears.

I looked away coyly. I got all mushy on the inside whenever I thought about him being conscious.

"I love you." He brought the back of my palm to his lips. I felt shivers climb through me from that singular gesture. It wasn't just the feel of his lips on my hand that caused it, it was his words. They never ceased to overwhelm me ever since the first time I heard him say them to me.

"I'm so happy you're okay Damien, we were all so worried." Mom said trying not to break into tears again just as she did when she first saw him awake.

"Don't cry mom. I'm grateful for being alive too. I'm glad I got the chance to be with all of you again." He said and paused to give me one of his intense stares.

"Especially you babe."

I blushed.

"Ugh! You just had to ruin the nice speech that made us feel that we're important. You're so in love!" Aiden groaned exaggeratedly. His reaction had us all cracked up.

"You're all important to me." Damien said calmly.

Aiden scoffed in disbelief.

"Not as much as Ariana, I suppose."

"Maybe." He responded with a lazy smile splayed on his face which had regained its color.

The dramatic gasps that followed his response had me struggling with the fit of laughter that was slowly bubbling in my stomach.

Damien was gradually shutting his eyes. He seemed exhausted and just as I thought it, a nurse came in.

"Visiting hours are over. Mr Kingston also needs to be well rested to aid his recovery." She said clasping her hands together as she gestured for everyone to leave.

One by one, they trooped out after hugging both of us goodbye.

Aiden left last and just as expected he had a smart ass comment to drop.

"You better not be thinking of doing any silly to her, Damien. You're still recovering." He teased with a mischievous smirk.

I turned crimson red. Damien whose eyes had been shutting slowly, snapped up to give one of his death glares to Aiden.

"I'll just go before he murders me with that stare." Aiden swallowed and rushed out leaving my laughter echoing in the now empty and silent room.

I turned and saw the oh so familiar grey eyes locked on my features.

"You should get some rest." I muttered, adjusting the cover cloth on him and bringing it to his chest.

"You should too. You look so tired." He sounded concerned.

"Yeah." I whispered.

"Thank you babe."

My brows shot up even as my lips slightly sloped downwards.

"What are you thanking me for?" I asked him as I went about the room trying to tidy it.

"For everything."

I did not know what to say so I said nothing. I just hoped he wasn't thinking that I agreed to go back to him although my actions were stating otherwise.

Now was not the time to think about it though. Neither was it the time to discuss the situation. I just had to make sure he was okay before thinking of leaving to continue with my life and await the day we would legally break up what we had.

Till then, I was going to be cordial and make sure he's well taken care of.

Till then...