391: THE ROAD TO HEALING ARIEL’S POV Luke nodded slowly, a solemn expression settling over his face. “So, what do we do now?” “Well…” I wanted to say something to give an idea of how we were going to make this workout, I guess. But then I noticed how he placed his hand on his head, making a painful face. “Luke!” I blurted out that very moment, settling my eyes on him and nothing else. The painful cast on his face went to a whole new level, and it had me really worried. “Luke, what’s going on? Are you okay?” I clutched his other hand. He let out a roar immediately, and it showed how pained he was. Panic surged through me as I cleaved to make Luke’s hand tighter, his screams echoing in the sterile room. “Luke, please, what’s happening? Talk to me,” I pleaded. But he was writhing in agony; his face contorted with pain. I felt helpless, my heart racing, as I struggled to calm him down. Luke him “Luke, listen to me; just breathe, okay? Everything will be alright,” I murmured, my words sounding feeble even to my own ears. But his screams only grew louder and more desperate, tearing through the stillness of the room like a two- edged sword. I couldn’t bear to see him like this. So, I released his hand and dashed out of the room, my feet pounding against the hard floor as I raced to find help. “Doctor! Please, someone, help!” I shouted frantically, and my voice echoed down the corridor. Finally, a nurse appeared, her eyes widening in alarm at the sight of my distress. “What’s wrong? What happened?” she asked urgently. “It’s Luke; he’s in pain; something’s wrong,” I gasped out, my chest heaving with panic. Without hesitation, the nurse hurried into the room, and I followed closely behind, my heart scuffling in my ears. I watched anxiously as the medical team surrounded Luke, their movements swift and determined as they worked to ease his suffering. I stood there, just watching them, feeling utterly powerless. I drove my hands through my hair, still panicking, hoping that he would be okay. But I tried to keep myself together. One of the nurses turned to me. “Miss, can you please leave the room?” “I’m sorry, but I can’t leave my husband,” I responded. 201 THE ROAD TO HEALING “You’ll have to.“We have something to work on right now, and you can’t be here. I’m sorry.” I didn’t want to move. I didn’t even give a damn about her words. But the other individuals in the room all glanced at me, and they didn’t give me that friendly look. I turned around and slowly walked out of the room. After shutting the door, I leaned against it, closing both of my eyes really tight. I burst into tears immediately. But I drove my hands through my eyes, wiping them away. And right after that, I sniffled. This was me trying to be strong. I didn’t want to let the asthenic side get the best of me. After some slow steps, I sat on the hard bench outside the room, and time seemed to stretch on endlessly. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, filled with worry and uncertainty. I couldn’t shake the image of Luke writhing in pain from my mind, his screams still echoing in my ears. I hugged myself tightly, trying to ward off the chill that seemed to seep into my bones despite the warmth of the hospital hallway. Each passing moment felt like a lifetime, and I couldn’t help but replay the events in my mind, wondering what could have caused Luke’s sudden agony. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to Luke’s room swung open, and a nurse stepped out. My heart leaped into my throat as I scrambled to my feet, my eyes searching desperately for any sign of hope. “Is he okay? “How is he?” I blurted out, my voice trembling with fear. The nurse offered me a reassuring smile, her eyes filled with kindness. “He’s going to be alright. He just needs some rest now.” Relief flooded through me like a tidal wave, washing away the fear and uncertainty that had gripped me for the past hour. I sank back onto the bench, tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered hoarsely, my voice choking with emotion. The nurse nodded, her smile never faltering. “You’re welcome. If you need anything, just let us know.” She wanted to walk away, but I halted her, saying, “Hold on.” She turned around, eyes fixed on me. “Yes?” “Will I be able to take him home today? “You know, just to give him some rest.” After staring at me for seconds, she shook her head as she replied, “No, not today. He’s too weak to leave the hospital now. You can do that some other time.” “Like when?” “I don’t know, whenever he’s fit.” “And what if he’s fit today?” “Please, miss, no questions. Just let the young man rest,” she answered. Her tone wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t rude either. Well, sort of rude. I didn’t give her a friendly face as well, and she noticed it. 391: THE ROAD TO HEALING 3/3 “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be rude. But it’s just…” She couldn’t finish her sentence as she sighed in frustration, lifting her hands. Kind of silly, I’d say. “Just place, excuse me,” she told me and disappeared back into the room. I sat back on the bench, closing my eyes, and I didn’t even know the time I drifted off to sleep. Minutes later, or hours, or whatever, I felt someone tapping my arm. Dragged me from my sleep, and when I had opened my eyes, I saw the nurse who I had talked with before I went to sleepy town. “Uhmm, miss,” she uttered softly. I looked up at her, cleaning my eyes. “Sorry, sorry. I was just tired, so I…” “No, no, it’s okay,” she cut me off. “Your husband is alright now. He’s awake, so….you can go and see him.” “Is there by any chance that he…” I gave her a knowing look. She grasped it quickly, and I didn’t have to say much. “Well, I can’t actually tell. But I don’t really think so.” “Okay, thank you,” I said with a nod. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let us know.” “Yeah, I’ll put that in mind,” I whispered, and then she walked away. Frose from the bench with a mix of relief and apprehension swirling inside me. The nurse’s words echoed in my mind as I made my way back to Luke’s room. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I entered, but I knew I had to be strong for both of us. Opening the door, I found Luke lying in the bed, his eyes open and gazing at the ceiling. I was really glad and relieved to see him awake, seemingly lucid. I approached his bedside cautiously. “Luke?” I called softly. He turned his head towards me, his gaze locking onto mine. “You, you’re back,” he murmured, his voice hoarse. I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yes, I’m back.” He frowned as if trying to piece together the fragments of his memory. “What happened? Even if I could remember, I was in…” “You were in pain,” I cut him off. “But you’re okay now. The nurse said you just need some rest.”