Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Damien
I watched as the doors opened, and they wheeled her inside. When they closed, I stood there with my hands tucked tightly in my pants pockets as fear radiated throughout my body.
“Damien?” Grace softly spoke as she placed her hand on my arm. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked at her. “Come on. Come with me up to the rooftop for a cup of coffee. She’s in excellent hands. I promise you that.”
I gave her a nod, and she led me to the elevator. When the doors opened, we stepped out and over to where the coffee was located. “How do you take it?” she asked.
“Just black.” She handed me the cup, and I took it to the railing and stared out at the busy city of Los Angeles. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the envelope she had given me.
“She gave me this and told me to open it while she’s in surgery. I’m not sure if I want to.”
“You have to. It’s her wish. Don’t let her down by not reading it. I have to go. I’m needed down in the ER. I’ll check up on you when I can, and I’ll go into the O.R. and get updates.” She placed her hand on my arm.
“Thanks, Grace. I appreciate it.”
She gave me a friendly smile and left the rooftop.
I sipped my coffee and stared at the envelope I held in my hands.
In a way, I already knew what she wanted to say, and I couldn’t bring myself to open it.
I shoved it in my pocket, finished my coffee, and headed to the chapel.
When I entered, I was the only one there.
I sat in the first row, folded my hands, and closed my eyes as the tears swelled.
Reality had set in, and no matter how good Dr. Finn was, the risks of this surgery were too high.
I needed to be strong for London, and in the process, I became delusional about the fact that she might not survive this.
I opened my eyes and wiped my tears as anger flowed through my veins.
A few short weeks ago, I was a man who didn’t care about anything except my company.
My work made me who I was and validated me.
I had become so consumed with making money that I couldn’t see what really mattered.
Until I met London. And now, nothing else mattered but her, and the possibility that I might lose her forever haunted me.
“Why?” I shouted as I looked up. “Why the hell did you bring her into my life? Were you testing me? Is this karma for the way I lived my life and treated people? Is this my punishment? Wasn’t it enough for you growing up the way I did?
You already punished me by giving me to those horrible people.
I was the way I was because of you!” I shouted.
“Please.” I lowered my head. “London is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have to feel that I found Dr. Finn for a reason, right? There was no hope for her until she met me. I know you have your hand in our lives, so please do what’s right and spare her.
Give her back to me so we can live out the rest of our lives together.
If you do that, I promise I will never return to how I used to be. I give you my word.”
I pulled out the envelope and opened it. Pulling out the folded piece of paper, I stared at her words.
My dearest husband,
By the time you’re reading this, I will already be in surgery.
I don’t know what fate has in store for me, but I was hoping you could make me a promise.
If something happens and I don’t make it, I need you to promise me that you’ll move on with your life with your head held high and the memories we made together.
I love you so much, and I thank you for loving me.
Life will go on without me, and I want nothing more than for you to love your life, even if I am no longer in it.
I want you to take pictures of everything.
Tell people that you love them. Do the things you’re scared to do.
Those are the little moments in life that matter.
Do those things in memory of me and have no regrets.
Promise me, Damien. I will love you forever.
Your wife, London.
I wiped the tears from my face and took a deep breath.
Folding the paper and placing it back in the envelope, I shoved it in my pocket, collected myself, and went up to the surgical waiting room.
Only four hours had passed, and as I sat there with my face buried in my hands, I heard a voice and felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Damien?”
I looked up and saw Scott standing there. Immediately, I stood up and gave him a hug.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Do you even have to ask? There’s no way I would let you go through this alone. And don’t worry about the company. Everything is good.”
“I’m not worried about it at all. In fact, I could care less right now. Thanks for being here.”
“Any update yet?” he asked. “No.”
“Have you eaten anything?”
“No. I can’t.”
“Damien, you have to eat. If you’re weak, you’ll be useless to London when she gets out of surgery. Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria. Wait a second, is that a wedding ring on your finger?” he asked in shock.
“Yes.” I smiled. “London and I got married yesterday morning.”
“Wow, Damien. Congratulations. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Everything happened so fast. I really didn’t have a chance.”
After returning from the cafeteria, we sat in the waiting room. It was killing me: the waiting and the constant worry and nervousness. As Scott and I were talking, Grace walked in, and I stood up.
“I just came from the O.R. Jamieson got to the bottom half of the tumor with no problem. She’s stable, and everything is going according to plan.”
“Thank God.” I let out a sigh of relief.
“There are still many more hours to go yet. Just try to relax, and I’ll keep you updated.”
“Thank you, Grace.”
She patted my shoulder and walked away.
It felt as if time had stopped. The waiting was excruciating, and I felt like I was losing my mind.
I paced back and forth across the waiting room.
My heart ached with each minute that passed.
I was exhausted, so I sat in the chair next to Scott and closed my eyes for a few minutes. But it was more than a few minutes.
“Damien?” I heard a voice.
Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Dr. Finn standing over me. “The surgery went well, and London is stable. There were a couple of complications, but nothing to worry about. I’ve placed her in a medically induced coma until the swelling in her brain goes down and her brain starts to heal.”
“How long will that take?” I asked.
“I plan to keep her that way for about a week or maybe two. It depends. She will be monitored every second.”
“Did you get the entire tumor?”
“I did.” He smiled. “It was tricky, but I got it. All of it. There is not one speck of that tumor left inside her.”
I let out a deep breath. “Thank you, Dr. Finn.” I hugged him.
“Listen, Damien. You need to remember what we talked about. I don’t know how she’ll be or what kind of deficits she’ll have when she wakes up. You need to be prepared for the possibility that she may not be the same woman she was before the surgery.”
“It doesn’t matter, Dr. Finn. No matter what, she’ll always be the same woman to me.”
He gave me a sympathetic smile and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“You can go to the ICU and see her. I suggest checking out of Casa Del Mar and getting a hotel closer to the hospital.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.”
“Come on. I’ll take you to your wife,” he spoke. “And then I’m going to call her doctors and tell them that I removed her inoperable tumor.” He smiled.