Chapter 74

ZAVIER (Zero)

I ran out of my gate and called the first cab man I saw. I entered the cab.

"Drive at your highest speed! Just drive to C.O. hospital, hurry!" I barked at him.

He doesn't need to be told twice, he gunned the engine and sped up the car. He drove with confidence because I'm in police uniform, he knows that no officer will stop him.

My hands trembled as I stared at Lani's white wet face, filled with pain and fear. I stared at her unseeing eyes, filled with tears.

"My baby...my love. Please hang in there, you'll be fine." My voice was gravy, as I tried to talk to her. My body was shaking.

"Hurts..." She whimpered again. The only words she's been saying.

"I know, baby. I'm so sorry, but you'll be alright. Just stay strong for me, my baby." Tears filled my eyes. Something so unfamiliar, but I wasn't surprised.

Her blood coated me, and it's like driving a stake through my heart. I have the urge to get down from the car and start running to the hospital with her.

I would do it too if it was faster. But it's not.

I can see the babies movement on her belly, they seem restless. My eyes burned when Lani's small body jerked in my arms and she whimpered.

"Uhhm....sir. Your s-shoulder is bleeding." The cab driver called my attention.

I only spared him a glance. The pain from my fvcking shoulders is nothing compared to the one from my goddamn heart. I brought out my cellphone and called Morris.

"Hey, assh0le. How's it going---"

I cut him off. "I'm taking Lani to the hospital, that asshole got to her. She's bleeding profusely and..." I swallowed tightly and stared at her, "....even though I'm carrying her body, she's barely hanging in there."

"Jesus, Zavier. Which hospital, I'm on my way already." He groaned.

"No, I called you to go to the house first and clean up a mess there."

"Good. You killed the motherfvcker."

"I tore him out like a chicken."

"Very better! Thinking he can hurt our lani and go scot free, he's lucky I'm not there but I'm happy that I'll be the one to clean his dead body, I'll bury the assh0le facedown on the ground with his legs missing and his mouth stuffed with sand!" He whispered in rage.

"His heart is in his mouth. There's nowhere for sand to enter." I revealed.

"Shit! Well, I'll just manage. I'll come to the hospital when I'm done. Oh, and Zav?"

"Mmh?" I patted Lani's hair soothingly.

"Be strong for her. You can't break down and also try not to kill the doctors."

"They'd better make things right or all bets are off." I grunted, my heart sneezing when Lani jerked again.

I hung up the phone and held her tight, counting the seconds till we get to the hospital.

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

As I stormed the hospital with Lani, a scream of "Emergency!! Emergency!!" erupted everywhere.

The doctors and nurses rushed towards us and they wanted to take Lani from me. I didn't give her to them because I don't want them to jarr her wrongly, hurting her the more.

They pointed the room to me and I dropped her gently on the bed. The bed cover I covered her with was so soaked with her blood.

As they urged me out of the room, the doctor shouted orders to the nurses. Everywhere was a windwhirl of activities.

I stood outside there restless and so fvcking scared. I couldn't sit for long. I couldn't stand still.

A nurse urged me to use a bathroom and watch up. I did that, and another doctor came to me talking about treating my fvcking stab wound.

"You don't understand, doc. That woman in there is fvcking priority. This is merely a graze, I don't need any goddamn treatment."

The doctor stared at my shoulder like I'm a lunatic. I followed his eyes and I have to admit that the wound does look bad with the amount of blood I'm loosing. Don't care.

"We have to treat you, sir. Allow us. He tried again, nervously.

"Treat my woman and my babies, and everything will be fvcking alright in the world." I stated matter-of-factly.

"You can't help your wife and kid if you bleed to death."

I decided that what he's saying is true. I allowed them to take me to another room and treat the wound.

Long minutes later, I'm back outside Lani's room, pacing restlessly, unable to reconcile myself with the fact that the woman I love more than anything in the world is fighting for her life a few steps away from me.

My cellphone rang. I picked it up and placed it in my ear.

"How's my baby girl?" Sister Benedetta's soft voice filled the phone.

"We're in the hospital, sister. Lani is hemorrhaging and it's bad. The doctors haven't said anything yet." I was glad to speak with someone like her right now.

"Oh holy mother of God. Jesus Christ of Nazareth." She sounded more sad than surprised, "Which hospital is she in? Text us the direction and me and the sisters will be there to see and pray for them."

"Alright, sister."

"Keep being strong for your family. Your strength is your salvation, my son. I'm praying for you and I'm praying for your family."

My heart touched. For a full minute, I found momentary peace as if her words itself is miracle. No one has ever prayed for me except Lani.

"Alright, sister. Thank you so much." I said sincerely, wondering if a sinner like me deserve all this. "I'll text you the directions."

When I hung up the phone, I quickly tested her the directions. Then, I went back to pacing and restlessness.

IN LANI'S HOSPITAL ROOM

"Who will go out and tell her husband?" Doctor Zeke kept a stern face as he spoke to his nurses.

All five of them stared at each other and shook their heads immediately. Fear gripped from their eyes.

"Don't be cowards. One of you have to go and notify the patient's husband what's happening here. Nurse Kiara?"

Kiara's eyes widened. "Hell, no. Not me, doctor. I-I know I came to work late yesterday but you truly can't punish me this way. Sheriff Zavier scares the very devils out of me."

Every staff in the hospital knows Sheriff Zavier and his wife. The antenatal classes are never funny, the nurses have to take special care of his wife or they're in a very big trouble of pissing themselves by being confronted by her husband.

"Nurse Ferah? You buy flowers from the patient. Surely, you're friendly with her." Doctor Zeke grunted.

"She's the loveliest of woman, doc, no doubt about that. And I'm really scared for her, but I can't go to her husband with this gruesome information, he'll cut off my neck." Ferah was already shaking her head in terror.

Doctor Zeke stared at Nurse Moni.

Mini shook her head adamantly.

He looked at Nurse Sophia.

Sophia pretended not to see his questioning eyes.

He faced Nurse Miriam.

"I'd rather resign, sir." Miriam stated.

Doctor Zeke sighed in resignation. "Fine, I'll go." He's already dreading to. "Keep that blood going."

"Yes doctor."

He took off his groves and headed out.